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Do you sometimes feel like your house has gone to the dogs? Has your cat taken over every bed including yours? Does your bunny use the entire living room as their playpen? Sometimes you need is a little practical home organization to simplify the functionality of your space and give it some new life.

A well-organized home is not just aesthetically pleasing; it also promotes a sense of calm and productivity. However, achieving and maintaining home organization can be a daunting task, especially if you’re not sure where to start.

Fortunately, with some practical tips and a bit of dedication, you can transform your living space into a clutter-free haven.

In this blog post, we’ll explore 10 effective home organization tips to help you regain control of your living space and enjoy a more balanced and stress-free life.

Since we have all started spending more time at home, if your fluffy roommate is taking over, why not make your space as friendly and practical for them as it is for you.

As always, I try to make my home beautiful yet wholesome for everyone including my pets. And like the good millennial that I am, I’ve obsessively watched all of Netflix’s best home organization shows from Marie Kondo’s Sparking Joy to the Home Edit. I find that with some intentional organization, not only is my space easier to keep clean, but it also gives me a clear headspace and overall, more joy.

1. How to Not Get Overwhelmed when Decluttering

I must be one of the biggest packrats. Somehow a couple months go by and suddenly, my dogs’ toy bin is overflowing, I have seven bags of treats and don’t even get me started on their leashes, collars, and accessories… and that’s just the dogs! My closet is a whole other problem – really.

amy home organization by always cleaning out what’s old, broken or simply doesn’t spark joy for me or my pets.

Believe it or not, animals can get bored of their toys too. When starting your home organization project, start by trying to play with some of their old toys and see if they are still engaged. If yes, you can store it and if not, purge it.

According to home organizing experts Joanna and Clea from the Home Edit, you first must start by taking stock of what you have, getting rid of things that are broken or unused and cleaning out or donating those you no longer need.

Even though I somehow collect massive amounts of stuff, I do love doing this every couple months. As an active volunteer with my local animal shelter, I like to donate items that still have life to them. Not only does the purging feel fantastic, it frees up tons of space in your clutter and makes home organization much easier to tackle. 

I usually follow up a good ol’ home orgnization day with a solid clean. You can check out my tips here on how to clean your home safely when you have pets.

This area will serve as a central hub for your pet’s essentials, reducing clutter throughout your living space. The pet zone should include:

Feeding Station:

Set up a dedicated spot for your pet’s food and water bowls and consider using a pet feeding mat to catch spills and make cleaning easier.

The kitchen is often the heart of the home, but it’s also a common place for clutter to accumulate.

A key home organization tip is to keep your kitchen organized. You can start by decluttering your countertops. Store small appliances that you don’t use daily in cabinets or on shelves. Use drawer dividers for utensils and flatware, and consider installing a pot rack to free up cabinet space. Regularly clean out your pantry and fridge to avoid food waste and expired items.

Toy Storage:

Use baskets or bins to corral your pet’s toys when they’re not in use. Teach your pet to put their toys back in their designated area when playtime is over.

Leash and Outdoor Gear:

Another key home organization tip is to keep your entryway clear. This area sets the tone for your entire home, so it’s essential to keep it neat and organized. Hang hooks near the door for leashes, collars, and outdoor essentials.

This will make it convenient to grab what you need when it’s time for a walk or playtime in the yard.

You can try placing a shoe rack or storage bench for shoes, and have a designated spot for keys, and mail. This not only keeps clutter at bay but also makes it easier to leave and enter your home efficiently.

Grooming Supplies:

Little household things like grooming supplies can lead to huge mess and clutter everywhere. In order to keep your home organized, try keeping grooming tools, such as brushes and nail clippers, in the pet zone for easy access.

Bed or Crate:

If your pet has a bed or crate, place it in a quiet corner of the pet zone to create a cozy retreat for them.

When it comes to home organization, don’t forget to think vertically.

Wall-mounted shelves, hooks, and pegboards can maximize your storage space without taking up valuable floor space. Use these elements in the kitchen for pots and pans, in the bathroom for towels and toiletries, and in the bedroom for accessories and clothing.

Another cute home organization ideas is to make some space on a shelf in your mudroom for poop bags, leashes, and collars.

Keeping similar items in one place can really help with your home’s organization as well as the functionality because you won’t have to go looking all over for a certain item.

