Last week I went on a big “early summer” organizing spree. It always feels so great to declutter and organize your home, doesn’t it?
As I was making my way through my house tidying things up I was thinking about about all of the ways I organize or corral my necessities to maximize our space.
I have quite a few systems I’ve used for years. I particularly love anything that makes our house feel prettier and more pulled together! Today I thought I would share a few of my favorite systems with you and hope they’ll inspire you as you organize your home, too.
1. Tiered Stands
When counter space is limited, tiered stands and vertical shelving will maximize the horizontal space. This little stand was one of my best purchases probably five or so years ago (you can still get my same one HERE, or similar ones here). I’ve used it for everything from supplements to display to accessories for our coffee station.
I’m a big fan of baskets. In fact, I’ve swooned over this lidded basket for quite awhile now! I first saw one like it at the Street of Dreams a couple of years ago. It’s really shallow so it could fit just about anywhere. It would be so useful at the end of bed, in an entry, in a living room, bathroom…wherever!
2. Over Door Organizers
Clear shoe pockets are super handy for all kinds of things. We put this one in a laundry closet to hold supplies in Courtney’s apartment (as seen in my book Simple Organizing!).
I love having pretty but practical things on display. Containers like this crock in my kitchen are so convenient for our wooden spoons. No need to fumble around in a drawer trying to find utensils! For a tidier and more streamlined look, fill it with only wood spoons or wood and white items.
3. Secretary Desk
We’ve used this antique secretary for years to hold note cards, mailing and shipping supplies. Free standing furniture can be so helpful in organizing any room lacking in storage. The key is to ideally give your cabinet a designated singular purpose in a room (such as a mailing station, a dish cabinet, a glassware cabinet), rather than letting it become a clutter catchall.
4. Command Strips and Hooks
We use small self-adhesive strips and hooks to help create order all over the house. I especially like to use them to keep smaller items organized and visible inside of cabinet doors.
5. Under Sink Organizers
You may have seen our kitchen cabinet in my book Simple Organizing.
To organize the space under our sink we use risers, trays, and baskets. You can peek inside some of the drawers of my home and get more organizing ideas and inspiration here.
6. Stair Basket
I laughed out loud when I saw a post on Instagram the other day the other day that said: “Nobody is more full of false hope than a Mom who places items on the stairs for her family members to carry up.” Story of my life. But at least with a stair basket like this, small items have a place to land until mom brings them upstairs.
7. Lidded Ottomans
Storage Ottoman Sources: 1 // 2 // 3 // 4 // 5 // 6 // 7 // 8
Lidded ottomans are the ultimate hiding place to organize all the things one might need (magazines, remotes, toys, shoes) but doesn’t want to see strewn all over the room.
My magnetic chalkboard command center (shown here in my old house) is one of my favorite pieces for keeping our life and home organized. Right now it’s hanging in my office as it’s so helpful for organizing projects. I’ve seen a similar framed chalkboard here (in white or wood).
Did you see my DIY Free Standing Command Center in my entry?
8. Cabinet Shelf Risers
I use shelf risers to help maximize pantry space in cabinets and so we can easily see what we have.
Tour the pantry in my last house HERE and find tips for organizing it on a budget!
9. Pegboard
DIY Pegboard Tool Organization
You can make your own pegboard wall organizer to hold tools, household items or even craft supplies.
10. Under Bed Organizers
If you have a small bedroom, you might want to utilize space under your bed to store extra winter blankets, pillows, duvet covers, or even seasonal shoes or clothing.
Want more inspiration and practical tips to declutter and organize your home? I wrote two books that I hope you’ll find helpful, Simple Organizing and Make Room for What You Love.
Order Simple Organizing on Amazon!
Order Make Room for What You Love on Amazon!
Related Organizing Posts:
How to Eliminate Paper Clutter Forever
7 Creative Ideas for Master Closet Storage
Organized Craft Room / Creative Space Inspiration
5 Things Every Small Bedroom Needs
Kick Excuses to the Curb {Confessions on Decluttering & Organizing}
The Secret to Getting Organized
I love all of this! Over the door pocket organizers are my best friend. I have them on every interior door.
Love the lidded basket but do you know where the coat stand is from? That is a a must have. We have old horse hair plaster walls and I don’t want to drill yet another hole in them. Our coats overflow all year round.
I love this post! I am always interested in attractive storage options. Love to see more posts like this for ideas to pass on to my clients. I think that tiered stand would work well for a client I am seeing Saturday who wanted something “nice” for her bathroom counter. Thanks:)
Seriously…what is with “other” family members not picking up stuff from the stairs and putting it away? IT”S their stuff too….a side note I left a few items of my husbands on the steps…really after two weeks he still walk right by them and never picked them up. Sigh. I love the idea of a stair basket, not sure why because it puts the items even further out of “view”. LOL
Love all of these ideas! I have always been a big fan of baskets and have had many throughout my 39 years of housekeeping. I had decorative, exposed beams in my first little kitchen and had pretty baskets hanging from them. It was a pretty little kitchen. I do have a stair basket now and love the quote about “False Hope”~so funny and so true~LOL!!! Wishing you a bright and blessed Tuesday, Melissa!
Hi Melissa! The picture of your lidded basket shows a beautiful wooden coat rack next to it. Can you tell me please where you found it? Thanks!
Hi Karen! That image is from Pottery Barn! :) I found a link to the coat rack, right here! >> http://bit.ly/2FxvfOy
Melissa
I really like the hardwood flooring you had in your last house. Could you tell me the manufacturer and colour?
Thanks!
Hi Shari! Thank you so much! I have details on the flooring in this post! >> https://theinspiredroom.net/2015/01/13/readers-question-hickory-hardwood-floors/
I have to admit I was not a fan of lidded ottomans until I got one. I was afraid it would turn into another “black hole” where things went in and then were forgotten. But I must admit I really like it. It holds the paperwork that had been sitting on top of the desk (things that are needed occasionally). And I absolutely love 3-m command strips. I have them in my closet for all those precious necklaces I love that get hopelessly tangled in a jewlery box. And since I can see them, I am reminded to wear them!
Don’t recommend pegboards without recommending Talon hooks http://talonhooks.com/. They don’t fall out! And you can easily move them if you want a different arrangement.
I hated my pegboard because I’d get a tool and the hook would fall out as I lifted the tool. Half the time I couldn’t even find where the hook ended up. I will never have a pegboard again without these.
These are great ideas. I am on the hunt for how to organize somewhere in the neighborhood of 70 beauty products in my bath in a way that keeps them all visible but not ugly. I was thinking lazy susans, but tiered? The ones I’ve seen all look so unattractive.
I love all of this. I am really fond of the birdhouse/house in your first photo on the two tiered stand. Do you know where you got it?
I liked it too! I found it on Amazon ..if you look up Now Design you can find it there plus a lot of other cute stuff.
What is the name of the paint color in picture #3?