Little but Life Changing Home Organization Hacks You’ll Wish You Thought of Sooner

Shannon Quinn - July 15, 2022
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Little but Life Changing Home Organization Hacks You’ll Wish You Thought of Sooner
Maximize your drawer space by learning the KonMari method of folding. Credit: Shutterstock

39. Try Folding Your Clothes Like Marie Kondo

For those of you who have seen Tidying Up With Marie Kondo on Netflix, then you already know the method of folding up your clothes into little squares. These fit into your drawer vertically, which makes it possible to see all of your clothing items at once, rather than stacking your clothes on top of one another. When clothes are on top of each other, it’s too easy to forget they exist. You might reach for the top pieces and never actually dig deep for items, which will eventually become forgotten.

Once all of your clothes are folded properly, it becomes easier to find all of your clothes. Credit: Shutterstock

Once you get in the habit of folding with the Marie Kondo or “KonMari” method, clothing organization becomes a breeze. And opening your drawers won’t stress you out anymore. There is a reason she has become a home organization sensation. For video instructions on how to do this, click here. (via Marie Kondo)

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Organizational boxes come in all shapes and sizes. Credit: Shutterstock

38. Purchase Organizational Bins

Before you dive into too many organization tips, I highly recommend that you go online and order some organization bins right away. Doesn’t matter if they’re clear, white, mesh, wicker, or plastic. These can be found at The Container Store, but they’re much more affordable if you find them online or somewhere like Target or Walmart. Even Dollar Tree has their own organization bins.Using organizational bins makes a huge difference in how clean your home is and how easy it is to find things.

You can buy clear organization boxes to go into the fridge. Credit: The Container Store

Some of you out there might be hesitating to buy these bins, in hopes that you can organize your home without it. A couple years ago, I suggested buying organizational bins for the fridge, but I got a lot of pushback from everyone in my household. No one believed that it would actually help the situation. They couldn’t understand how using boxes would make a difference. But I purchased the bins anyway, and it became very clear that organizing everything together in boxes created double the amount of space, with the same amount of stuff. (via Home Addict)

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It becomes easier to fit products in the fridge when they’re out of their boxes. Credit: The Container Store

37. Take Individually Wrapped Products Out of Their Boxes in The Fridge

When you get home from the grocery store, it is so tempting to just put all of your boxes in the fridge and call it a day. In fact, you may have gone your whole life doing this, and it has become a habit. However, when you do this, space gets taken up very quickly. It also becomes more difficult for you to find the products that you need. This is also a really terrible use of space, especially if there is only one or two products left inside of a large box.

Whenever you can, remove individually wrapped items and put them in a container. Credit: The Home Edit

Professional organizers like the ones you see on The Home Edit recommend removing all of the items from your boxes first. Obviously, this only works if the products are individually wrapped- like popsicles or granola bars. But once you have those products removed from the box, it becomes so much easier to see how much you have left in stock. It also looks a lot more aesthetically pleasing to see those items in a container rather than seeing the cardboard box. (via The Home Edit)

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Teaching your kids to clean will give them lifelong skills. Credit: Shutterstock

36. Encourage Your Kids to Clean Up After Themselves

If you are trying to implement new habits to help keep your house more organized, it’s going to be difficult to follow those rules. Keep in mind that if it’s difficult for the adults to figure this out, your kids might struggle as well. As a parent, you might have to figure out a system. Create one that encourages your kids to follow the new rules about your home organization. There are some parents who make a rule that their kids are not allowed to go into the fridge or the closet by themselves, but this can be problematic. It may train your kids to dislike the idea of cooking or being self-sufficient in their own homes some day.

Eventually, your kids will be cleaning their room on their own. Credit: Shutterstock

Encourage your kids to pick up after themselves. Consider giving an allowance, or setting up some kind of reward system to encourage them to continue to do their chores. Also designate certain tasks in the home to be their personal jobs, like cleaning their room or the play room in the basement. You can even make cleaning into a game, which would be more enjoyable for kids. The possibilities are endless, and you just need to get creative. (via Sunshine House)

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Drawer dividers can help you organize everything that’s in your drawers. Credit: Shutterstock

35. Use Drawer Dividers

Do you have trouble keeping your drawers organized? It could be because when objects are in one big section, they tend to fall on top of one another. This eventually leads to everything getting messy again. Check out drawer dividers on Amazon. They come in wood or plastic, and can adjust to any size drawer that you need. They also make plastic dividers for refrigerator drawers.

