10 Ways To Organize Your Home

How to bring some bliss into your space

I’m going to come out of the closet and admit that I’m an organization maniac, an OCD woman who cannot stand to see anything out of place at home. I will throw a fit if my family leaves crap lying around the house. And whom should I blame for this? Of course, my mom was a super organized and clean freak and a honey bee who worked tirelessly to maintain a spotless home. Once, a friend was shocked when she saw each piece of underwear neatly folded and sorted by color in my drawer. Although I do obsess over an organized interior, I never thought for once that I’d receive a compliment on an organized drawer! And then someone asked me if I can share tips on how to organize your home.

Why is it important to organize your home?

The reason I obsess over the organization is that it relaxes me. For one, I want my home to be a sanctuary and a place where everyone can unwind and breathe clearly, and clutter impedes this desire. I also want everything to be easily accessible, so when we open our closets, we can find what we want without wasting time on an archeological mission of discovery!

What compelled me to share these tips?

A few months ago, a friend of mine asked me if I’d been watching Marie Kondo, a show about how to organize your home. Out of curiosity, I logged into Netflix and looked up the show. My son had been in bed, my husband was out of town on business, and I had the whole evening to myself. So, I clicked to watch the first episode of the show and thought that Marie Kondo is so calm, very well put together, and pretty. Her style and approach to the organization were Zen, and listening to her speak was like attending a meditation session.

Then there were the messy homes, and that’s when the Zen in me went out of the window, and my stress level started to intensify! By all means, everything Mari Kondo said was logical and most of which I’d already been practicing for decades. I fell in love with her idea of folding T-shirts in drawers. However, I couldn’t watch past episode one of the show only because I couldn’t bear watching the layers of stuff piled in people’s rooms and the dirt.

The point of this blog is to offer readers an insight into how I keep my home organized and inviting while keeping in mind different home styles and space sizes. Although I live in a suburban home with ample space for three individuals (4 bedrooms), I have also lived in tiny apartments ranging from 500 Square feet studio to 1,000 Square feet apartment. Consequently, with each place, I learned and applied numerous ways of keeping things in place. Thus, allow me to share with you my OCD tricks for organizing your space and living a FOC life (Free Of Chaos):

Live Simple

What I mean by live simple is minimalism! It is the best way to organize your home. For one, we do not need every single piece of clothing, shoes, home décor, and kitchen accessories to living a fulfilling life. As you know, the more we own, the more mess and chaos we bring into our lives, and we stress ourselves thinking about what to do with these things. Here are some examples of living a minimalist life:

Avoid seasonal decor

Seasonal decor gets us every season and occasion. Do we really have to decorate the house according to a season or event? Learn to recycle and reuse your existing seasonal décor pieces, and don’t feel like you have to decorate each room to get into the spirit of the season. These are just marketing gimmicks that force us to spend and take up so much storage space, which collects dust and creates stress.

Minimize kitchen accessories

Again, do we need that cute coffee mug or water bottle to shove into the cabinet and occupy shelf space? Please stop buying them for yourself or as gifts to others. It also applies to plate sets and cutlery sets. You only need ONE set for daily use and ONE set for when you have guests to impress. No one will remember or even judge you for having only one nice serving set.

Let Go Of Old Stuff

One of easiest ways to organize your home is by getting rid of old things. If you can’t dispose of old stuff, get a therapist, or hire someone to do this work for you. I’m being a bit sarcastic but I know many people who probably should get some help. All I will say, life will go on when you throw old items away. Life will be beautiful and clear when the closets are light and organized. Here’s how you can dispose of old things:

• If you haven’t used it in 2 years, chances are you will NEVER use it again. It’s best to recycle it or give it away to charity and people who will appreciate the donation.
• If it has holes, cracks, stains, etc., it’s not going to fix itself, so find ways to recycle it, or even sell it to someone who may find value in such items, like artists!

Get creative with sentimental pieces

Store or decorate pieces with sentimental values (old photos, ornaments from travel, heirlooms):

• Old photos: make a collage and frame them or place them in albums to store.
• Ornaments: either display them as décor or store them in a plastic container.
• Heirlooms: if you’re not going to display or wear them, store them in a container or a safe.
• Use transparent plastic containers to store valuable items and tag the boxes accordingly to keep track of their content.

Invest in storage solutions (cabinets/closets)

The best investment that adds value to your property (if you own one) and creates storage is custom made cabinets (closets, wardrobe, or large cabinets). The custom made cabinet we built in the family room is my saving grace from insanity. The main reason for investing in a built-in wardrobe was to ensure we were not leaving things piling on coffee tables and kitchen counters. With this in mind, we built it smartly to store toys, books, and small electronics like remote control, portable phone, laptop, game consoles. As well, we even insisted on adding electrical plugs to charge our electronics! In essence, custom made cabinets are worth your dollar than traditional furniture is, so get them done in bedrooms, family rooms, kitchen, and even dining rooms.

Compartmentalize small items

Use small boxes (compartments) to store small items: buy as many as you can and group items together. I love Ikea storage ideas for the house. You can store small toys, makeup, beauty products, custom jewelry, pens/pencils/erasers, etc. By grouping stuff together, you’ll be able to find what you need instantaneously.

Store clothes in suitcases

OK, this one applies to small spaces for women and men who are fashion addicts. For example, when I lived in a tiny studio, I had one small closet to store clothes. So what I did was first add shelves from Ikea to create more storage space and options. Secondly, I used my suitcases to keep seasonal clothes. In winter, I would store summer clothes in suitcases, and in summer, I store winter clothes. Lastly, I learned to be content with 1 or 2 coats because they take so much extra space in a small closet.

Keep shoe boxes

Keep shoes in their original boxes. It is one of the best methods to store shoes, as it keeps them clean and paired correctly. By storing them in their containers, you’re able to remember which shoes are stored inside the box, and consequently, you don’t need to re-label the boxes. Besides, the boxes are recycled well, in this case, without leaving your home. As for slippers, flats, and running shoes, I used vertical fabric shelves to store them.

Categorize your clothes

What I mean by categorizing your clothes is to sort them out by color and style. When weather can be unpredictable, it’s best to sort clothes by color and style instead of a season. For example, categorize your pants and sort them by color.

Clean your closets twice a year

Use the Marie Kondo philosophy and take everything out of the closet or cabinet. This technique not only allows you to discover how much stuff you own, but it is a chance to clean your closets and cabinets. On top of that, it’s a chance to throw away expired medications, food, damaged stuff, and old clothes. Again, apply the 2-year rule: if it hasn’t been used in 2 years, get rid of it. Yet if it has any significant value, then store it properly.

The latest organization solutions for homes

To organize your home, you have to put in time and money. Make sure to dedicate a weekend twice a year to focus on cleaning out your living space and home. And if you are considering home improvement options, make organized cabinetry and wardrobe space a priority.

Well, what do you think of these ideas to organize your home and space? I invite you to comment and share some of your cool tricks with our readers. If you find this article valuable and know someone who needs some help in organizing their space, please share with them.

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