Housekeeping Organization

Come on, you knew an article about making the most of your small space was going to have a section on decluttering. That’s simply because it is imperative to reduce your inventory when you want to maximize your living area.

It’s no secret that moving is a stressful experience. Moving can be a long and expensive process, and figuring out how to manage your time can be frustrating. Many people understandably struggle with what to get rid of when moving.

Warning! Drooling over organized closets, pantries, and garages on Instagram could delay your organizing goals. The pristine, hyper-sorted spaces on social media make you think you need to buy a bunch of pricey bins, baskets, and storage solutions to get results. But here’s what you really need to know. You don’t have to buy containers to get organized!

Clothes, clothes, everywhere, and not a thing to wear? Maybe that’s because you have so many clothes, you get overwhelmed whenever it’s time to get dressed. If your closet is ready to burst, it’s time to learn how to declutter your closet and take back control of your wardrobe.

Decluttering is quite rewarding, but it’s easy to make mistakes during the process. Recognizing such mistakes can save you a lot of stress and trouble. That’s why we assembled a guide on what to avoid when decluttering.

Play is a vital part of a child’s life, teaching important skills, shaping who they’ll become, and well, it’s just fun. If you have kids, setting up a play space in your home should be a top priority, even if you don’t have a lot of room. But the beauty of this is that a play space doesn’t have to be huge to be effective.

When you have kids, it's a safe bet you also have a lot of stuff. If blocks, dolls, Hot Wheels, LEGOs, stuffed animals, and random art supplies are taking over your space, fear not. There are ways to contain kid clutter and maintain a more adult vibe in your home without sacrificing fun and play time.

As summer comes to an end, you’re probably thinking about back-to-school schedules, cooler weather, and fall fun. You’re also likely thinking about the backpacks, jackets, and muddy boots that go along with the new season. These changes are enough to make you start rethinking your mudroom to make sure it can handle the fall frenzy.

The holiday season is synonymous with dinners, parties, and family gatherings. There are many reasons to attend a party at this time of year. You may even feel inspired (or obligated) to throw a holiday party of your own. There are a lot of ways to approach hosting a holiday party in your dwelling, and they all come with their challenges. This is particularly true if you plan to host a holiday gathering in a small apartment.

More people work from home than ever before. Because of that, many people have struggled to adapt and stay focused in their home offices. You aren’t alone if you’ve ever wondered how to create a productive home office.

According to recent data, the average new home size in the US is 2,485 square feet (much larger than approximately 50 years ago). However, interestingly enough, over the past several years, the size of new homes has been shrinking. 

If your home is short on closet space, you could end up with a significant clutter problem if you don’t come up with a plan. Older houses often lack closets, and the ones they do have aren’t usually large. Or maybe you simply have a bunch of stuff and decluttering your home isn’t on your to-do list anytime soon. 

For anyone working an in-0ffice job, lunch is always a looming consideration. Some prefer to eat in an employee cafeteria, while others order out. But these habits can become expensive and even unhealthy. These are a couple of reasons why the concept of meal-prepping has grown more popular.

You’re selling your house, and your agent tells you to clean up before they take pictures. You scrub, dust, mop, and do your best, but then they tell you there’s still too much stuff, and you need to declutter. But then, they start talking about how they’re going to stage your home, and you’re confused because you thought you were doing that already.

If you have children and don’t use your dining room, the space has plenty of potential to become a playroom. Not only is this great for your kids, but it’s also an easy way to declutter your home. You won’t have to worry about your children’s toys being scattered all over the house.

Time is precious, so who wants to spend more time than they need to get ready in the morning? But if your makeup drawer is a wreck, you’re likely wasting a bunch of time searching for items. Knowing how to organize a makeup drawer so you can find what you need quickly can make a huge difference in your day. 

It’s easy to get swept up in the excitement of the New Year, dreaming about a fresh start and all the things you plan to accomplish. Like many homeowners, you likely set several house goals. However, as February approaches, you’re beginning to think that maybe you were a bit too ambitious with your New Year’s home resolutions.

Bathroom closets are often catch-alls for anything and everything remotely related to self-care. We store towels, medicine, toiletry supplies, first-aid gear, massage devices, facial steamers, spare bed sheets; you name it. If you’re unsure how to organize a bathroom closet, it quickly becomes a chaotic mess, adding a snowball of stress to your day.

If you live in a house with kids, then you likely have a playroom that moonlights as an office or a living room full of LEGO bricks. Perhaps your kitchen needs to handle homework as deftly as it does meal prep. Unless you live in a larger home, you’re sharing spaces with your children, so what’s the best way to make it work?

When you have too much stuff, it can overwhelm your home, your mind, and your life. Clutter makes it harder to find things, complete tasks, move around, and even breathe. It’s no wonder so many people make it a goal to declutter their homes. But with so many different how-tos and decluttering rules out there, how do you know which one is the right one for you?

Are you starting to feel a bit unsure about your current home? Maybe it suddenly seems too small, or you don’t like the kitchen. You go to your friend’s house and start dreaming about their backyard oasis and sparkling pool and how nice it would be if you had a pool. But rising interest rates and soaring home prices aside, moving is a hassle. How can you love the home you’re in right now?

