Finding the perfect organizing system can feel overwhelming. With so many methods and philosophies out there, how do you choose one that works? After years of trial and error, I’ve implemented a hybrid home organizing system inspired by some of the most popular approaches, blending practicality with mindfulness.
The Home Edit is top tier motivation. Turn on the Netflix show and let it inspire you to tackle your whole house. But unless you are paying them to come do the work for you, I recommend following a more practical system. My system focuses on decluttering, addressing trouble spots, and creating functional spaces tailored to your needs. Here’s how it works:
Step 1: Declutter Like a Pro
The first step of home organizing is always decluttering. Inspired by A Slob Comes Clean, I start by focusing on getting rid of what I don’t need without overthinking organization at this stage. Simply removing excess clears the way for the rest of the process. If you take only one thing from this guide, make sure it’s A Slob Comes Clean. This book made my list of life-changing non-fiction books.
Organizing is difficult when there’s too much stuff, and Dana K. White has created a no-mess system for this. One space and one item at a time:
- Throw away trash and put things you no longer need in your designated donation box.
Would buy the item again if it was no longer usable? If no, it’s gotta go. - If the thing is out of place, put it back where it goes.
- If the thing doesn’t have a designated spot, would you remember that you own it?
- If yes: put it where you would look for it first.
- If no: throw it out or donate.
- Are you out of room in the designated space (bookshelf, closet, cabinet, etc.)? If so, keep what fits, prioritizing favorites. If they are all favorites, get rid of your least favorites until everything fits nicely.
When it’s time to let go, I channel Marie Kondo’s advice from The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up. She recommends channeling a sense of gratitude for your items. Acknowledge the purpose that they served (even if it was only the dopamine from an impulse purchase), and let them go. It helps keep the guilt at bay. Eventually this becomes natural.
Did you get that? One item at a time. If you create a mess because you take everything out (a la The Home Edit and The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up), and you have to step away for any reason, you are left with a bigger mess. One item at a time means that even if you need to step away, your space is better than when you started.
And because this system emphasizes one item at a time, you can do it ANY time. If you’re getting dressed in the morning, and you see just one item that belongs somewhere else, you can deal with just that one thing, and you’ve made progress.
Step 2: Store Things Where You Use Them
One of the simplest yet most effective strategies for keeping your home organized is storing items close to where you’ll use them. It sounds obvious, but it’s often overlooked. Keep drinking glasses near the refrigerator, keep pots and pans next to the stove, kitchen gadgets close to where I’ll use them, etc. This works for non-kitchen things, too.
Is there anything that you use and are constantly going somewhere else to find? See if you can designate a spot for it near the place where you use it.
To that end, it might be worth having more than one of something so that you can keep each one where it’s used. For example, I keep scissors with my wrapping supplies AND on my desk AND in the kitchen. It’s okay to have more than one pair of scissors. What item do you think could improve your flow if you had more than one?
This small adjustment can save time and make it easier to keep things tidy.
Step 3: Use a Home Organizing Style That Fits You
Once you’ve decluttered and contained trouble spots, it’s time to organize. I use the Clutterbug guidelines to figure out what system works best for me and my family. Each person has a natural organizational style, whether it’s visual (like clear bins) or more hidden (like drawers and cabinets) and macro (large categories) or micro (sub-categories).
- Macro + Visual (aka Butterflies)
- Macro + Hidden (aka Ladybugs)
- Micro + Visual (aka Bees, also The Home Edit)
- Micro + Hidden (aka Crickets)
Personally, I think I use different styles for different spaces. I store my yarn like a butterfly/bee, random office and craft supplies like a cricket, and clothes like a ladybug.
When possible and reasonable, channel your inner librarian and store things vertically, like a shelf of books. This makes it easy to retrieve just one thing. And even more importantly, it makes it easy to put something back, which means you’re more likely to do it. Marie Kondo turns this 90 degrees for horizontal spaces like drawers with her special folding techniques, but I’m a basket girl.
Step 4: Address Trouble Spots
No matter how organized you are, some areas will naturally attract clutter. This is where How to Keep House While Drowning comes in. KC Davis’s advice to “add a basket where you already have piles” has been a game changer.
For example, if mail always ends up on your kitchen counter, place a basket there to corral it. If you put clothes that are not dirty enough to wash but not clean enough to return to your closet that end up on a chair, can you put a basket there instead? Or a hook?
A simple solution like this prevents messes from spreading while still respecting the flow of your home.
Use Organizing Products Strategically
I know you love to buy organizing products in the hopes that they will be the magic solution. Use caution here and make sure it’s something that will actually fit your space and the products you plan to store with it. Not all organizing products are worth it, but there are some real gems out there, too. These are my favorites.
Organizing Products for Anywhere
Organizing products may tell you that they are for the bathroom or kitchen, but that’s just a suggestion, not a rule. Use any type of product where it will work best for you.
