Home Organization Hacks You Need to Try

Home organization is valuable for many reasons. Too much stuff becomes a problem pretty easily, and the things you own end up owning you! So, literally and figuratively, you need to put them in their place. From thinking vertically to using the right containers, here are some ideas.

Get Rid of Your Junk

We all have stuff that takes up space, can’t be used anymore, and gets in the way, and these need to be removed. However, removing things from your home must be done responsibly. Improper junk removal can have terrible negative consequences for the environment, so be sure to enlist the help of a reputable local service. By doing so, you can keep your impact to a minimum with peace of mind, knowing you aren’t contributing to waste and pollution. 

Think Vertically for Home Organization

A survey of London residents found that around 40% of them feel they don’t have enough space at home. Fortunately, there is usually more space available without making too many changes. Rather than horizontally, think vertically! With hooks, nails, and racks, more space opens up:

• Install shelves, cupboards, and racks on unused wall space where it is safe to do so.
• Add hangers and racks to the back of doors for nick-nacks, clothing, and hats.
• Use the sides of cupboards and appliances to store accessories within easy reach.

Shelves are excellent for sorting and organizing collections of things when you have stuff you don’t want to throw out. Hangers are great for lightweight items in the bedroom, bathroom, and kitchen. Of course, you can also use the side of the fridge for magnetic utensil strips and spices.

Divide Up Drawer Space

Just like the rest of the home, drawers can become a clutter nightmare. You can start off with good intentions, but more often than not, you can resort to throwing uncategorized stuff into every drawer in the house! Drawer organization with dividers is an easy way to keep things a little more civilized. Assign a use for each drawer and separate items into sub-categories. It sounds pointless, but it really can be a Godsend for organization and finding things.

Make Better Use of Closets

Closet space is typically used for clothes storage. But why? There are many things you can do with a closet. With an organized wardrobe, you can actually free up existing closet space and use it for other practical reasons. For instance, a small closet in the kids’ room makes an excellent reading nook. And with today’s improvements in compact gadgets, you could even use the closet as a home gym. With clever and creative design, pretty much anything is possible.

Home Organization through Decluttering

Home should be personal and welcoming. However, there are over 300,000 items in an average American home. So, most can do with a decluttering. But as Decluttering queen, Marie Kondo states “Discarding is not the point; what matters is keeping those things that bring you joy”. There are tons of benefits of decluttering and it is a Godsend when preparing for a home sale.

Begin with a solid visualization of the end result

No matter what you are doing, it always helps to have some kind of plan and a vision of what you want. Even if it is a hastily written note, use a guide for getting rid of your extra stuff.

Try to let go of nostalgia

Nostalgia is your biggest enemy when it comes to decluttering. Of course, there are treasured sentimental things we love. But you probably won’t miss most things after a day or two.

Ask if an item really brings happiness

When going through each item, evaluate what it does for you. Do you actually need it or use it? And always ask, if you keep it, does it bring you happiness? If not, you can easily remove it.

Purchase Space-Saving Furniture

Pretty much nobody has an infinite home! We are all bound by space, and we must make the most of what we have. Fortunately, there are many space-saving pieces of furniture you can purchase these days. Outlets such as Ikea are excellent for this type of household item. For instance, there are sofas available with drawers underneath. Or how about an office desk that folds away for more space when you need it? The possibilities are pretty much endless!

Create Dedicated Spaces

Your home can find itself in disarray when there is no dedication to the available space. For example, your dining table is not an office! If you have a dining room, then that is what it should be used for. Of course, the home office also isn’t a makeshift gym. Dedicated spaces also make it easier to decorate because you know what it will be used for. But there are also practical and safety reasons too. You don’t want to trip over the walking pad you forgot to put away, do you?

Use the Right Containers for Home Organization

Containers help keep things organized but also have a safety aspect. In the US alone, there are over 1 million calls to poison control each year because of children drinking household chemicals. So, it makes sense to use the right types of containers for each stored item:

• Use lock lids and childproof containers for hazardous chemicals such as detergent.
• Store items in clear containers so you know what is inside, saving time and injuries.
• Store seasonal items in larger, stackable boxes to save space in storage areas.

Locking lids are a Godsend for keeping little fingers from finding dangerous things. However, you also don’t want to be poking around a container, so transparency helps keep your fingers safe too! For seasonal stuff, stackable boxes help keep things in their place until needed.

Don’t Forget About Negative Space

You might have heard of negative space in art, graphics, and design. It’s basically the unused space around the focus of the artwork. But you can apply the same principle to the home. There is negative space everywhere. For example, there is space around the bathroom sink. You can use this space to store the essential bathroom cleaning products you need. Just take a look around the house to see where you can better use the space for storage. You will be surprised!

Summary

Getting rid of junk is the first step to home organization. Of course, you can also make better use of the space you have by decluttering. But there is also a lot more space than you might think. Negative space around the house can be used to store all kinds of valuable items.