13 home organization ideas for a tidy and uncluttered space

Did you know that home organization is linked to mental health? Living in a clean environment can reduce your risk of issues like stress, anxiety, and even poor sleep. For many people, even the sight of a clean and organized home can help them unwind after a long day. 

In this guide, we’ve put together our favorite home organization ideas to help you beat the clutter and take control of your living space. Whether you’re starting from square one or just want to step up your existing organization game, we’re here to help.

Try these 13 room organization tips

Organizing your entire home (and keeping it that way) can feel like a huge undertaking. But with the right strategy, your whole house can be Insta-worthy. Just remember to pace yourself so you ease into it one step at a time. A little patience and self-compassion can go a long way, so try to enjoy the journey. 

Before you know it, you’ll have an organized home and, just maybe, a more organized mind. If you’re not starting from scratch, we recommend cherry-picking from these ideas based on your particular problem zones.

1. Start with a list

Organizing your home is an ongoing process, and you’ll want a list to help keep you focused over time. Start by listing every room in your home, along with problem areas in each room. For example: 

• Kitchen
  • Junk drawer
  • Under-sink cabinet
  • Pantry 
• Bedroom
  • Closet 
  • Nightstands
  • Storage under the bed 

It can help to walk around and look at every space in your home or apartment while making this list. For example, open every cabinet and closet door, go into every room, and take it all in. Also, consider including personal items like your wallet, purse, or backpack so you can declutter more than your living space. 

2. Make a plan

Now that you have your list of rooms and problem zones, it’s time to prioritize. It helps to organize room-by-room, so plan your approach from the first to the last room. You might want to work from easiest to hardest, largest to smallest, or most important to least important. It’s up to you. 

Next, plan the order you’d like to tackle the problem zones in each room. Again, put them in any order that makes sense to you. Once you’ve finished this, you might want to rewrite your list, put it somewhere you’ll see it often, make it pretty, or whatever else helps you stay motivated. This list represents your itemized start-to-finish process for organizing your home. 

Everyone’s plan will be different, so refer to this list as you go through each room for appropriate home organization ideas. Soon, your home will look like you hired a professional organizer, but it’ll be the result of your hard work. 

3. Create a portable cleaning kit

Keeping a portable cleaning kit is one of the most convenient organization hacks, and it’ll make a big difference throughout your home. Organization and cleanliness go hand-in-hand, and simple systems are the key. Once you fill your caddy, it’s much easier to keep supplies organized and simplified in a single unit. 

Get a cleaning caddy or make a DIY caddy and stock it with the cleaning supplies you use the most. Organize items you use less frequently in their own storage caddy or bin and keep it beside your main cleaning kit underneath the sink. Now you can grab your cleaning kit and take it with you from room to room as needed. 

4. Start each space by decluttering 

Clutter is the enemy of an organized space. As you approach each room and problem zone on your list, start by decluttering items you no longer need. Donate, throw away, or store old receipts, papers, trinkets, clothes, bags, and anything else that isn’t in active use.

If you’d like some inspiration, Tidying Up with Marie Kondo has fueled many life-changing decluttering sessions. When you’re unsure about whether you want to keep something as you declutter, set it in a “maybe” pile to give yourself a second chance to consider the item. 

5. Use drawer dividers

You can maximize your storage space and organization throughout your home with drawer dividers. From the home office to the kitchen to the bathroom, drawer organizers and dividers are instant game-changers. 

Dividers will create separate categories for the space in each drawer, so everything has a place. This approach typically allows you to fit more items in the drawer because it will enable you to stack things in an orderly, mess-free fashion. 

6. Make a filing system

It doesn’t matter if you have a home office—every home can benefit from a filing system. It allows you to keep important paper documents without generating clutter. From leasing agreements, car titles, and marriage licenses to passports and Social Security cards, most of us have some papers we need to keep safe. 

A filing cabinet is great if you have a lot of papers to keep while a simple accordion folder kept on a bookshelf or in a closet can work if you don’t have much. And if you have a desk with a spare drawer, it’s an ideal candidate for your filing system.

A filing system works well for office organization, too. Working from home can demand that you keep track of a range of paperwork, and if you’re trying to do it without a filing cabinet, you’re bound to lose something. 

