Nothing feels better and helps your day run smoothly than home organization. Organizing your home from top to bottom can feel overwhelming. Not only does it take a lot of time, money, and energy the desire will wear off before the task is done. Unless you do it one space and step at a time. It doesn’t have to be a big space. Small changes lead to big results.
Declutter and Throw Away
The first step and the most important is to edit. Edit before you start organizing. There is no reason to organize and find a place for items if they belong in the trash. I have a couple of drawers needing some major editing. When we took out our builder-grade medicine cabinets I needed to quickly find a space for everything we were storing in there. I have the space but I hadn’t come up with better storage solutions yet … so everything was thrown into the drawers.
The builder-grade medicine cabinets were removed, it looks amazing. You can check out how we removed the builder-grade medicine cabinets Here. I am a dejunker, which is a made-up word. Getting rid of things isn’t hard for me but there are times I have stuff that needs to be trashed. Stuff that has migrated to the back of the drawer or buried under items I use every day. When we have stuff, we sometimes don’t even see it because it’s just there.
Do you struggle with decluttering? It might be because you struggle to make a decision. If this is the case go in with a system. A system for the bathroom might be if it’s old and expired it goes. If I haven’t opened it or used it in months it can go. Whenever I order skin care products from Monat or Mary Kay they always throw in some freebie. I shove them in a drawer and eventually forget about it until the drawer is bulging with stuff and I can’t find what I need because of all the sample products. It is all about being intentional. Make a plan and stick to it. Whether it is one drawer a day or one room a month. Create the plan and run with it.
Step one, open the closet, drawer, or cupboard you want to declutter and start throwing away all the stuff you no longer need. This doesn’t have to take a lot of time. If making decisions is hard for you set a timer and a goal to get it all edited in 10 minutes. No humming and hawing over an eyeliner you purchased 3 years ago or some moisturizer you have but don’t love. Toss it in the trash. Put a trash can right beside the space you are editing for quick and easy decision-making.
Find Storage Solutions
The editing is done and it is now time to find some storage solutions. Only you will know what you need. If you have a shallow drawer filled with all kinds of small items look for a variety of storage bins that are shallow and not too large. Order or purchase a variety of sizes so you have options as you work your way through the organization process.
There are a plethora of places to purchase storage bins. Walmart, Target, The Container Store, online etc, etc, etc. When you hire someone they have their go-to favorites that they like to use. When you do it yourself you need to figure out what you need and what will fit your needs best. I have a large shallow drawer that needs some help. For that space, I needed to find shallow clear bins, bins to organize and contain all the small items rolling around.
I spent a lot of time thinking about the needs of this space and how I wanted it to function. So I knew what I needed as I looked for storage solutions. Small narrow bins for my cosmetic drawers. Stacking trays for my closet. I purchased a couple of options because I didn’t know which one would fit my needs. Before you go shopping have a plan or a list of what you need.
Empty the Space
Remember you don’t have to do it ALL at once. One space or step at a time will move you forward to big changes. If you’re organizing a closet, drawer, or cupboard empty it. When I pull everything out I like to group like items together. This will help when you’re working on bins and decantering. A visual of what you need.
No matter how much I try to keep on top of the STUFF in my home I am always shocked by what I find at the back of a drawer, cupboard, or closet. Throw away what you no longer need, haven’t used, or forgot about. With the drawers empty it is the perfect time to wipe out your drawer. I like to use a Clorox wipe or a damp paper towel if they aren’t too grimy.
One of my favorite parts about organization is the clean slate. It always feels so good to have a clean drawer or cupboard a great fresh start. Now that you’ve got the drawer empty and wiped out it’s time to return items to your space but in an organized, highly functional manner.
Fitting the Drawer with Containers
Did you play Tetris as a kid or play it now? If so this will help you organize your space. If not you can still make it happen. I had purchased narrow containers in a variety of sizes. These containers work well together, putting two or four together equal the same size as the larger one. Creating clean lines and beautiful spaces.
Because you’ve grouped your items you can easily see what items need what size of container. Items I don’t use as often were placed in a bin at the back of the drawer. Still accessible but not at your fingertips.
Don’t be afraid to try a few things until you get it right. This can take some time. As you work and live with a system you will get more clarity. You might need to move things a little. Try things out and work with the system.
Have fun with the process and get excited about the time you will save. Did you know organization saves you time and money? Time because you can quickly find what you need. Money because you don’t over-purchase, you can easily see what you have and what you need.
Before VS After
Please remember you don’t need to do it all at once. If you identify your pain points it gives you a great starting spot. Is it the shoe closet, the linen closet, the junk drawer or like me the primary bathroom? Doing it all at once is expensive, frustrating, and time-consuming. Find your pain point and plan the way to make it better.
Organizing my primary bath with containers was a huge improvement in function and style. I love love love function and pretty. If it saves me time and money in the long run even better.
This drawer is large but shallow so I would lose things in the back. I spent way too much time rummaging through the drawer trying to find the item I was after, usually finding everything I didn’t need at the moment. Now it is organized, looks amazing, and helps me quickly see where something is.
This drawer looks so much better and functions on a high level. Finding a home for everything and getting rid of all the things I no longer needed. I will no longer have a drawer filled with random all-over-the-place elastics.
Here are the shallow drawer containers I used. They fit my drawers perfectly, they come with tabs to keep them in place if that works for you. I love the clear plastic, the size, and the function. Not only do they look amazing they were very inexpensive.
Takeaways
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- You don’t have to do it all at once
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- One space and step at a time
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- Edit and declutter
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- Plan ahead
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- Purchase a variety of storage solutions and use what works best for you
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- Clean it all out and group
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- Wipe out the drawer or closet
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- Organization saves your precious time and money
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- Have FUN
