Jen’s 8 Game Changing Organizational Hacks
If you don’t have the time to dedicate to a complete overhaul, don’t be discouraged! I’ve put together the biggest game changing hacks I’ve learned over the years that I believe can truly transform your life, even if done slowly over time. Even gradual adjustments will make your space feel so much better, and you’ll have a clearer mind in no time with these small but mighty changes!
When you organize your spaces, always remember to think about how your organizational systems will work best for you. Ask yourself: How often will I need to access these items? How do I want it to look?” The answers to these questions will guide you to set up a system that works in conjunction with your existing lifestyle.
1 Categorize & sort before you purge
The first step in any space is to pull everything out so you can see the entire inventory when you categorize. When my team organizes any space, we always sort through every. single. item. and roughly categorize them before we ever bring in the client for purging. When they see it by category, clients often say they had no idea just how many white t-shirts they owned, and are more inclined to get rid of excess items!
2 Create storage where you have none
In a smaller space (or one that lacks ample storage solutions), creating your own storage solutions can completely transform your day-to-day life. You can do this in a few ways: add a mobile cart for things that may not fit where you need to use them, use stacking drawers to create vertical space under any sink, add floating shelves against the wall, or implement an over-the-door rack in any enclosed space for a fourth area of storage!
3 Ditch the original packaging
I know the feeling of getting something in new, beautiful packaging can make you want to never unbox it. And I’ve totally been there before. But something that I’ve learned (especially when I was in a smaller one bedroom apartment!) is that these boxes end up taking up a significant amount of space no matter where you’re trying to store them. They can become a catalyst for clutter over time as they pile up, so my rule of thumb is that if you know you’ll be keeping an item, get in the habit of recycling the packaging as soon as you bring an item home.
4 Customize your drawer build-outs with modular dividers
There are a lot of organizing products out there that are essentially one container with multiple compartments within them, and many people make the mistake of using these to build out their drawers. The reason we love to use modular dividers is because they make customizing your system based on your inventory a breeze!
5 Reuse as many of your existing organization products
Don’t be afraid to reuse organizing products that you already have in your new organizational systems! If you have products you bought before or glass jars you use as decor, see if they work in this new system. It’s important not to force-fit any products, so if it doesn’t seem like a seamless and lasting solution, don’t force it! But there's a chance that some product you already own will fit nicely into your new organizational systems!
6 Place items on shelves in accordance with how often you use them
Shelf placement can be tricky, and people often store things without rhyme or reason. It’s hard to keep things consistent when there’s no system in place, because it doesn’t feel intuitive to place things back at random! I encourage you to think about the intention behind each appliance, cleaner, sweater (...the list goes on) and organize based on that. Do you use it everyday? Put it at eye level—aka prime real estate—where you’ll always be able to see it and quickly access. Do you seldom use it? Put it higher, so you don’t have to use the step stool daily. Is it heavy? Place it down low, so you don’t have to worry about dropping it when you go to grab it.
7 Focus on getting things off the floor
In any space, my motto is to always organize so that you have room in the middle. Whether it’s to create room for activities or simply because a clear space makes for a clear mind, getting everything off the floor is key. There are different ways you can get your items off the floor; how you choose to do it really depends on your inventory! Utilize shelves, drawers, and any wall space you can. Give everything that commonly finds itself in the middle of the room a home so that when it’s time to tidy up, it’s easy to just pick it up and put it back!
8 Store and style at the same time
Being organized doesn’t mean everything needs to be tucked away and hidden, it means everything needs to have a spot that it can call home. There's a good chance that in every space, you have something that can be displayed and styled. Many people associate organizing with putting everything away, when in reality, it just means that you have everything categorized and sorted into a system so you know where everything is! Having items like a puzzle decanted into a jar in the playroom, purses on display in the closet, and charcuterie boards against the backsplash in the kitchen is an efficient way to store them because they actually double as decor! Don’t be afraid to make the home for your item a display, too!