7. Put shelving in the laundry room

The laundry room is a small space that often isn’t utilized efficiently. If you have free space above your washer and dryer, installing simple shelves there can be a life-changing DIY project. You can keep baskets, totes, and storage bins on these shelves to keep your cleaning supplies organized. 

Shelving in the laundry room can also serve as a linen closet when you don’t have a built-in one. Place spare towels, bedsheets, and linens in the baskets, or install a tension rod for hangers if storage bins and cubbies don’t meet your needs.

8. Maximize wall space with hooks

Hooks are an excellent way to maximize your wall space, from the mudroom to the kitchen and beyond. They’re inexpensive, easy to install, and versatile enough for coats, backpacks, hats, and purses. You can also use hooks in the bathroom to organize jewelry, in a home office to organize cables, or hooks in the kitchen to organize pots and pans.

If you don’t want to (or can’t) put holes in your wall, use wall-safe stick-on hooks or opt for a free-standing coat rack. Racks maximize your use of vertical space as well. 

9. Add more storage and shelves to your kitchen cabinets

This one is essential if you have a small kitchen. Your kitchen cabinets and drawers hold your spices, pantry items, flat wear, dishes, pots, pans, and so much more. Yet many people never optimize these spaces. We touched on drawer organizers in tip #5 and hanging pots and pans on hooks in tip #8, so this one is all about the cabinets. 

Look at your kitchen’s cabinets (it can help to open them all up) and consider what could be improved. As yourself questions like: 

• Would food storage containers make organizing flour, sugar, cereal, and other pantry items easier?
• Would a cabinet shelf help organize the plates and bowls?
• Would a spice rack keep the countertop or cabinet more organized and make cooking easier?
• Would a rolling storage solution for root vegetables clear up much-needed countertop space? 

Kitchen organization can make your home much more enjoyable. Look for kitchen storage hacks that make cooking easier, too. If you need more of a workspace, consider a rolling kitchen island like this 3-door kitchen cart to add storage and counter space in one. 

10. Add storage furniture to the entryway

Storage benches, shoe racks, hall trees, cubbies, hangers, and entryway tables are all viable solutions for your home’s front door. You can create a spot for everything you need coming in or going out, from a place to put muddy boots to somewhere to charge your earbuds. 

The ideal entryway or mudroom storage ideas will vary depending on the size of your household and living space. Still, almost every home will need shoe storage, outerwear storage, and a catch-all drawer or basket. Check out our guide on organizing your entryway to create a space-saving, stylish area. 

11. Capitalize on closet space

Most homes have underutilized closet space, whether it’s in the kids’ room, master bedroom, or entryway. Closet organization can open up spare storage for a variety of extras. Try using shelving, hanging cubbies, or even small dressers in the closet to make it easier to organize. 

Don’t forget to apply other organizing tips, like using wall hooks to make the most of your closet space. It all comes down to what you need. For example, you might use hangers with multiple rows if you’re pressed for space, or you could tuck your filing cabinet in a closet if you have a small home office. 

12. Hack your living room for more storage

Benches, ottomans, sofas often come with hidden storage options. If you’re running out of room for things and you’re not using storage furniture, you’re missing out. Look for multitasking home decor, too, like sofa tables with drawers or coffee tables with hidden storage. And don’t forget bookcases as a spot to display your favorite home decor items, books, magazines, photos, and more.

Once you have some storage furniture, use it to organize spare blankets, pillows, books, kid’s toys, remotes, wires, and anything else that you don’t know what to do with. And don’t forget the drawer dividers if you get a table or chest. 

13. Go crazy with garage organization 

If you’re lucky enough to have a garage or even a patio, use it to organize your home. The garage is the perfect place to add drawers, boxes, chests, display cabinets, and shelving for expanded home storage. Efficient garage organization can give you the same benefits you’d get paying for storage without the monthly bill. 

The same is true if you have a basement or attic. Any spare space that you haven’t optimized with home organization solutions is wasted. This rule is especially true if you already feel like you’re running out of room elsewhere in your home. 

Ready for your home organization makeover?

​It all starts with a list and a plan. Before you know it, you’ll be efficiently organizing your home. Don’t worry if you don’t see tips specific to one room on this list — simply revisit all of the organization tips as they work well from room to room. 

When you’d like to start shopping for new furniture to make your job easier, check out Coaster Furniture’s full selection. Our store locator will help you find a convenient location when you’re ready to buy.

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