When you live in any size home, you have a need to have home organization. Fact is, we all have “stuff”. And “stuff” can end up slowing down our day, and ruffling our feathers in the evening. “Stuff” quickly becomes clutter, and who wants that? Not only does clutter take away from the look of your home, it adds to the overwhelm you feel each day. Household organizing ideas can be super easy once you make them a habit. Whether you have stacks of papers that belong no where, crazy and chaotic mornings, or lost backpacks and car keys, these easy & inexpensive home organization ideas will help!
Home Organization Ideas
Home organization can seem daunting, but it’s all about finding the right tips and tricks that work for you. Whether it’s the battle of the bathroom, chaos in the closet, or turmoil in the kitchen, we’ve got you covered. In this post, we’re diving into 50 easy-to-follow home organization tips for every corner of your living space. So grab a cup of coffee, and let’s tackle that clutter together. From the kids’ bedrooms to those ‘other’ often-forgotten areas, we’re about to transform your home into the organized oasis you’ve always dreamed of.
Organization ideas to get your day off to a good start
Let’s start with a little life organization, shall we? Because home organization is impossible if you are scattered and distracted yourself. These tips and tricks are the essentials to create an organized life for yourself. So, let’s start with the basics and build from there!
1. Prepare ahead of time
This one is pretty self explanatory… To have the most organized household, and to avoid morning chaos, lay out everything you are going to need in the morning, the night before. Then, (and here is the hard part) teach your kids to do the same. Photo below by ‘BHG‘.
2. Keep essentials at your entryway
Have a central area to organize purses, keys and your wallet, and always those items there. Want something that also looks good? Make this entryway hall tree bench DIY from ‘Angela Marie Makes‘! Full plans and instructions for this home organization idea, and it so charming! Would love to leave my keys and purse here every day!
3. Basic meal prep
Set out everything for breakfast that is non refrigerated, right down to the spoons. Of course, this means knowing what’s for breakfast the night before. And make all kids school lunches the night before, always! Or better yet, listen to ‘The Seasoned Mom‘ and make school lunches on Sunday that will last all week! These kinds of home organization ideas save money too!
4. Write your to-do list the day before
Write up a daily to do list for the next morning on your smart phone and put priority items first. Move items from today that didn’t get done into tomorrows list. Update your calendar. We like an app called “Cozi“. It has the capability to handle your whole families’ activities, and you can even keep your grocery list there. Cozi lets each family member share with one, two or all other members what their schedule is. It can also send you email reminders, like for trash day. Oh, and it’s free. Or if you prefer a more traditional home organization idea, you can set up a family command center with a dry erase calendar that family members can share. We like this DIY family command center by ‘House of Wood‘.
5. Run errands to get ahead of the day
Evening organization tip – Go get gas, pick up the first graders cupcakes, or get that pencil sharpener that your high schooler can never seem to find. Don’t put off errands ’till morning when everything is busy.
Bathroom Organizing Ideas:
Transform your bathroom into a serene and clutter-free sanctuary with these smart organization tips. From maximizing under-sink storage to keeping countertops tidy, discover how to make the most of every inch in your bathroom. Whether you’re dealing with a compact powder room or a spacious master bath, these ideas will help you create a more organized and refreshing space.
6. Have a place for everything
Keep your bathroom paraphernalia out of sight when not in use. Buy a plastic carry-all with a handle on top, or a pretty basket. Organize your make-up, deodorant, hair spray, razors, etc. into the container and place under the counter. Bring it out when you need it, then always put it right back underneath. Check out how ‘I Heart Organizing‘ doubled their under sink storage for a guest bath.
7. Use a shower caddy
Shower caddies are essential for keeping the shampoos, conditioner, face scrubs and specialty in-shower treatments from taking over the whole space. You can even make a DIY shower caddy to keep your bathroom organized! This caddy tutorial from ‘Dunn Lumber‘ looks extremely high end (and expensive!) but is pretty cheap to make!
