Are you tired of clutter? Does all your stuff seem to have a life of its own? We have discovered a lot of great ideas for getting everything super organized (or at least looking like it is). From the living room to the kitchen to the home office to the closet, we’ve compiled some of the best home organization ideas out there. Get your label maker ready and prepare to get organized and declutter your life. Here are a bunch of tips to end up with a perfectly organized home:
"Are you tired of clutter? Does all your stuff seem to have a life of its own?"
Staggered shelving
Not only are they beautiful to look at, but custom floating shelves also let you place items of varying heights, making the most of the shelves that you have available. Who doesn’t want space to store everything? To make the most of the space and get more storage capacity, consider including jars, small baskets, and other containers on those shelves to make sure that you have a place for everything.
Storage benches
These are great options for seating as well as tucked-away storage of larger items. Whether it’s one bench against a wall or multiple throughout a home, they fit in with almost all décor options, and they serve more than one purpose. What’s not to love about them. If you want to get super organized, place dividers inside of the storage benches so that items can be sorted and stored in separate compartments of various sizes. As for the cost, they come in a wide range from budget to luxury. There are also DIY options. All you truly need when it comes to materials are wood screws, the right hinges, wood, and cloth and cushioning to go on top.
"What’s not to love about them. If you want to get super organized, place dividers inside of the storage benches so that items can be sorted and stored in separate compartments of various sizes."
Pegboards
Pegboard can work in the garage, storage spaces, closets, or even the kitchen. Get everything organized and out of the way while still keeping it all visible and easily accessible. This is a great option for tools, gym equipment, cooking utensils, pots, pans, scarves, and pretty much anything else you can think of. The sky (well, the ceiling) is the limit! Do you still need more space? Place the pegboard between wood floating shelves for a perfect look and many options.
Wall space
You don’t absolutely need a pegboard or shelving to utilize wall space. Hang what you can on hooks to display them while keeping clutter off surfaces around the house. Whether it’s coats or cutting boards, there are plenty of things that can easily find a home on one of the walls. The hooks don’t all have to be at one height, either. Get creative and turn your organizing into a work of art. You can even place hooks on the underside of any floating shelves you have, to create more space to hang things from further away from the wall.
Image credit: Kari R. via ShelfExpression
Fold-in furniture
Nothing gives you extra space faster than furniture that folds into the wall and gets tucked away out of sight with complete simplicity. A Murphy bed is a classic example, but it’s not the only one out there. Opt for desks and tables that can be easily folded against the wall when not in use. Do you want to go a step further? Consider options that also have hidden storage or shelving built in.
Jars
Mason jars are excellent for storing grains, beans, spices, and other foods while having them be visible and easy to identify. There’s also something just simply wholly satisfying about opening a pantry or kitchen cupboard to find rows and rows of neatly filled jars lined up in rows. Don’t forget to label them if you really want to get into that home organization on steroids feeling. You’ll never look back after this experience.
Image credit: Roxanne E. via Shelf Expression
That said, jars are useful for more than just food storage. Use them in the bathroom to store cotton, q-tips, and other small items and necessities. They’re also great for keeping a counter or desk clear of small things that would otherwise add clutter quickly. Oh, we almost forgot to mention – jars look great on wood shelving! They’re also great for that change collection.
Wide shelves
The deeper and wider your custom shelves are, the more items they can hold, including larger items. Really make the most of your wall space by creating an area that can hold larger items, electronics, and anything else that would normally be too large to tuck away somewhere easily. Walnut or white oak shelves with Heavy Duty Hovr Brackets are perfect for this. They can hold a substantial and impressive amount of weight without any bending or breaking.
Image credit: Summer K. via Shelf Expression
"Really make the most of your wall space by creating an area that can hold larger items, electronics, and anything else that would normally be too large to tuck away somewhere easily."
Planned spaces
If you have kids, this is essential for keeping their toys, clutter, and chaos in one spot in your home. It makes cleanup easier, and it keeps those items in one area of the house instead of underfoot everywhere you go. If you’ve ever experienced stepping on a Lego with a barefoot, you know just how important this is.