Acrylic Suction Cup Shelves for Mirrors and Windows
Put these on your bathroom mirrors! Or any other smooth wall for that matter. I have 3 on my bathroom mirror, 1 on my husband’s mirror, and 1 in the hall bath. My bathroom counters no longer look cluttered! And you can put cute decorate objects on the shelves, too. Each clear shelf has 4 large suction cups, and they have not budged.
Over Door Organizer
I have one of these inside my daughter’s closet door for socks, bows, and other tiny things. I have one inside my office closet for office supplies of all kinds. And I have one inside the water closet for feminine supplies – a total game changer.
Wooden Coat Hooks
I have a set of these in my entryway for coats and hats. I’m about to add more all over my house for my never-ending supply of jackets and cardigans of various weights depending on how cold I am (it’s fine…). These would also make a great way to store clothes that aren’t dirty enough to wash but aren’t clean enough to put away. Put a set wherever that pile of clothes is.
Command Velcro Strips
Velcro command strips are my absolute favorite. You can hang pictures and then adjust the level by lifting up and then re-velcro-ing.
Bonus! They make the perfect non-permanent child-proofing solution for cabinets and drawers. You can open the cabinets with no extra effort on your part, but your toddler cannot.
Command Toggle Hooks
These are great for storing lightweight things. I have several lined up under the bathroom window for my daughter’s bath towels.
2-Tier Drawer Organizer
Use it under your bathroom sink, in the pantry, etc. Anywhere you need a pull out drawer for relatively small things.
2-Tier Lazy Susan
For short things in corners.
Single Tier Lazy Susan
For tall things in corners.
Cord Covers
If you have furniture in the middle of the room with no outlets, a cord cover keeps your space tidy and safe.
Hanging Shoe Shelves
This is the BEST handing shoe rack. It has 30 slots! That’s 30 pairs of women’s or kids‘ shoes and 15 men’s. Or put it in any closet for storing other things – there are THIRTY slots!
Cleaning Supplies
Cleaning and organizing are not the same, but they are sisters. You need cleaning supplies that are easy to use, and you need to keep them organized, too.
Shark Stratos Cordless Vacuum
This thing can pick up cheerios (essential for my current life phase), doesn’t hold onto long hair (really!), and can bend to get under low furniture. It’s my favorite vaccuum.
Magic Mop/Vacuum Sorcery
I don’t know how I lived without this mop/vacuum combo. For hard floors that need a deeper clean than sweeping or vacuuming, you need this. I may never mop again. It’s like magic. What’s the spell in Harry Potter? Scourgify? This is it. You’re welcome.
(Ahem, a little tip, DO NOT forget to empty the dirty canister after the self-cleaning cycle, you have been warned. I will now be emptying it BEFORE the self-cleaning cycle so that I do not forget again.)
Upgrade Broom & Dustpan Set
This broom has soft, flexible bristles, which I prefer. You don’t have to bend down to use the dustpan, and the dustpan has teeth to clean dust bunnies out of the bristles. And it stands on its own. It checks all the boxes.
Broom Holder
I installed one of these in the coat closet for cleaning supplies – brooms, mops, sniffer dusters – anything with a handle.
Kitchen
Thankfully the kitchen is one of the easier places to keep organized because there is built in storage. Let’s maximize it!
Pull Out Cabinet Drawers
Installing pullout drawers to your lower cabinets is a huge upgrade, and worth the money. I use these to store my pots and pans. The pull out drawer makes them easily accessible and easy to put away, which is key to staying organized.
Modular Wine Rack
This is the perfect wine rack. it’s modular, so you can stack any number of slots, and one stack takes up so little space. You could even use it for water bottles.
I have 2 stacks of 6 between the bottom pantry shelf and the floor.
Fridge Beverage Organizer
If someone in your house prefers drinks in regular size cans, this is perfect. I use it without the lid and stack the cans as high as they will go.
Fridge Mat for Stacking Cans of Any Size
If someone in your house prefers non-standard size cans (my hubby can’t live without Monsters), this allows you to stack them nicely in the fridge.
In-Drawer Knife Block
I only have four top-level drawers, and i still dedicate one to this knife block. The knives are protected, safe, and off my countertop.
Spice RACk
I have one of these on the inside of the pantry door for spices.
Tiered Pantry Organizer
I use one of these for vinegars, oils, worcestershire sauce, etc.
Bonus!
Zebra MildLiners
Not an organizing product, per se, but it makes me feel organized in my bullet journaling. These are the best little highlighters. The colors are mild and beautiful. And they are double ended, so you can use it as a marker or highlighter.
Why This Hybrid System Works
By combining these home organizing methods, I know how to keep things in a reasonable state, and I know how to adjust when needed. Maintenance is key! I have a husband and a toddler, so a little more maintenance is required than if still lived by myself.
Conclusion
Home organizing doesn’t have to be overwhelming. By combining these tried-and-true methods, you can create a system that works for you and your family. Start with decluttering, address trouble spots, and store items where they make sense for your daily life.
Remember: the goal isn’t perfection—it’s progress. Keep tweaking and adjusting, and soon you’ll have a home that truly feels like yours.
P.S. I also have advice for organizing knitting project bags and recipes!
