As an interior design professional, I not only believe that your home should look beautiful, I think it should function well too. Homes that are well-organized help your days run smoother. I often start a lot of my interior design projects by discussing with my client’s ways to declutter and organize so that when the project is complete, everything looks fresh, calm, and clean.

I want to share with you my simple steps to organizing anything in your home, as well as a special trick to help it stay organized. You can use these steps to organize everything from a whole house down to a small drawer. Oh, and be sure to turn on your favourite music to make the process more enjoyable.  Dancing is highly encouraged. Now let’s get started, shall we?

Decide + Reduce

First, you need to decide what to keep, what to donate, and what to toss. The best wat to do this is to take everything out of the space, whether it’s a small drawer or your master closet, take everything out. Don’t worry that your room looks like a bomb hit it; this is completely normal because things have to get a little worse before they get better. Trust me, it’s a good thing, and it means you’re making progress.

Next, you’ll want to sort through the items and create three piles. Create a pile for things you would like to keep, a pile for things you would like to donate, and a pile for things you would like to toss. Once you have everything sorted, place donations in your car to be dropped off and dispose of the toss pile. By donating and tossing, you will have reduced the number of things you have, so it will be easier to organize. As Marie Kondo suggests, keep only what sparks joy – Get her fantastic book HERE.

Sort + Think

When sorting items that you plan to keep, start by put like items together. This will help you see how you can store these items best. For example, if you have a bunch of small like items, you might need a box (like THIS one) to help you keep them neatly contained within a drawer.

It’s also important to take time to consider what will work and help your days run smoother. Here are a couple of examples… It makes no sense to have your keys in a kitchen drawer if you exit from the front foyer every morning, so perhaps place a decorative bowl (like THIS one) on the console by the front door to place them in.  Are you always looking for your kid’s shoes and hat in the morning? Try placing a large basket  (like THIS one) by the front door so your child can keep them in there; that way you’ll always know where they are. Organizing is great, and taking time to think things through will help to solve problems, which is even better.

Organize + Beautify

Now it’s time to put everything away in a neat and organized way. Keep in mind that it’s okay if you have to shuffle things around a bit until it works best. It doesn’t always happen on the first go, and that is okay. By testing different options, you will come to the best result.

Keep beauty in mind as well while doing this. If you can make things look beautiful by using decorative bins (like THESE ones) and pretty drawer liners (like THESE ones), you might as well. Surroundings affect our mood, so if you open a cupboard and smile because it looks beautiful in there, that is wonderful. Why not add more happiness to your day?

Label + Share

This last step is my personal favourite part of the process because it’s a special trick that most people skip, but it’s the main thing that helps your efforts last. Label major zones with a label maker (I have THIS one) and then share what you have done with your family so they know where everything goes.

I know labelling might seem extreme to some, but life is busy, so we have a tendency to let things pile up, and the labels work as a reminder for where to place items. They will help your organizing efforts last longer because they help family members (yes, I mean messy husbands) know where things go too.

We’d Love To Help You

Are you interested in working with an interior designer for your next project? Be sure to get our free guide, “5 Things You Should Ask Yourself Before Hiring An Interior Designer” by clicking HERE.

If you’d like to discuss your upcoming interior design project, please email us at hello@staciedwardsdesign.com to let us know a bit about your project, and we’ll schedule a call. Whether it’s a new build, renovation, or a simple refresh for your home, we’d love to hear from you. You can also visit our Services Page HERE to learn more about what we offer. Thank you!