Drawer dividers are even useful in a refrigerator. Credit: Simply Self Storage

Some of you might be wondering- what’s the point in using refrigerator drawer dividers? Does it really matter if you keep your fruits and vegetables separated? Well, it actually does. If one of your fruits begins to grow mold, those spores are going to travel to whatever is sitting next to it. Since all of the produce you buy from the store will go bad at different times, this is one extra step you can take to protect your produce from mold.

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Organize your clothes by color. Credit: The Home Edit

34. Organize Your Clothes by Color

If you’re having trouble organizing your closet, you may want to borrow the Rainbow Method from the Home Edit. They organize everything by color to make it easier for you to find what you’re looking for within just a few seconds. There is no more grouping clothes in “formal” or “casual”, because so many clothes now fall into both categories (especially if you work from home). But it’s easy to figure out how to find something by color.

An example of a full closet of rainbow organized clothing. Credit: CR Fashion Book

The ladies at The Home Edit don’t stop at just organizing their clothes by color, either. They do this with everything, including kid toys. This makes it really easy for their kids to learn where to put things away on their own, and they learn colors, too. (via The Home Edit)

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Taking small steps towards a clean home will lead to progress. Credit: Shutterstock

33. Clean a Little Every Single Day 

Let’s face it. Organization takes time. And a lot of you out there may be planning out an entire day or even a weekend to get started with your organizational projects. But in reality, life happens. And if you have kids, you already know how one or two unexpected events somehow eat up the entire day, and you’re suddenly ready for bed time. That’s why it’s much better to try organizing and cleaning just a little bit every single day.

Remember to put things away in the right place. Credit: Shutterstock

 

Cleaning every day really does add up. It can be as simple as taking ten minutes out of your day to do just one of the tips on this list. Or it might be as easy as picking up the trash that you see on the floor, or doing the dishes as you cook a meal. Changing your habits can make a big difference in the long run.

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Clear storage containers are available in big box stores. Credit: The Home Depot

32. Use Clear Storage Containers

One of the most annoying parts of putting things away in storage is trying to figure out where everything is when you need it. So many people like to use those red and green storage bins so that you immediately know they are Christmas decorations. But, of course, we never know exactly what’s inside. A great way to make your life easier is to store your items in clear containers. This way, you can see if the items you want are inside of the bin immediately.

It’s easy to see what’s inside of a clear storage container. Credit: Shangyi Plastic

For extra organization, put labels on your bins with a list of the items that go in each box. You could use a sharpie and a piece of paper or masking tape. But if you would rather not trust your handwriting, consider buying a label maker. These are very cheap, and they can be used all over your house for different organizational needs.

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Egg cartons can protect your precious ornaments from getting broken. Credit: The Kitchn

31. Store Christmas Ornaments in Egg Cartons

When you are cooking for the holidays, you are most likely going to buy eggs to make cookies, cakes, and so much more. Before you toss those cartons in the recycle bin, set them to the side. These cartons are designed to protect a delicate egg shell, so it only makes sense that they would do the same with glass ornaments.

Save your egg cartons over the holiday season to use when organizing ornaments. Credit: Terravesta Fuels

If you plan to do this, try to save several egg cartons over the course over the months of November and December. Consider asking your friends and family if they have some, too. It should not matter if your egg carton is made of foam, paper, or plastic. They will all do a good job with protecting your ornaments. (via Mavis Butterfield)

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Donating clothing helps clean your closet, and gives them to those in need. Credit: Shutterstock

30. Donate Your Unwanted Items to Charity

This next piece of advice isn’t so much a “hack”, but a necessary part of cleaning and organizing your home. When you go through your items, try to split them into categories of “keep” “donate” or “throw away”. (Even thrift stores don’t want your clothes if they have stains and rips in them. They will just throw them away.) Remember that your clothing that doesn’t fit or has gone out of style for you may be a saving grace for someone who is less fortunate than you.