One factor that can impact a product's longevity is how and where it’s applied. Using a clean applicator to use a cream or solid product will prevent bacterial growth. 

With housing prices at an all-time high, many people have had to downsize to smaller homes. In some cases, a smaller home feels just as spacious as a slightly larger home. But one thing you inevitably sacrifice, is storage space. This means more and more people need to find creative places to store belongings. One great place to store bins and totes is underneath the bed. This might have you wondering how you can create even more storage space underneath the beds in your home.

Life with pets is fun, rewarding, and, well, messy. Plus, having a pet adds responsibilities to your day and a lot more stuff inside your home. A well-equipped entryway designed for life with pets can make things tidier, easier, and cleaner.

When you don’t have much room for your belongings, efficient storage is a must. Whether you live in a small apartment or share your space with others, you need to be smart about where you put your things. So, what’s the best way to store your items when you’re short on space?

Getting kids to pick up their toys often feels about as hopeless as asking a dog to drop its bone. You don’t want to do it yourself, and you certainly can’t expect children to magically love tidying. The solution? Creating storage that makes it super simple to put things away so your kids don’t have to think twice.

A messy refrigerator is a frustrating reality for many households. At times, it can feel like no matter how many shelves, drawers, and bins a fridge has, the contents inside will inevitably become a disorganized mess. While keeping this appliance and its contents clean and tidy can feel like an impossible goal, there are plenty of hacks and habits you can try that will help keep your fridge and its contents organized for good.

Let’s face it; our pets take over our hearts and our homes. Between the pet toys, beds, grooming supplies, leashes, litter boxes — the list goes on and on — you might feel like your pet needs their own room. Don’t give up the spare bedroom just yet. Instead, use these tips for organizing your pet’s belongings.

Once fall begins, it feels like you jump on a nonstop roller coaster that won’t slow down until after the New Year. With all the holidays celebrated during this season, it becomes one of the busiest times of year for a lot of people. If you host seasonal events, you have even more reasons to get your home ready for the holidays.

First, take a moment to think about the idea of home organization, because the concept doesn't look the same for everyone. Some people picture a meticulously clean house with walls of bins and matching labels. Others consider finding their keys in less than 5 minutes being organized.

One of the best ways to minimize the amount of space your luggage takes up in your home is to buy a luggage set that stacks within itself. If you can find a good luggage set you love, see if they have a carry-on bag that fits within the checked bag.

You’re not alone if you’ve ever let the clutter in your home get out of control. This is all too easy, as basic responsibilities, work, and family commitments can make decluttering difficult. However, it’s much easier if you stick to an ironclad yearly decluttering checklist.

It’s too easy to get behind on laundry when you're busy with work and other responsibilities. However, there’s no better time to put your laundry away than before having guests over. A pile of laundry is an eyesore to many people, even if your guests can relate. 

After decluttering your house, you often feel like you can breathe more easily and things are more peaceful. It’s like you hit a giant reset button. But if you’re not careful, that reset can quickly turn into more of a replay, with everything creeping back to how it was before. 

There’s something about starting a brand-new year that makes us want to hit reset on all sorts of things, from our fitness levels to our financial well-being. Another area in which many people desire to make a bunch of changes is their homes. Whatever the reason, January has a way of turning our homes into a reflection of how we want to live, not just how we’ve been living.

Are you trying to convince yourself that your overflowing closets and cluttered countertops aren’t a big deal? You might tell yourself the mess doesn’t bother you, until you really start thinking about what it’s costing you. That’s right. Those piles of clutter are eating away at your budget, not to mention your mental and emotional well-being.

You finally found the home you've been looking for, whether it's your first house, second, or third. Over the first few months, you spend days unpacking, decorating, tweaking, fixing, and rearranging. But your new house still doesn't feel like it’s yours. Did you pick the wrong place, or does it just take time for your new house to feel like home?

Kitchen cutlery comes in every material imaginable. From silicone and other man-made materials, to aluminum and other types of metal. But when it comes to aesthetics and chef preference, nothing beats a good solid wooden spoon for stirring a sauce. But unlike other materials, wood does not last forever. In fact, it deteriorates so much over time that it eventually needs to be tossed in the trash. So, when is it time to throw away your wooden spoon and purchase a new one?

The holidays are full of good cheer, special moments, and time well spent with family and friends. It’s also full of stuff. Between the decorations, food containers, gifts, holiday clothing, and wrapping supplies, your house is crammed with post-holiday clutter. However, it’s important to approach decluttering thoughtfully, without trying to overhaul your entire home in a weekend.

The first reaction to overwhelming clutter is usually thinking you have to get organized. But a lot of times, the best starting point is to get rid of stuff first. So, can you organize your house without decluttering? And more importantly, is it effective?

Does your lack of closet space turn your bedroom floor into a clothes storage site? Or maybe you’ve grown accustomed to piling clothes on any surface you can find, from your bed to the kitchen table. If any of this sounds familiar, a few clever ways to store clothes without a closet are just what you need to take back control of your space.

