How to Live Like a Professional Organizer

You’ve seen the gorgeous photos on social media of homes organized down to the nittiest of gritty details. Candy sorted by color. Billions of high-end shoes in their own individual cubbies. Rooms that appear to be Pottery Barn showrooms void of any personal items. You may assume that’s what professional organizers’ homes look like as well. I of course can’t speak for the whole industry, but I can tell you that most of us live in real homes, ones with clutter here and there, expired coupons on our fridge and couch blankets in a heap. Please remember, the goal of an organized home is not to have a pristine perfect space but rather, have your home serve as a tool that makes your life easier and more efficient.

Through our work and love of organizing, we pros have discovered some easy hacks that make our homes look a bit more put together. Little things that really add up to the overall vibe can go a long way!

Here are some examples that you can start doing in your own home:

Automatically Put Things Away

You can develop a valuable habit if you start putting things away as soon as you’re done using them – think of hanging up your coat, putting shoes where they belong, tearing down boxes and putting them in recycling. A couple minutes here and there every day prevents a day-long pick-up session.

Shop at Home

You may not realize it, but you likely have many things tucked away that could be put to great use. I’m talking about bins, baskets, trays and yes, even beautiful boxes. All of these things could go a long way towards corralling items together, such as electronics cords, hair accessories, and pet toys. Before you start shopping, take a tour throughout your spaces for things you’ve already paid for!

Less Linens

Pop quiz: how many sets of sheets are in your home right now? I’ll wait while you survey the situation. The truth is, each bed only needs one or two sets, maybe three if you are like me and love flannel sheets for winter. But that’s it! Yet many a linen closet sports a multitude of sizes and colors. It’s chaos! So consider this your project for today – do a swoop throughout and pare down to only a few sets per bed.

The same can be said for bath towels. Go through these and save the best quality items only. Only keep one or two sets per person and another set for guests. Get rid of the frayed, the tired, those on their last legs. They can be donated to a thrift store, animal shelter or to a textile recycling center. And then take a moment to revel in the spaciousness of your linen closet!

Bye Bye Packaging

When I bring a multi-pack of toilet paper home, I immediately remove the plastic packaging and stack the rolls in my linen closet, while adding a couple rolls to each bathroom. I take various products out of their boxes and store them under the bathroom sink. For example, toothpaste tubes are set free from their boxes right away. It’s a small step that brings a nice visual treat.

I hope you find these tips helpful and useful. Even if your home is full of clutter and you feel overwhelmed by it all, you can employ these pro tips and start to see incremental improvements throughout your home. Today’s a great day to get started!