Donating or volunteering to a local charity is good for the soul. Credit: Shutterstock

If you really want to make the biggest impact, contact your local Red Cross to see what kinds of items are needed for people who have recently suffered from a disaster. Many times, they will also keep their website updated with the things they have the highest need for. Usually, they need blankets, pillows, coats, toys, and things like that. Make sure you keep a receipt of all your donations, sometimes it can get you tax credits! (via Red Cross)

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Vacuum sealing bags remove the air from fabrics to make them a smaller size. Credit: Shutterstock

29. Use Vacuum Sealing Bags For Compact Storage

If you have a lot of things to pack that are made of fabric like Christmas sweaters, throw pillows, table cloths, and stockings, you already know that they can be very bulky. You can always use vacuum sealing bags to make them more compact. It’s really affordable to buy a starter kit online, and you can reuse those bags over and over again.

You can fit more clothing into a smaller space with vacuum seal bags. Credit: Shutterstock

Once you own the vacuum bag kit, you can reuse this for traveling. It seriously comes in handy if you are going on a long trip, but you only want to bring a small carry-on bag. They can also be useful for seasonal bedding or clothing that needs to be put away once the weather changes. This is a seriously clever way to make your home feel less cluttered while not having to get rid of needs. (via Home Addict) 

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This organizational system holds items in both the front and back. Credit: Amazon

28. Buy an Over-the-Door Organizational System

Okay, this next item is not exactly a DIY item. It’s a $16 over-the-door organizational system. We are recommending this item, because it gives you a massive amount of storage space that can be hung over your closet door. Then, you can close the closet and have it hidden away from the rest of your home. Best of all, it has both a front and a back. This is perfect for anyone who lives in an apartment, and you don’t have an abundance of attic space.

Store wrapping paper for any season of the year in one of these plastic containers. Credit: Amazon

Coupled with storage that goes under the bed, this is a great way to put everything away so that you can continue to store it year after year. Even if you don’t have a lot of Christmas items, the extra space could also be used for other holiday items like birthday paper, and so much more. (via Home Addict) 

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Try to adopt the mindset of home organization in Swedish Death Cleaning. Credit: Shutterstock

27. Try Swedish Death Cleaning

Some of you out there may or may not have heard of a book called The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter by Margareta Magnusson. The name “Swedish Death Cleaning” sounds really morbid. But in reality, it’s just a state of mind that makes a lot of sense. In Sweden, once people reach their 60’s, they begin the process of cleaning up their house so as not to burden their loved ones when they’re gone.

Live with the mindset that your stuff will become someone else’s burden. Credit: Shutterstock

Think of Swedish Death Cleaning as the polar opposite of Hoarders, when people hoard and collect garbage and collections without caring how difficult it’s going to be for the next person to clean up after them when they’re gone. If you want to see this in action, I recommend a YouTuber called But First, Coffee, who put this into practice in her own home. (via Margareta Magnusson)

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Each of these magazine file boxes holds a different color of scrap paper.  Credit: Pinterest

26. Store Tissue Paper and Scrapbooking Paper Scraps in File Boxes

If you love wrapping presents or scrapbooking, you might already have a huge collection of tissue paper, as well as folded pieces of wrapping paper that you have saved from previous years. After a while, this can get messy, and the paper can potentially crease, bend, and wrinkle if you try to lay it in a box together with other items.

This collection is useful for anyone who does scrapbooking on the regular. Credit: DIYs

A great solution to this it to get a file box. These come with little ledges on the sides, and you can hang file folders in there. Each of the file folders can hold some of your paper goods. Best of all, file folders always come with labels. So you could alphabetize your paper by holiday, color, or pattern. (via The Homes I Have Made)

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This person is using a plastic bin with dividers for their quilting fabric collection. Credit: Home Sew

25. Buy a Plastic Bin With Dividers

This next one can truly be a huge lifesaver when it comes to putting away your belongings in an organized way. You can buy a plastic bin with dividers online, and see the items immediately through the box, since it’s made of clear plastic. The items will be kept safe, and it is a lot easier to find things once you open the lid.

This box is designed specifically to hold Christmas ornaments. Credit: Amazon

Many of these plastic boxes allow you to move the little dividers so that you can accommodate the size of certain items. Most craft stores have them available in all shapes and sizes. Some containers are made specifically for Christmas ornaments. This makes it very easy for you to put ornaments away and not be too worried about them getting broken. (via Amazon)

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Child safety locks for cabinet doors. Credit: Glue Guns and Roses

24. Drawer Safety Cabinet Lock to Hold Your Tape

If you’re a parent, you might already be familiar with those white plastic child-safe locks that help keep drawers and cabinets shut. While they are useful for their original purpose, you may have tossed them in the junk drawer once your kids were older. Or, you can easily buy them at your local dollar store. These cabinet locks can be reused as a tape holder. Since the lock is secure, it won’t be likely to pop out. Once the tape is all secure on the cabinet lock, you can place this in your junk drawer and never have to go searching for the tape again.

