7 Things Organizers Notice as Soon As They Walk Into Your Home
Focus on the things that matter.
My husband and I live in a small house—1,050 square feet to be exact—so it’s easy for clutter to amass, especially in the breezeway right inside our front door. Even though it’s just the two of us and our 13-year-old Miniature Schnauzer, there seem to be piles of papers, tossed aside shoes, and laundry to contend with. As a Virgo, this can be challenging: I prefer order over chaos.
“When I enter someone’s home for an organizing session, the first things I notice are the problem areas that are giving you strife—the piles of clutter and spaces difficult to navigate or use,” says Diane Greenhalgh, a professional organizer and owner of Tiny to the Max. “And I know it’s not because you’re lazy or a disorganized mess. You just have the wrong system for you, or no system at all.”
Here, organizers share the things they notice as soon as they enter your home. Plus, tips to tidy up problem areas in functional ways.
Shoes everywhere
If you don’t mind shoes on in the house, Greenhalgh says one solution is for everyone to keep their shoes in their room, except for wet-weather boots or beachwear.
“If everyone is fine with things being hidden, store shoes on shelves in your entry closet or a shoe cabinet in your entryway,” she advises. “You can even install a shoe organizer with shelves on the back of the closet door. Assign people specific areas so they know where to put their shoes.”
If shoes must remain out, use a shoe shelf. You can keep the ones you wear less often in a closet or in your rooms.
Coats all over
The neatest option is to hang your coats in the coat closet, but if that’s not feasible, Greenhalgh suggests getting nice hooks for your entryway—it’s much preferable to throwing jackets over a banister or chair. “Another solution is to place the hooks on the inside of the closet door,” she says.
Accessories overload
Greenhalgh’s favorite solution for accessories is to hang an over-the-door shoe or accessory organizer with pockets on the back of a closet door.
“It keeps things easily accessible and hidden,” she says. “You could also hang it on the outside of the closet door if that’s too hidden for you.”
Other visible solutions include wall hooks, shelves, or clear bins.
An artwork frenzy
For your children’s artwork, create a keepsake box for the year and hang frames that are easy to change out for the best stuff.
“The fridge is not a great solution because it inevitably looks cluttered,” says Greenhalgh.
Another option she suggests is a clothes hanger display. At the end of the year, move the best stuff to the keepsake box, and take a photo of the rest before recycling.
Cluttered counters
Kitchen counters get easily cluttered—and organizers always notice what gets left out.
“The first rule of thumb is to only have things out that you use often,” says Greenhalgh. “The exception to this rule is items that are difficult to pull out that you use at least once a month, like a heavy mixer.”
Then, find everything a home that makes sense. “Start with options you can place on the wall, such as a magnetic knife holder, spice shelves, or hooks for cooking utensils,” advises Greenhalgh. “For items left on the counter, contain them. Use a nice cylinder or vase for your cooking utensils, counter shelves for your spices, bookends for your cookbooks, and a tea station shelf for your tea bags.”
A living room in disarray
Books, gaming modules, remotes and other clutter can be tucked away into drawers, cabinets, and bins when not in use.
If you’d rather keep your things readily accessible, Greenhalgh advises giving them a home. “Use magazine holders for reading material, bins on open shelves for games and DVDs, headset hangers, charging stations, and a tray for remotes, pens, paper, and other loose ends.”
Keep throw blankets and unused pillows in large baskets.
Messy cords
It seems that every time we upgrade our electronics, we get new charging cords. Keeping track of which goes with what device can be overwhelming, but it doesn’t have to be. Certified professional organizer Kate Bosch suggests designating a drawer to hold charging cords; a toolbox or small bin can also work.
First, gather all your charging cords and toss those that are no longer of use. Then label them for easy identification.
Susan Barnes is a journalist and public relations consultant with over 20 years of experience. She has written for AARP, AFAR, Southern Living, Forbes Vetted, and more.
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