3. Contain the Clutter

Next in your home organization journey, whatever you do have left over from your purge, you’re going to want to see it. Both The Home Edit and Marie Kondo swear by ensuring you can see all your items in order to

a) be able to use them and…

b) put things back in their proper home.

To avoid clutter and keep pet supplies in order, use clear containers with labels for storing pet food, treats, and medications. Clear storage containers are important because they enhance visibility, organization, and protection for your belongings while also offering durability and aesthetic benefits.

Whether you’re organizing a pantry, storing seasonal clothing, or moving to a new home, clear storage containers can help simplify the process and keep your belongings in good condition.

Visibility:

The primary benefit of clear storage containers in your home organization strategy is that they allow you to see the contents without opening the container. This visibility makes it easy to identify what’s inside, helping you locate items quickly and efficiently. This is especially useful for organizing and finding items in spaces like closets, pantries, and storage rooms.

Organization:

Clear containers promote home organization by making it easy to categorize and label items. You can group similar items together and use labels or markers on the containers to provide additional information about the contents. This helps prevent clutter and keeps your space tidy.

Preventing Waste:

With clear containers, you can easily see the expiration dates or use-by dates on food items, reducing the likelihood of wasting food due to items getting forgotten at the back of the pantry or refrigerator. This can save you money and reduce food waste.

Aesthetics:

Clear containers often have a clean and modern look, which can enhance the overall appearance of your storage areas. They create a uniform and visually pleasing storage system, which is especially useful in spaces that are visible to guests or family members.

Durability:

Many clear storage containers are made from sturdy materials like plastic or glass, which are designed to withstand wear and tear. They are less likely to break or become damaged compared to cardboard boxes or opaque containers.

Stackability:

Clear containers are often designed with stackable lids and uniform dimensions, making them easy to stack neatly in storage spaces and greatly help when completing a whole home organization project. This maximizes the use of vertical space and keeps your storage area organized.

Protection:

Clear containers provide protection from dust, moisture, pests, and other environmental factors that can damage or contaminate your belongings. This is particularly important for items that are sensitive to these factors, such as clothing, documents, or collectibles.

Accessibility:

Clear containers with hinged lids or easy-to-open designs make it convenient to access your stored items. You don’t need to remove the lid entirely to see or retrieve what’s inside. This also helps with home organization because it makes it easier to put things back where they are supposed to go.

Transportation:

Clear containers are often used for packing and moving because they allow you to see the contents of each box without opening them. This makes it easier to locate specific items during the moving process.

Every home organization project and space is a little different however, so try and get creative with whatever works for you. I really like the variety of products offered by the Home Edit and I can grab them at Canadian tire, but there are also a variety of shape and colours if you’re looking for more creative options.

Budget Friendly Options:

When I was on a major budget, I used old ziplock containers that no longer had a lid or picked up a variety of containers from our local Dollarama.

Even if you aren’t one for clear containers and you prefer something else, there are truly endless ways to be able to contain your belongings and create more organized home for you and your loved ones.

Some benefits of labelling during your home organization project include:

Clarity and Identification:

Labels provide clear information about the contents of each container. This is particularly useful when you have multiple containers or storage bins for your home organization project. Without labels, it can be challenging to remember what’s inside each container, especially if they are stacked or stored out of sight.

Efficiency:

Labeling containers saves you time and effort. Instead of opening each container to find what you need, you can simply read the labels and locate items quickly. This is especially beneficial when you’re in a hurry or looking for specific items in a hurry.

Consistency:

Labels help maintain consistency in your organization system. When everything is clearly labeled, it’s easier to ensure that items are consistently sorted and stored in their designated places. This consistency prevents clutter and keeps your space organized over the long term.

Preventing Guesswork:

Labels eliminate the need for guesswork. Whether it’s food items in the pantry, clothes in the closet, or tools in the garage, labels provide a clear reference, so you don’t have to rely on memory or guess what’s inside each container.

Accessibility:

Labels make it easier for everyone in the household to access and use the storage system. Family members or housemates can quickly find what they need, even if they weren’t the ones who originally organized the space and can create lasting home organization in the future.

Maintenance:

Over time, you may add or remove items from your storage containers. Labels make it easy to update the contents without disrupting your entire organization system. You can simply adjust or replace labels as needed.

Inventory Management:

For items with expiration dates, such as food or medications, labels help you keep track of when items were stored. This is crucial for maintaining food safety and ensuring that you use items before they expire, as well as to reduce uneccessary clutter which hinders any home organization project.