Credit: Glue Guns and Roses

On the YouTube channel Gliue Guns and Roses, she shows us how she uses safety hooks from the Dollar Tree for all kinds of organization hacks. In her holiday closet, she installed a command hook on her wall and hung the cabinet lock on it with all of her tape. She also uses one in her bedroom closet for her scarf collection. The possibilities are endless. Try to think outside of the box on how you can use a cabinet hook to “hack” some of your other organizational projects. (via Glue Guns and Roses)

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This person used a label maker to organize all of their dry foods. Credit: Shutterstock

23. Use a Label Maker

If you want to get organized at home, one of the easiest ways to keep track of your stuff is by purchasing a label maker. This way, you’ll never get confused about which things belong in what boxes or containers. And when you go grocery shopping, you and your family can quickly put things away. That way, you’ll never be hindered by your family throwing things in the cabinet willy nilly again. 

Making labels can be a satisfying part of the organization process. Credit: Shutterstock

Sure, you can make labels on your own with note cards and a Sharpie, and tape them onto the side of the box. There is nothing wrong with that. But you can also buy customizable label makers from your local craft store that will print out crisp, easy-to-read stickers for you every time. (via The Spruce)

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Hanging your bags makes it easier to see them. Credit: Simply SS

22. Use a Rod and Clips to Hang Bags

The suggestion to use a rod to hang bags from your fridge might sound strange, but this is one of the fridge organizational tips I picked up from a blog called SimplySS. They installed a tension rod into the top of one of their fridge shelves, and used shower curtain clips. Once everything is installed, they can clip their bags of cheese, salad, and veggie mixes all in a row. This is similar to the way that bags hang on a rod at the grocery store.

Never let a bag of lettuce expire again. Credit: Shutterstock

While this may be a cool trick to see on a blog, it may not seem realistic. However, by hanging these bags, you’re making it easier to spot them when you open the fridge. And it frees up space below the bags for you to place other food and drinks. (Simply SS)

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Junk drawers are notoriously filled with objects that don’t belong anywhere else. Credit: Shutterstock

21. Make Sure Everything Has a “Home”

The number one obstacle that gets in the way of having an organized home is not knowing where things are meant to be put away. You need to live with the mindset of “everything has a place, and everything in its place”. The next time you pick up something random, ask yourself, “Where does this go?” If there is no answer, or if the answer is “junk drawer”, then that’s your biggest problem.

Even junk drawers can be organized. Credit: Shutterstock

The solution to this issue is usually to buy more storage containers, or re-organize your closet and drawers to make sure there is enough room for everything to be put away. You may even need to start utilizing your attic, garage, and basement space for storage, if necessary. (via Marie Kondo)

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Mason jars are great for holding odds and ends. Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

20. Use Mason Jars For Storage

Mason jars are an affordable way to organize small objects in your home. You can do literally anything with mason jars. When you buy a pack in bulk, they end up being roughly $1 each. They originally come with metal lids, but you can also buy reusable plastic jar lids at places like Walmart and Target.

This craft desk is utilizing mason jars to hold loose ribbons. Credit: Better Homes and Gardens

Obviously, mason jars are perfect for storing food. You can learn how to do canning for long-term storage, or you can use them on a daily basis to bring lunch to work. (via Better Homes and Gardens)

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A spinning rack makes it easy to reach everything in the fridge. Credit: Simply Self Storage

19. Use a Spinning Rack So You’re Never Reaching to the Back

Almost everyone has experienced the situation where you need something, but it’s all the way in the back of the fridge. It can be really annoying and frustrating to reach these things. If you just stick your arm back there, you might end up knocking something over. So you have to take everything out of the fridge one by one and then replace everything again later. This hassle can be fixed almost immediately by simply buying a spinning rack, also known as a “lazy Susan.”

