Having an organized home is very different from merely having a clean home. Yes, they’re both vital to maintaining a happy, comfortable living space, but it takes a bit of creativity and smarts to implement easy ways to keep all your (and your kids’!) belongings in their rightful place — and not all over the floor.
Ahead, we’ve gathered 34 genius ways to maximize every inch of your home, from your kitchen and living room to your bathroom and bedrooms (including your closets). You might even spot a few DIY projects you wished you thought of first.
More: 7 Smart Hacks for Designing a Nursery in a Tiny Space
In the living room…
1. Have a “household information center” — like a stackable file cart — to prevent papers, magazines and books from accumulating on flat surfaces of the living room.
2. Have a multifunctional coffee table, like one with extra drawers or shelves, or an ottoman with hidden storage to store remotes, books, blankets, etc.
3. Get your cords under control. Joto has a cable-management sleeve ($14.97 at Amazon) that’ll wrap up all those pesky cords and keep them out of sight.
4. Toss toys and games in an unused corner of the room so they don’t overcrowd bookshelves and the floor.
5. You may not see wastebaskets in living rooms, but if you notice trash tends to accumulate in that space, grab one that matches the decor and the aesthetic of your living room so it doesn’t look totally out of place.
6. Have too many small picture frames scattered throughout the room? Rethink how you display them so you can declutter. One idea is hanging them up on the wall instead.
7. Use a letter tray to organize your board games.
8. If you have a ridiculous number of DVDs, it might be time to finally buy a DVD tower or a DVD case. Use the freed-up bookshelf space to display other decor or slide in a storage cube to store toys and other nonessential items.
In the kitchen…
9. If you don’t have a lazy Susan, get a lazy Susan already. You won’t find a better way to organize all those spices.
10. Sports bottles are the worst, right? They come in so many different sizes, and you never really know where to put them — not to mention they fall over all the time. One idea is to use a magazine holder and store the bottles on their sides or simply get a stackable water bottle storage rack ($19.99 at Amazon).
11. Use Mason jars to organize your spatulas, tongs and whisks for easy access.
12. Hang your pots, pans and mugs. This will clear up cabinet space.
13. Invest in a lid rack ($8.87 at Amazon) to keep all those pot and pan lids organized.
14. Have a snack stack! Place a tiered basket on your counter and toss healthy snacks in it for easy access.
15. Dedicate one of the drawers as a charging drawer to keep phone, laptop and tablet chargers tucked away and out of sight.
16. Risers ($14.99 at Amazon) are a lifesaver. They’ll give cabinets twice as much space.
17. Purchase a few reusable bags/totes to cut down on the number of plastic bags accumulating in your kitchen.
18. Add a bonus pantry. Slide a slim storage cart ($41.97 at Amazon) between the fridge and the wall (if you have the space).
19. Hit up the dollar store and buy containers to keep rice, cereal, flour, sugar, etc. Then label the containers so you know what’s what. Not only will it reduce clutter, it’ll look cohesive and chic too.
More Stories from Living
Leave a Comment