8. Squeegee the shower to keep it clean longer
To keep your shower cleaner longer, squeegee your shower doors after every single shower. Keeping the squeegee right in the shower makes that even easier. Make sure to put the squeegee on a hook so it has a dedicated spot. If you have a shower curtain, use a daily shower spray to keep clean up from being impossible when you finally get around to a whole bathroom cleaning.
9. Organize the little clutter with a magnet
Even the tiniest tools need a home! A strip of magnetic tape (any craft store) or a magnetic knife holder are great organizing ideas that can take care of the little things, like nail clippers, tweezers and scissors. Try this from ‘Treasures and Travels‘.
10. Make use of every bit of space
You should even use those tiny wasted corners and awkward space to put in a cabinet or shelves to add storage. Remember to repurpose to save bucks, and that paint is everything when you want to organize your home on a budget! Find out how to make this bathroom shelf from an old drawer, at ‘BHG‘.
11. Declutter your bathroom
Once a month, go through your bathroom cupboards and drawers and throw away old or ineffective products you never use. Though this might not be the most fun of household organizing ideas, we all gotta do it!
12. Keep towels neat
Roll your towels and use them as decor tucked into pretty baskets or piled on a bench. Rolling towels takes up less space. And if you want a project, check out our post on OhMeOhMy on DIY bathroom towel storage! For a quick example, check out this home organization idea using baskets at ‘Zevy Joy‘.
13. Hang towels out of sight
Use wall hooks for hanging towels, robes and clothing. Behind the door is a great way to use wasted space, and it keeps drying towels out of sight for a decluttered look.
14. Use drawer organizers
Use drawer organizers for makeup, jewelry, ponytail holders, and other loose items. Or make your own. Try our post on budget make up storage for ideas. Learn how to build this easy DIY bathroom drawer organizer from ‘Hazel & Gold Designs‘.
15. Add floating shelves for extra space
Use pretty floating shelves to add storage and to organize above the toilet, and add value to the room. For tutorials, check out our post on DIY floating shelves.
16. Put yourself on a schedule
Put a timer in each bathroom, and use it… This is great for getting out the door on time, AND getting teenagers out of the shower. This will get your day off to a nice and organized start!
Closet Organizing Ideas:
Say goodbye to cluttered closets and hello to streamlined wardrobes. In this section, we’ll explore innovative ways to organize your clothing, shoes, and accessories, making it easier to find what you need and enjoy your space.
17. Sort your laundry as you go
Optimize laundry organization from the start by placing color separating baskets in your closet for laundry, and one for dry cleaning. This will save you time sorting clothes, and you will always know when you have enough colors for a full load. We are in love with these DIY laundry sorting bags from ‘Yellow Brick Home‘. You can stitch this up from cheap, or leftover fabric, making it a truly inexpensive home organization idea for families!
18. Do a closet clean-out
If you haven’t worn it in a year, donate it. Goodwill and some other charities even take worn out clothes, as it employs people while they are redirected to recyclers.
19. Stash your off season clothing
Sort your clothes by season, and only keep the present season in your closet. Pack out of season clothes away in an under bed storage container. DIY under bed storage ideas!
20. Categorize yoru clothes- your way!
Put your clothes in categories that work for you. Color, formality, type or office wear are good places to start. This will save you time putting together outfits, and save you money from re-purchasing items you didn’t remember you had, as they were buried in the closet… somewhere. Inevitably, you know they will re-appear right after the return-window on your new item has expired. Love this organized closet from ‘Lark & Linen‘. Organize your home, you can do this!
21. Buy or DIY no-slip hangers
Recycle wire hangers. Clothes simply slide off of them to the floor. Get velvet hangers at Costco to hold even the slinkiest silk dress. Or make your own with this organizing idea & tutorial on no slip hangers by Diane from ‘In My Own Style‘.
22. Organize your accessories
Use a system for hanging and organizing scarves and belts. Shoving them in a drawer is no good for anyone. Try this DIY clothespin scarf and accessories home organization idea from ‘DIYS‘.