Lazy Susans are great for spice organization in your pantry. Credit: The Container Store

One of the most popular brands of spinning rocks that people love to buy is from The Container Store. However, they sell racks like this at places like Target, Walmart, and Amazon. These rocks are also sometimes hidden in aisles of the store that you wouldn’t normally expect. For example, I found a spinning rack in the craft section, but I was able to use it for other things. (via The Container Store)

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Use a small tubberware container for a ribbon collection. Credit: Pinterest

18. Store Ribbons In a Small Tupperware Container 

If you have a big ribbon collection, you might already know how it can get a little bit frustrating to keep it in a larger wrapping box. Sometimes, the spools become unraveled and tangled. Other times, you can’t seem to find the exact color you want for a certain occasion. A brilliant crafter out there came up with the idea of finding a plastic container that has holes along the side, and slipping each individual ribbon through the hole. This is perfect, because you can just pull on the ribbon to the exact length you need, and cut it with scissors. They will all stay perfectly in place, too.

Keep the spools together with a dowel rod. Credit: Pinterest

Even if you cannot find a container with holes, you may want to find something that holds your ribbon separately from the rest of your wrapping supplies. Since spools of ribbons are easily tangled or lost, it’s good to keep them all in one place. So, the next time you are looking for ribbon, you know exactly where to find it.

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You can’t stockpile this much food unless you have a huge pantry. Credit: Shutterstock

17. Let Your Space Dictate How Much You Own

This may seem like common sense to some people, but it’s truly the key to keeping your home organized. Don’t buy more stuff than your house can handle. Obviously, you can store way more things in a 4,000 square foot home versus an 800 square foot studio apartment. And yet some people try to squeeze in way more than they should into an apartment or small house. 

Not everyone has space for this many pairs of shoes. Credit: Shutterstock

One blogger called But First, Coffee uses this mindset with the different areas of her home. For example, if her t-shirt drawer is full, she can’t buy another t-shirt until she gets rid of one first. Same with food in her pantry. If her pasta area is full, she needs to eat the existing food first before going out and buying more. By adopting this mindset, you can keep a home clean all the time. (via But First, Coffee)

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Group like items together in your fridge and pantry. Credit: Shutterstock

16. Group Like Items Together

One of the easiest organization tips that you can implement at home is to group similar items together. You may want to designate certain shelves for certain types of foods. In some households, it might be easier for you to even label each of the shelves with a sticker to remind everyone.

Group similar items together in your closet. Credit: Shutterstock

When you put similar foods next to one another, it becomes very easy to find things. If you have kids, you will probably get less not getting any questions about where something is. All they have to do is look into the fridge in the designated section. It also helps kids to know where to put groceries away.

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This set of hooks for great for hanging just about anything in your front door. Credit: Shutterstock

15. Hang Hooks Near Your Front Door

Do you have a bad habit of losing your keys? Or maybe you throw your jacket on the floor or counter when you walk through the door. The simple secret to keeping the entry area clean is to have a set of hooks. 

This entryway has a coat rack and a set of hooks for keys. Credit: Shutterstock

Hooks are great for hanging your purse, sets of keys, jackets, backpacks, and so much more. Eventually, you may have to upgrade to a larger set of hooks. But if you’re more of a minimalist who wants to put everything away in the coat closet, you still might benefit from a small key hanger instead.

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Labeling toy baskets makes it easier for both you and your kids to put them away. Credit: Shutterstock

14. Label Your Kid’s Toy Area

Earlier on the list, we mentioned possibly using the Rainbow Method from The Home Edit as a way to get your kids to organize their toys. Another no-brainer is to label the boxes so that there is a place for everything to go. Some people have just one big toy box, which can become chaotic at best.

Your kids will read where their toys go on the labels. Credit: Shutterstock

Invest in a shelf from somewhere like Ikea, and a set of plastic baskets for all of the plastic toys that your kids play with. Use a label maker to organize each of the different categories of toy, and your kids will know exactly where everything goes once playtime is over. (via Ikea) 

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Give yourself a space where you can put things away. Credit: Shutterstock

13. Be Intentional With Your Actions When You Walk Through the Door

On her YouTube Channel, a blogger called But First, Coffee talks about being intentional with what you do when you come home from somewhere. Spend at least the first two minutes putting things away like your shoes, keys, jacket, kid’s toys, cups, and whatever else you bring into the house. (This is especially true for groceries, which need to be put away before things go bad.) 