One of the top recommendations for decluttering your house is to first remove everything from the area you want to organize. But if you don’t plan your time wisely, you could end up living in chaos until you finish everything. Luckily, there are ways to declutter without making a mess in the process.

After you bake your holiday cookies and quiche, remember to save the cardboard egg containers. The cardboard compartments can be used to store your small Christmas decorations. These containers have anywhere from 6 to 24 shallow pockets that can fit many of your small and breakable holiday decorations.

With home prices and apartment rentals at an all-time high, many people have had to downsize into smaller living spaces. In some cases, life can feel pretty much the same in a slightly smaller home. But one room that can be difficult to navigate when it shrinks in size, is the kitchen. A small kitchen means there is less room for your appliances, and you are suddenly left with minimal counter space to prepare food. When you find yourself in a kitchen with limited counter space, how do you create more?

If you’re a parent, you know that time flies by faster than a supersonic jet. Before you know it, children are bigger, into new hobbies, and wearing larger clothes. As your children grow, their storage needs change, but that doesn’t mean you have to buy new containers every year.

As you prepare to place new glassware in your kitchen cabinets for safekeeping, you may find yourself pausing with a glass in your hand. You have to decide whether your glasses will face up or down.

Birds are chirping, and the sunshine’s about to stick around longer, but your closet’s still stuffed with sweaters, coats, and winter accessories. It’s time to bring out the sleeveless shirts and flowy skirts, but should you pack away all of the cold-weather garb?

Hoarding begins with the best intentions. There are sentimental reasons, and of course, the far-fetched idea that maybe one day you’ll utilize something you’ve never taken out of the box. The key to maintaining an organized home is knowing when to hold on to something and when to let it go. Below is a list of everyday items that people tend to hold onto longer than they should.

Dining room tables can sometimes feel like a waste of space, especially if you don’t have a large family. If you aren’t constantly entertaining, then you most likely have a small dining table, or perhaps no dining table at all. For most of the year, this likely frees up space in your home, so you can use the room for other purposes. But when it comes to hosting a holiday gathering, you will be left having to find a creative and hopefully inexpensive way to create a large dining table for festive gatherings.

A dedicated place for kids to play can be a lifesaver when it comes to keeping your home organized and tidy (not to mention calm). When things get messy, simply shut the door or draw the curtain to hide the chaos. But if the playroom isn't functional, toys and mayhem soon start seeping into other parts of your home.

One great way to protect clothing from the elements and external dangers like moisture, bugs, and sharp objects is to vacuum-seal them. There are many vacuum-sealable plastic bags on the market, and many of them are geared towards storing your clothing for long periods.

When you’re dreaming of a picture-perfect home, with everything in its place, it’s hard to ignore the barrage of aesthetically pleasing storage solutions out there. Influencers show off luxury bins, fill fridges with clear acrylic containers, and arrange their closets as if they’re a department store.

The winter holidays should bring warmth and joy to everyone who celebrates them. Unfortunately, in today’s busy world, this season often feels more like an expensive, stressful balancing act than anything resembling holiday cheer. While you can’t always change the way holidays are celebrated where you live, there are many ways to cope with and minimize holiday stress.

If you always use your kitchen to prepare meals for the household, then you know cooking isn’t always the easiest part of your day. There is planning, preparation, and precision involved in creating memorable meals at home. While you can’t change the fundamentals of cooking, you can arrange your kitchen in a way that makes it easier to cook.

If you live in a household with school-age children, you know that the end of the summer can be a very stressful and even overwhelming time of year. There are many items to buy, meetings to attend, and activities to sign your child up for. While you can't ignore these parental obligations, you can organize your life and home to help the whole family transition smoothly.

Corner pantries are meant to be a major part of your kitchen’s storage. It’s usually where extra food goes, and where you can expect your other less-used kitchen tools to go. If you’re a foodie like me, that usually means that you’re a little overwhelmed when you see how much stuff you have to fit into a corner pantry. Is there any way to make organizing this easier?

Clutter, clutter everywhere, and not a place to put it all. Does this sound about right? Are you surrounded by a mountain of stuff that you don’t even remember getting? You think, “No, problem. I just ordered a bunch of bins on Amazon, so I’ll be organized in no time.” Well, it’s time for a reality check; getting organized isn’t about the bins.

Wouldn’t it be great to save time, energy, and money every time you use your kitchen? Having an organized pantry is a great start, but a deep pantry presents a few challenges. Knowing how to organize a deep pantry can streamline your meal-prepping, reduce stress, and make your kitchen tidier.

Adding an island in your kitchen has many benefits. It significantly increases counter space, provides a place to entertain guests while you cook, and can add functionality to your kitchen. While an island has many benefits, it can sometimes make your kitchen feel smaller, and if you aren’t careful, even cluttered and chaotic. Do all you can to maximize this space and make your kitchen island as functional as possible.

Football season might be over, but now it’s time for soccer, baseball, track, volleyball, softball, swimming…whew! Spring sports are huge for kids, with countless options, which means tons of gear to put somewhere! Unless you want a pile of shoes, gloves, uniforms, and packs by your door, it’s time to get organized.