How to Organize Your Home In 10 Minutes Or Less

There’s no magic wand you can wave or talking animal to help you organize your home. It takes time, energy and some thought to organize your home in a way that is going to last and be of service to you in the long run. That being said, there are some small things you can do in a flash to either tidy up before a last minute meeting or to use as inspiration to keep going. Below you’ll find a few quick fixes (that we gently suggest that you go beyond them when you have the time.)

In the bedroom:

Give your dresser a rundown - Choose one drawer and dump it out on your bed. Get rid of what you haven’t seen in 3+ months and file fold the rest.

Wipe down your night table - Is everything on your bedside table serving you and your goal of a good nights sleep? Spoiler alert: if your phone sleeps here, probably not. Once you’ve assessed what goes where, take a moment to dust off the top and add something nice like a candle or a flower. It’s a subtle way to add a little pick-me-up to your nighttime and morning routines.

Tidy up loose ends - Whether it’s a handbag, a coat, a pair of pants or even socks, grab whatever is laying around your room and put them away. We know, you may end up back at square one tomorrow, but a tidy room is a tidy mind.

Sift through your closet for strays - There may be 5 or more items in your closet that you haven’t worn for 6+ months. Anything over a year, and it’s time to part ways. If you’re still feeling the pull to keep it, give it a shelf life of 6 more months and then set a reminder on your phone to check in when the time comes. With that in mind, the next option may be your saving grace.

Establish A Donation Area - Whether it’s a box in your closet or a bag under the bed, set up a space in your room to toss clothes and items that need to be donated. Once full, take them to a donation destination and send them on their way to a better life.

Organize Your Jewelry - Do you have a place to hang your necklaces, earrings, bracelets etc.? If not, this is a great place to start the process of organization. Grab a jewelry organizer that suits your style and give your friends the home they deserve.

In the bathroom:

Capitalize on storage space - Add an over the door organizer, a chic shelf or a couple of cute hooks to your bathroom area to hang jewelry, add a plant or organize your hair tools into. No space is too small!

Give your bathroom drawer a rundown - Again, you can start small… choose one drawer and empty it onto the counter. Clean it out with your cleaning spray of choice, toss what isn’t being used (or anything expired!) and reorganize it back in. Bonus points if you add in drawer organizers!

Keep routine items together - Your bathroom may be a maze for you to work through if you’re not keeping your routine in the order that you use it in. For example, if all your shaving necessities are mixed in with your hair accessories, then there’s a better way for these to be organized. Dedicate the under the sink space (like we did here) to your hair routine and a shelf in the closet to your morning/nighttime routine.

In the office:

Give your file cabinet a rundown - Choose a drawer, any drawer. Have you been putting off filing and throwing things in a drawer for later? Today is the day to go through it, throw away old papers and file whatever needs a home.

Designate a mail box - Whether you have it in your office or by the front door, a mail drop center is key to helping you stay on top of it rather than letting everything gather in little piles around the home. Grab a mail drop box or even an acrylic drawer to drop your mail into and then designate a day to handle during the week.

Organize Your Cords - It’s time to rally the cords in your life and stop letting them take over whatever space they want. Tie them up with velcro and stick them in a specific drawer or enlist a cord organizer to help you keep them from tangling.

In the kitchen:

Go through your fridge, often - Food waste is a problem and to help combat it, it’s best to stay on top of your fridge organization. Start anew when you go through it, toss everything that’s out of date and create a system for you to stay on top of your food.. maybe a meal plan? Which brings us to your next option.

Create a meal plan - Doing this will help you buy only the food you need, prep in a timely manner and it eases the stress of having to figure out what to eat and when. How is that for a triple threat!?

Organize your tupperware - This one may have hurt, and we get it.. Your tupperware storage area may be some allusive, hush hush situation but it doesn’t have to be! Enlist this organizer and match the bottoms to the tops and never have to go hunting again.

In any room:

Identify the ‘piles’ - Sometimes putting things in a pile for later can seem like the best option. Unfortunately, this is just a bandaid when it comes to organizing. Identify where your piles may be and handle them. Your future self will thank you.

Create an ‘outgoing’ container - Similar to your mail drop, this will hold any items that you need to take with you the next time you leave the house. Keys, outgoing mail, permission slips, projects... truly, the list is endless.