When you come home, make sure you put your things away. Credit: Shutterstock

Obviously, these items need to have a place to go. So invest in hooks, a letter rack, a wardrobe, a coat rack, a bench with storage, or whatever else you can place in your entry area to give yourself a home for the items you normally throw on the kitchen counter. (via But First, Coffee)

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This magnetic bottle holder helps take up vertical space in the fridge. Credit: Uncommon Goods

12. Hang Bottles From The Roof of the Fridge 

One of the best ways to get more space in any organizational situation is to take advantage of vertical space. This is a common tactic if you’re trying to decorate a small apartment. But it obviously makes a lot of sense inside of your fridge too. Earlier on this list we mentioned hanging bags from the top of the fridge. But this can also be done with bottles as well.

These racks help suspend bottles of wine into a small space in the fridge. Credit: Shutterstock

A company called Uncommon Goods makes a magnetic bottle rack where you can hang beer and soda from the ceiling. For those of you who drink on a regular basis, this might be very useful. Obviously, if you don’t drink very often, something like this wouldn’t really work well in the amount of space that you have. But it could be perfect if you have a secondary fridge that is dedicated to just adult beverages. (via Uncommon Goods)

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It’s easy to store an extension cord in a toilet paper roll. Credit: Home Hacks

11. Store Extension Cords in Paper Towel Rolls 

During the holidays, you may have a few different extension cords, depending on the color of your artificial tree, or the area where you plan to use it. For example, you may have a green cord to blend in with your Christmas tree, and an outdoor one that would not contrast with the siding of your house. These are all too easy to get lost or tangled. You may also accidently grab one that is too long or short. Instead of pulling your hair out from frustration, there is a really easy solution to the problem: paper towel rolls.

Use a Sharpie to keep track of the inches on each extension cord. Credit: The Family Handyman

Simply put your extension cord inside of a paper towel roll, and cut a slit so that the cord is fastened to the cardboard. You can use a Sharpie to label the cord with its length, and the area of the house where it normally goes. Once you have all of the cords in one place, it would be smart to put them all in a shoe box or a drawer. (via The Family Handyman) 

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You can organize magazines inside of a file folder. Credit: Handyman

10. Organize Magazines in a File Folder

“Can you actually find what you’re looking for in your stack of saved magazines? Here’s a great way to archive magazines, a method that one of our editors has been using at work for years. All you need is a bunch of hanging folders and a drawer that’s set up for hanging them. Cut off the bottom of each folder a couple of centimeters below the rod. Drape your magazine over the rod and hang it in the drawer. The spines are easy to read, so you can find what you need quickly.” (via Family Handyman)

Large magazine collections can be difficult to organize. Credit: Shutterstock

There are a lot of other ways to organize your magazines at home, too. You can buy a hanging magazine rack, or find cardboard versions at your local Target. These look great both hanging on the wall and on a bookshelf, if you want to see your collection displayed out in the open on a daily basis.

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Credit: The Family Handyman

9. Use Plastic Bags For Tiny Bits in the Garage

“If you have lots of small hardware on hand, constantly opening drawers or containers to find what you need is a pain. Here’s one solution: Store hardware in small, sturdy zippered craft bags (thicker than sandwich bags and available at hobby stores). Punch a hole in the bag and hang it on pegboard. The clear bags make finding what you need a snap and keep dust, rust, and moisture at bay. If you need to find a matching piece of hardware, just hold it up for a side-by-side comparison.” (via The Family Handyman)

These bags make great storage for excess dry goods. Credit: Shutterstock

Ziploc bags can be used for a lot of things around the house, besides hardware. The great thing about these bags is that they come in all shapes and sizes. Larger bags can be used to organize photographs, while smaller bags can be used for toys, beads, and so much more.

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Put your stuff away immediately, rather than waiting until later. Credit: Shutterstock

8. Do it Now, Rather Than Later

You can read all of the advice in the world about organizing your house, but none of it will actually work if you don’t put it into action. One of the best things you can do to keep your house organized is to act on putting something away now, rather than later. Ask yourself how long it’s going to take for you to get to a task before you push it off until tomorrow. Chances are, it might just take you a minute or two to do the right thing instead of procrastinating.

