Table of Contents:
As we approach the end of the year once again, many Americans are eager to make a fresh start. The question, however, is how to do that, and get your year started on a positive note. For many folks, one way is to fully organize their home, especially if it’s a bit of a disorganized mess. For a successful declutter, you’ll need some helpful organization tips.
Here’s a fact: a well-organized home can reduce your stress, boost your productivity and ease family tension. That holds for a one-bedroom apartment as well as a spacious, four-bedroom home. The better organized your home is, the easier and more enjoyable the new year will be for everyone.
If you’re looking for organization tips that can make the task easier, you’ve come to the right place! Below you’ll find the top seven organization tips to organize your home like a pro, from the storage experts at NSA Storage. To get your new year off to an organized start, read on!
Declutter One Room at a Time
Organizing is a process with several different steps and one of the most important is decluttering. The reason why is that it’s incredibly difficult to organize your home if there’s stuff all over the place. That’s especially true for things you don’t need or use daily, but still sit out and in your way.
That being said, decluttering an entire apartment or home can be a tedious, time-consuming affair. To make it less so, we suggest that you declutter one room at a time. Declutter one bedroom completely, for example, or one bathroom, before moving on to the next.
By decluttering one room at a time, you break a big task into smaller tasks you can accomplish in what seems like less time. In other words, it will make your home organization project a lot more manageable.
Start Your Organization Project on a Small Scale
We talked about decluttering one room at a time because it helps make a big task easier to accomplish. The same goes for organizing your home, which is also a big task for many homeowners and renters.
If you start on a smaller scale, like a single closet, the project feels a lot easier to accomplish.
You could even go so far as to organize a single drawer at once. The “junk drawer” in your kitchen, for example, or a drawer in your bathroom that’s stuffed to the gills.
Invest in Furniture that Offers Built-In Storage Space
No matter where you live, storage space usually comes at a premium. That’s painfully true for apartment dwellers, but even those who live in large houses run out of usable storage space.
One solution to this common problem is to invest in furniture that has built-in storage. An ottoman that opens to store blankets, for example, or a bed frame with built-in drawers that roll out. You’ll also find dining room tables that come with drawers, benches with built-in storage space, and even sofas and coffee tables.
In a larger home, furniture with built-in storage can be helpful. In a smaller apartment, though, the right pieces of furniture with built-in storage can increase your storage space significantly.
Organize by Similar Categories
Although they’re often different, every room in your house will have several categories of stuff. The kitchen will have pantry goods, snacks, and cooking utensils. In your bedroom closet, categories include folding clothes, hanging clothes, shoes, socks, and accessories, among others.
The trick is to use all of these categories to your advantage. In your bedroom closet, purchase small, clear plastic bins for socks, belts, and other small clothing items. You can then place them next to each other on a shelf, but keep them from becoming a jumbled mess.
Hang your heavy winter clothes together on one side of your closet, out of the way, then move them back next winter. Do the same for every season to make getting dressed a quick and easy affair.
In the kitchen, store like foods with like foods. Boxed cereals, canned veggies, pasta, pasta sauce, you name it. Group them together, and do the same with things like eating utensils, cooking utensils, pots, pans, etc.
Putting like with like will make it easier and faster to find things when you need them, reducing your stress and search time. It will also look more organized, which experts say can be very soothing and calming for many people.
Create a Cleaning Schedule for the Family
Note to self: if you live alone, this chore will be much easier. It’s creating a cleaning schedule to follow so that all of your hard organizing work won’t go out the window.
If you’re the head of a household, the good news is that creating a cleaning schedule for the family will undoubtedly reduce your stress. It will also help you keep your home clean and organized all year.
The bad news is that, when implementing the schedule, you may get quite a bit of pushback, especially from your kids. Don’t let that stop you, however. Creating a cleaning schedule that everyone has to follow, according to family therapists, is one of the best ways to keep a home happy.
Use Clear Plastic Bins
You’ve no doubt heard this tip before but it begs repeating; clear plastic bins are great for storing things. There are several reasons why: they’re cheap to purchase, stackable, durable, and the clear sides make it easy to see what’s inside.
Large, clear plastic bins are perfect for storing linens, pillows, toys, shoes and other items that aren’t too heavy. You can go smaller and smaller depending on what you want to store, down to the smallest bins that hobbyists use.
Sell, Donate, or Toss Items You Don’t Need, Want, or Use
This might be the easiest, and most difficult, organization tip we’re offering today. For some of us, selling, donating or trashing our things is quite difficult. Many of us don’t want to part with things that hold sentimental or financial value.
The truth, however, is that getting rid of these items will, in some cases, free up a good amount of storage space. Indeed, for some, it can free up a substantial amount of storage space.
To sell items, look to Craigslist, eBay, or Facebook Marketplace. All three are relatively easy to use and, for that reason, used by millions of people to sell stuff.
To donate items that are gently used and still have some value, Goodwill is your best bet. Most American towns have a Goodwill location as they’re one of the largest organizations in the United States. In many cases, Goodwill will pick up the items you’re donating, making the task much easier.
If you end up having a lot of items to throw away, contact your local Town Hall. They will be able to give you advice on what can and can’t be thrown in the garbage. Many towns today also have recycling plants where you can bring things to recycle.
At the end of the day, it’s simple; the less stuff you own, the more storage space your home will have. Even better, keeping your home clean, neat and organized next year will be much easier.
Bonus Organization Tip: Rent a Storage Unit to Free Up Space at Home
There’s no denying that renting a storage unit can help you free up space at home. Millions of people do it every day across the United States. Whatever you need to store, there’s a storage unit near you that’s perfect for your needs. More importantly, renting a storage unit will free up much-needed space in your home. If it’s bursting at the seams with stuff, renting a storage unit from NSA Storage is a convenient solution.
We hope these organization tips make your 2025 a little more stress-free. As the new year begins, all of us here at NSA Storage extend our warmest holiday wishes! Best of luck in the coming year to you and yours.