In addition to play areas, a well-defined separate space can be great for craft areas, home office spaces, gaming areas, or anything else that might need its own space, including its own storage to keep everything organized and where it belongs rather than mixed in with everything else. Declutter your home by creating boundaries between living and activity areas.
No matter what you’ll be using it for, give a designated space obvious boundaries with bookshelves, a rug, a different shade of paint, or something else that acts as a visual reminder that you are moving from one space into another when you enter and exit it. It’s important to keep the area visually distinct as a reminder that it is a unique space and not a part of the larger area, at least as far as where things need to go.
Trays and dishes
Trays and dishes are perfect for keeping things that get used often, such as remotes, keys, or the single-use items that we know most of us are still guilty of using, at least when it comes to a few things. Have a quick spot to place stuff in or pick things up from. This will help to stop surfaces and tabletops from getting cluttered on a regular basis. Oh, and don’t forget to put one on something like an oak or maple shelf! We told you that shelving would be useful in a lot of ways. It’s versatile like that!
Baskets
Baskets are another great declutter option for keeping things tidy and out of the way. Small ones are great for placing on a handmade shelf, while bigger ones can go on the floor, under tables and beds, or stored away in a cabinet or closet. Multiple baskets of the same (or varying) sizes look great lined up on a shelf and create a lot of extra space to store groups of items. They allow items to be tucked out of sight even if the basket itself is still in plain view.
Image credit: Megan N. via Shelf Expression
Smaller baskets are also fantastic for separating the space in drawers so that small items can be kept sorted and where they can be found while still leaving an area for larger items within the drawer. If you don’t want to bother with baskets for this type of organizing, small and low boxes can work to quickly create separate spaces for individual items.
If you aren’t ready to invest in baskets, consider covering the outside of a cardboard box with decorative paper or a layer of cloth that matches the décor of your home.
"If you aren’t ready to invest in baskets, consider covering the outside of a cardboard box with decorative paper or a layer of cloth that matches the décor of your home."
Sideboards
Quickly create an extra countertop while adding additional storage space underneath by bringing a roll-away sideboard into your kitchen, living room, or study. They look excellent and provide the necessary amount of storage space when things start to get cluttered in the space you already have.
Shoe racks
Whether they’re hanging shoe racks that go over closet doors or a series of custom wood shelves near to the floor designed for shoes, these can save you from a whole lot of clutter and wasted space. Shoe racks don’t just have to be for shoes, either. Don’t be afraid to use them for storing small to medium-sized items, individually or in boxes.
Built-in shelving
If you have a recessed area, such as the end of a hallway, a narrow space, a closet, a pantry, or a nook, then you have an area to place wall-to-wall shelves to create the illusion of shelving built directly into the wall. This creates an out-of-the-way area to place and store items for everyday use as well as longer storage. Whether it’s for clean towels in the bathroom, makeup and toiletries, books, trinkets, memorabilia, or pots and pans, this option can help to declutter just about any room while leaving the impression that everything was preplanned and meant to be exactly where it is.
Image credit: Emily N. via Shelf Expression
Memo boards
Don’t just organize your stuff. Organize your life too! Keep a calendar, important reminders, and relevant papers on a memo board where everyone in the house is bound to see it. Memo boards can be bought at office supply stores or DIYed for cheap with some fabric and foam board.
Kitchen island storage
If you plan on adding a kitchen island, make sure that it has plenty of cabinet space beneath. Maybe even find something that goes with your oak shelves. Not only does a kitchen island with storage space provide extra work and counter space while you’re cooking up a meal, but it can also serve as somewhere to hide all those small kitchen appliances when they’re not in use.
It’s also a good spot to keep any surplus of cans, extra cups, and plates, or the pots and pans that are taking over other areas of the kitchen.
Windowsills
Windowsills are an often-overlooked spot to keep things in. However, they’re a great place to keep and display small trinkets, especially those that look wonderful when they catch the sunlight. Keep ornamental glass, plants, vases, and other items in your windows. To take it a step further, run shelving across the window to get one, two, or even three extra levels of display space.
Magazine racks
While usually something we think of when we envision waiting rooms, there are a variety of styles of magazine racks to match most décor. Bring one into your home to provide a little extra storage that doesn’t create any fuss.