23. Add some shoe storage
Use a shoe rack. Rotate out of season shoes just the way you rotate out of season clothes. No reason for six pairs of leather boots to bury all your cute sandals in July. Or check out our post at OhMeOhMy on shoe storage projects for small spaces!
24. Create a pegboard wall
Use hooks and pegboard on any closet wall space to hang purses, jackets, and accessories. Photo by ‘HGTV‘.
25. Vacuum seal and stash clothing
Use vacuum sealed bags to store out of season clothes in a tight space. Just don’t use this method on delicate fabrics, as the wrinkles could become permanent.
How to Organize Your Kitchen
The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it can also be a hotspot for clutter. These kitchen organization tips will help you efficiently arrange your pantry, cabinets, and drawers, ensuring that everything from spices to kitchen gadgets is easily accessible. Discover how to create a functional and tidy kitchen that makes cooking and entertaining a breeze.
26. Categorize your cabinets
Organize your kitchen cabinets into categories. Make sure your cups are near the fridge so you can easily pour that afternoon juice, and your utensil drawer is near the dishwasher so you don’t have to make ten trips across the kitchen. Pots and pans? Near the stove. Kids plates? On a lower shelf so they can get to them without calling you from the first bath you have had in a month. Getting it? Also, keep your drawers organized including the misc / junk drawer that we all have. There are all kinds of household items that can be repurposed to help keep everything contained and organized.
27. prioritize pantry organization
Keep whatever you use for a pantry immaculate. No where does clutter make more of a mess than with food. Try our post on organizing your pantry. Don’t have a pantry? No problem, jump on over to ‘Classy Clutter‘ and find out how to make your own DIY rolling pantry. This is genius!
28. Create space with a kitchen island
Add a kitchen island to a small kitchen to increase storage and prep space. No worries, we’ve got that covered for you too. DIY kitchen islands, and more DIY kitchen islands! For an awesome example, ‘Becca Mclagan‘ made this gorgeous DIY kitchen Island for under $100! Go find out how!
29. Use lazy susans to make cabinets accessible
Use an inexpensive plastic lazy-susan in the back of deep cupboards, so you never forget whats hiding back there! Or make a lazy susan for each one of your kitchen cabinets with this organizing idea with step by step directions from ‘ The Art of Doing Stuff‘.
30. Keep the Tupperware under control
Try to organize tupperware in a drawer rather than a shelf, as that way you will always be able to find a matching lid. For ideas, check out our post on DIY tupperware organizers!
31. Keep (only) the most used items on the counter
Only keep things on the counter you use often. We only keep the Keurig on the counter, even the toaster goes in the pantry and gets brought out daily when needed. And if I could convince my other half, the Vita Mix would go under the counter too! (Not the Keurig folks, at this very minute I’m sipping its second offering of the day.) (Update: Vita Mix tucked safely away in it’s very own deep drawer!) You can also make your own DIY appliance garage with this home organization idea from ‘Julie Blanner’.
32. Switch to digital recipes
Do, like most of us, you have cards and scraps of paper with scribbled recipes on them? I don’t even care if they are printed from your computer, time to come into the 21st century people. “Evernote” is a free app, where you can take photos of each recipe with your phone or tablet, add them and even organize them into folders. (Thanks to reader Karen for this tip!)
33. Consolidate the plastic grocery bags
Those grocery bags you save for repurposing can create lots of clutter! Instead of storing them loose in a cabinet or closet, organize them by tucking 10-20 into one bag and hanging it on a hook.
34. Keep your fridge inventory tidy
Keep your fridge clean. Every time you go to the grocery store, make sure to clean out the old food and toss. Rotate older food into the front so it is used up first. Try these 7 steps to an organized fridge. Jessica at ‘Four Generations, One Roof‘ uses containers to hold items in her fridge. Love this idea!
Organizing Kid’s Rooms
Keeping kids’ bedrooms organized can be a challenge, but with these creative tips, it’s entirely possible. Learn how to sort toys, books, and clothes in a way that encourages kids to maintain order. We’ll cover everything from clever storage solutions to fun, kid-friendly organizing systems that will keep their rooms tidy and make cleanup time quick and easy.