Visual Aesthetics:

Well-labeled containers contribute to a visually pleasing and organized space. Neatly labeled containers create a sense of order and make your storage areas look more appealing for your home organization.

Moving and Sharing:

If you ever need to move or share items with others, labeled containers simplify the process. You can quickly identify which containers need to be packed, and you can clearly communicate the contents of the containers to others. 

Future Reference:

Labels can serve as a reference point in case you need to retrieve specific items after a long period. For example, if you store seasonal decorations, labels help you identify which containers hold holiday decor, making it easier to decorate each year.

An added bonus of labelling when organizing your home (because I’m sure I could go on and on and on and …) If you live in a house like me with other humans, they will also have no excuse but to put things back in their right place. Annnnnndddd they can’t come to you asking where you put something. Hopefully they can just read the label. When practicality meets functionality in home organization, it makes for a smoother and more enjoyable space for everyone.

5. Be Realistic

No matter what or how you chose to organize your space, make sure you keep your day-to-day lifestyle in mind.

There is no one-size fits all rule to keeping your space tidy and functional. I often find that I’ll try something out and work on changing it to better fit my needs over time. This is why home organization is a task that will improve over time.

You can also establish a daily routine for feeding, grooming, and playtime can help maintain order in your home. This might include cleaning and sanitizing your pet’s food and water bowls regularly to prevent bacteria buildup.

You can wash your pet’s bedding, toys, and accessories as needed. And obviously scoop litter boxes daily and change the litter regularly for cat owners.

Being realistic in the context of home organization means setting achievable goals and expectations while taking into account your lifestyle, resources, and the specific constraints of your living space.

It involves being practical and pragmatic in your approach to decluttering and organizing your home. Here are some key aspects of being realistic in home organization:

Time Constraints:

Understand that home organization is not a one-time task but an ongoing process. Realistic organization acknowledges that you have other commitments and responsibilities, so you need to allocate your time wisely. Set achievable goals for what you can accomplish within your available time frame.

Realistic Goals:

Set attainable goals that align with your priorities and the available resources. Don’t aim for a Pinterest-perfect home if it’s not feasible given your circumstances. Instead, focus on making meaningful improvements that suit your needs for organization.

Decluttering:

Be realistic about the amount of clutter you can handle at once. It’s often overwhelming during a home organization project to try to declutter an entire house in a single day. Instead, break it down into smaller, manageable tasks and areas, such as decluttering one room or one closet at a time.

Storage Space:

Consider the limitations of your storage space when organizing. You may not have endless closets and shelves, so it’s essential to maximize the use of available space efficiently. This might involve using storage solutions like bins, under-bed storage, or vertical shelving.

Maintenance:

Realize that maintaining an organized space requires ongoing effort. Don’t expect everything to stay perfectly organized without any maintenance. Develop habits and routines that help you keep your space organized over time.

Budget:

Be mindful of your budget when purchasing storage containers or organizing tools. There are plenty of affordable options available, so you don’t need to overspend to get organized. Make practical choices that fit within your financial constraints and that meet your home organization needs.

Family and Lifestyle:

Consider the needs and habits of your family members or roommates. Be realistic about how they contribute to the organization process and what level of organization is suitable for your household. It’s important to have buy-in and cooperation from everyone involved.

Personal Preferences:

Your organization system should reflect your personal preferences and lifestyle. Be realistic about what works for you and what doesn’t. If you prefer open shelves over closed cabinets or like to display certain items, incorporate those preferences into your home organization plan.

Flexibility:

Be open to adjusting your organization strategy if you find that certain methods or systems aren’t working as expected. Being realistic means recognizing when something needs to change to better suit your needs.

Accept Imperfection:

Understand that perfection is not the goal of home organization. There will still be moments of clutter and disarray. Being realistic means accepting these imperfections and not being too hard on yourself when things aren’t always perfectly organized.

Being realistic in home organization involves setting achievable goals, working within your constraints, and tailoring your approach to your unique circumstances. It’s about finding a balance between your ideal vision of organization and the practical realities of your life and living space.

You can check out these great references that I used to help me on my own organizational journey:

https://www.bhg.com/decorating/storage/projects/smart-storage-solutions-for-pet-supplies/

https://www.hgtv.com/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/must-try-organizing-tips-from-the-home-edit

https://www.chatelaine.com/home-decor/the-marie-kondo-decluttering-tips-we-swear-by/