When it comes to organizing your home, it can be hard to know where to start. The first step of any organizing project is purging and decluttering. The less stuff you have, the less stuff there is to organize. The concept is simple, but the process can be a little overwhelming. I’ve gone room by room and compiled a list of 55 things to declutter from your home—that you won’t even miss. If you’re having trouble getting started, or have lost your motivation, this is a great way to kick your organization back into gear.
I love books. I like owning physical copies of books. Sure there’s some convenience to e-reading, but nothing beats the real thing—holding a book, the feel in your hands, the scent of the pages. As a home organizer and minimalist, it’s unique that I also own a pretty good-sized collection of books. Books are one item that I never push my clients to get rid of, unless it’s something they want to purge. But, when you own a small library’s worth, it’s important to have a good system in place for sorting, organizing, and tracking what’s on your shelves.
Are your bathroom cabinets and drawers filled to the brim? Are bottles toppling over? Do you even know what you have on hand? It’s so easy to accumulate bath and beauty products. You bring home the travel-sized bottles from the last hotel you visited, you pick up a new nail color from time to time, you get free samples with each visit to the beauty counter. All these items pile up and cause frustration and overwhelm when it comes time to get ready. Your morning routine should be simple. Instead, you’re sifting through a whole bunch of products you don’t use to find the ones that make you feel great. It’s time to eliminate the unwanted products and clutter. Follow this guide to get your bathroom clutter free and take some of the work out of getting ready.
Christmas is around the corner. Do you feel like you’re already drowning in toys? Are you unsure where all the incoming gadgets and gizmos are going to go? November is a great time tackle clutter and get organized before Santa comes to town.
In the same way a messy cluttered home causes you stress, cluttered kid’s spaces can cause your kids to feel irritable, frustrated, and overwhelmed. Your kids can actually develop a lack of interest in playing with all those toys you’re tripping over. As we approach the holidays, we promote being thankful for what we have and thinking of others. Children are generous by nature. Encourage your kids to donate items that they no longer need to children who are less fortunate.
My kids (ages 3 and 8) have helped me put together this declutter challenge… just for kids!
Are you constantly tripping over the pile of shoes by your door? Are you tired of being greeted by an unsightly mess? Have you tried implementing a storage solution, only to be battling the shoes a week later?
You’re not alone. This is one of the most asked about dilemmas of home organizing. Shoes pile up quickly, creating an eye sore as well as confusion…”Where’s my other shoe?” “I can’t find the pair I like.” The shoe mountain grows with each entry into the house, exasperating the problem. You don’t want to just ‘put away’ the shoes, the mess will certainly creep back into the space. You need to keep the shoes accessible with a simple solution the whole family can maintain. You need a solution that is highly functional, fits the style of your home, and makes a great first impression as you enter the door.
The system that will work best for you will depend on your specific space and style. I’ll walk you through the steps of getting the shoe clutter under control and finding the best method of organization for your home.
The family room is where we come together at the end of the day to unwind. Family rooms are where kids plop down after school or soccer practice, where toddlers drag their toys, where board games are played, and movie nights are held. It’s a known fact that family rooms become a bit of a drop zone. It can be hard to sit back and relax with the day’s clutter surrounding you on the coffee table, end tables, and at your feet. Having good storage systems in place for the items that tend to land on your family room surfaces makes it easier for the whole family to pitch in to keep the space tidy. Maintaining a neat space makes it so much more relaxing to kick back after a long day. Find inspiration and shop my favorite products for solving all your family room storage struggles.
You survived school supply shopping, turned in the last minute school forms, and revamped the kids’ wardrobes. It’s time for back to school. Jumping through the pool will no longer be a substitute for bathing, you’ll be expected to do better than hotdogs and ice cream for lunch, and say goodbye to the complete lack of schedule and late nights. The end of summer is bittersweet. Getting back into the routine of school means early mornings, after school activities, and homework. It’s a big change of pace, and if you’re not ready, it will get stressful. Here are my tips for a smooth transition from late summer nights to early school mornings.
Over the last few weeks, we’ve been relying pretty heavily on indoor entertainment. The kids have been getting into the art supplies for some fun out of the sun. All those art and craft materials can get out of hand pretty quickly. It doesn’t matter if your supplies are for kids or the kid at heart, with so many little items to keep track of, it can be a real hassle to get it all organized. Fall is probably my favorite times to get crafty making DIY seasonal decor—and it’s going to be here before we know it. If you’ve got kids in the house, school supply lists are out and it’s time to prepare for another school year of assignments and projects. Whatever your artistic plans, now is a great time to take inventory of your craft supplies and get everything in order.
The end of the school year is here. It’s time for graduation parties, BBQs, summer camps, and family vacations. We’re busy trying to keep up with every event and our minds are whirling with last minute reminders—buy a gift for the teacher, sign up for soccer camp, pick up the graduation gown, turn in registration forms, wash the baseball uniform. Our schedules are full and the weight on our minds is immense. Let’s all take a deep breath, get organized around our thoughts and chores, and recapture the joys of a childhood summer.
There was a time when I proudly displayed my collection of DVDs. Today, I’m embarrassed I still own them! A few years ago, I decided I could no longer stand the amount of room they were taking up in my home—they had consumed every inch of space in our entertainment center. I couldn’t bring myself to donate them and I knew I wouldn’t make enough money to justify trying to sell them. I set out to find a way to keep the movies but regain some space. I found a lot of good options so I’ll share them all, pick the one that works best for you.
We have a loft-style bonus room above our garage that previously served as the playroom, but since the kids are getting older—and since my husband purchased a ping pong table—I decided it was best to move the playroom to the basement and the guest room to the bonus room. With company coming to stay with us later this week, I have been scrambling to take the bonus room from kid’s hangout to vacation getaway suite.
We often have family visit so I want this space to feel like a second home. I’m a little short on time to get this room exactly where I want it, but I’m thrilled with the progress and will add a few items—like additional seating—in the future. I want my guests to be comfortable. Using my own experiences from traveling and reflecting on the comforts I appreciate after a busy day, I have complied a list of guest room essentials…
Spring has finally arrived. Now is a great time to clean out the coat closet. Let’s tuck away the winter gear and get raincoats at the ready. Here are my tips for getting your outdoor apparel and accessories organized.
Have you ever stepped on a Lego? Found it difficult to find your child amongst the pile of stuffed animals on their bed? Is finding a place to store puzzles and games, well, puzzling? Over the years, I’ve learned the more organized I keep my kids toys, the more likely they are to actually play with them. I am going to share with you my hacks for organizing what I have found to be the 3 most difficult toys to store: Stuffed Animals, Puzzles + Games, and Legos. Who’s with me?
While having an organized home has many benefits, it’s only one half of the equation. Owning an abundance of possessions, no matter how well organized, can have a negative impact on your life. Every item in your home is consuming, not only space, but time and energy. Today is a great day to start minimalizing your possessions and gain freedom from unnecessary items. I know you have excuses—reasons you’re holding on to items that need to be let go. I want to help you move past those struggles.
Bathrooms store an abundance of our necessities—soaps, lotions, make-up, toothpaste, hair gel, towels, medicine—just to name a few! It’s no wonder this room is a struggle to keep organized, but having a clean and orderly bathroom feels so luxurious. It’s well worth the effort to get this room spruced up. Here are my tips…