35. Make laundry fun
Need a fun organizing idea kids night actually participate in? Hang a hoop over a laundry basket for slam-dunking dirty clothes.
36. Have them organize their own laundry
Or, place a two-compartment hamper in your kid’s room so he or she can organize light clothes from dark clothes as they undress.
37. Create a gallery wall for their art
Easy home organization ideas also come cheap! Use poster putty in your child’s room and have your child display his or her favorite artwork all on one wall, gallery style.
38. Add toy organizer baskets or a net
Hang a net from the ceiling to store stuffed animals, dolls, or action figures. Or use wall planters with this idea from ‘BHG‘.
Or this DIY toy swing from ‘It’s Always Autumn‘. Love this, and its an easy tutorial for such a cute project to organize your home!
39. Provide a bookshelf
Add wall mounted bookshelves and help your child organize their books. Oh, and make sure you remember if you place a large bookshelf in a child’s room, bolt it to the wall for safety. If you need ideas, check out our post at OhMeOhMy on creative bookshelf projects.
40. Put them in charge of their own wake-up time
Buy the kids their own alarm clocks and teach them how to get up on time. By themselves. Without you.
Other Home Organization Ideas
Beyond the usual spaces, there are many other areas in your home and life that can benefit from a little organizational magic. These are the little details that will help you tackle clutter and maintain a more organized living environment.
41. Embrace accountability
Make sure everything in your house has a home. Teach all family members to mind their own messes. For example, if you take it out, put it back; if you open it, close it; if you throw it down, pick it up; if you make a mess, clean it up; and so on.
42. A wastebasket for every room
Put wastebaskets in every room and place several unused trash bags in the bottom of each one. This will eliminate countless trips to retrieve new trash bags and give all family members a place to throw away their trash.
43. Dedicated storage for remotes
Make sure the remotes have a drawer, basket or shelf to live on. How often have you found it under the sofa? Better yet, make this remote control pillow with these easy instructions from ‘Make It Homemade‘! So clever, you can just turn it around when you don’t want to see the remotes, but they are always right there!
44. Create a cleaning tote
To create efficiency in your cleaning routine, use a plastic caddy to store cleaning supplies in and tote it from room to room.
45. Make cleaning convenient
It can be time consuming picking up after everyone, but there are ways to make it easier! For instance, expedite decluttering your home using a plastic laundry basket for quick pick up and transport of toys to their proper homes each evening.
46. Keep messy activities to a dedicated space
Make a designated area for homework, crafts or sewing. If you create a very organized space in a small area, it’ll prevent you from having projects strewn all over the house. ‘Your Modern Family‘ created this DIY homework station, so that everything is always where it needs to be, come home school or homework time. Even better, they used inexpensive Ikea table tops to make this great study space on a budget.
47. Daily clean-up session
For example, each night before bedtime, have all family members pick up clutter for 15 minutes. Make a game out of it and see who can pick up the most things in the shortest amount of time.
48. Let kids know where to leave important docs
Have one designated spot where kids are to leave school flyers, permission slips that need to be signed and school photo envelopes. Make this part of the nightly “laying out for tomorrow” habit.
49. Keep an organized grocery list
Create a master grocery list on the app or website of your choice. Categorize the groceries into sections such as frozen, dairy, and so on. Then, in each category, list the most frequent items that you buy. Organize the grocery list according to the way your favorite grocery store’s isles are set up to make shopping efficient. Also, make sure each adult or teenager has the app loaded on their phone as well. If they forget to add Pop Tarts to the list, then they are eating oatmeal.
50. Do it now
Don’t leave things ’till later. Procrastination is the number one cause of clutter and mess. Take care of it right then and there.
Enjoy your newly organized home!
Finally, and organized home! When your home runs as smoothly as it can, you can take the time to enjoy it instead of always dealing with clutter and chaos. Did you love these cheap ideas to organize your home? Awesome, then you should jump on over to our posts on DIY dollar store organizing ideas and then check out our post on 12 Genius Packing Tips & Hacks for when you travel, over on OhMeOhMy!!