Your kids will pick up on your habits when it comes to putting things away. Credit: Shutterstock

Procrastination is usually the culprit as to why things begin to pile up around the house over time. Once you get in the habit of putting things away immediately, you’ll notice that your home is a much cleaner place. And if you have kids, they will pick up on your behavior, which makes them more likely to do the same thing. (via But First, Coffee)

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These Dollar Tree shelves work great for vertical storage. Credit: Glue Guns and Roses

7. Use a Dollar Tree Cabinet Shelf For Organization

At Dollar Tree, they sell white metal shelves that are used for creating a new shelf inside of your kitchen cabinets. Normally, this is great for anyone who is renting an apartment, and they can’t renovate the space. But this can easily be re-used for a holiday decor shelving unit.

This rack holds a lot of wrapping paper and supplies. Credit: Glue Guns and Roses

All you need to do is buy the shelf, and bend the legs at an v-shaped angle. Make sure that the angle is facing towards the wall, because you don’t want anything to roll onto the floor. Use hooks to secure this on the wall.  Now, it’s possible to use this for several rolls of wrapping paper, bags, shirt boxes, and so much more. (via Glue Guns and Roses)

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There are a lot of stackable storage containers in all shapes and sizes. Credit: The Container Store

6. Use Stackable Storage for Drinks

If you’re on a tight budget and you can only buy one or two organizational bins for your project, I highly recommend focusing on stackable storage for your drinks. For example, a lot of you’ve probably seen those boxes that allow cans to roll forward when you pick one up. This is a huge lifesaver if you drink sparkling water or soda regularly.

The Container Store makes a lot of different fridge containers. Credit: The Container Store

Some companies also make storage containers that you can stack bottles of wine on top of one another. If you don’t like to keep her one in the door of the fridge, this can be a really great option to keep bottles of wine stacked vertically. (via The Container Store)

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You can keep larger delicate ornaments in plastic Starbucks cups. Credit: Good House Keeping

5. Save Your Starbucks Cups For Large Ornaments

We already suggested using egg cartons for your smaller ornaments. But if you collect any large expensive glass ornaments like the ones made by Christopher Radko, you will not be able to fit them into such a small container. Sure, you could just wrap them in tissue paper, but there are certain ornaments that are so expensive and precious, it’s worth taking the extra steps to make sure they won’t break. It’s possible to up-cycle and protect your Christmas investments at the same time.

These cups are given out with cold drinks like Frappuccino’s. Credit: Shutterstock

If you get a lot of Starbucks cups to-go, try to hold onto them instead of putting them in the recycle bin. Hand wash them in the sink, and let them dry. Then, create a stack until January rolls around. Now, you have the perfect containers to fit your larger ornaments. (via Good Housekeeping)

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Label the totes before putting them away in the attic or basement. Credit: Hardly Housewives

4. Limit Your Number of Storage Totes

A great way to stop yourself from going overboard with clutter is to limit the number of totes you have in your storage area. For some people, this is non-negotiable. If you only have a closet or attic in your apartment or condo, you really can’t continue to buy more tote boxes year after year. However, for homeowners, limited space doesn’t stop some people from expanding their collections wherever they can. If you don’t limit yourself, those boxes end up in the garage, attic, basement, and the outdoor shed. It can be ridiculous. (Yes, I know several people like this.)

Limit yourself to the number of storage totes you keep. Credit: Target

Instead of giving yourself carte blanche to have as many items as your heart desires, give yourself a limit with the number of totes. It might also be easier to identify the obvious Christmas items if you buy red and green totes from Walmart or Target. Go through all of your holiday decoration boxes and throw away or donate anything that you no longer use. Extra totes could either be used to store non-holiday items, or you could donate it to your local thrift store. Many thrift stores will appreciate having this free tote, since they need to move and store items on a regular basis. (via The Spruce)

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This rolling cart is great for extra kitchen storage. Credit: Ikea

3. Use Utility Carts to Create Storage in a Small Space

Rolling utility carts are incredibly useful for almost every room in the house. Whether it’s art supplies, bathroom supplies, kitchen utensils/spices, crafting items, or toys, there are opportunities where you can use these to help organize your home in practically every room. The best part about them is that they move! If they are ever in the way, all you have to do is wheel them somewhere else temporarily while you clean or organize around the area where it was once standing. 

These carts give tons of additional storage in this bathroom. Credit: Ikea

These carts are affordable- around $30 each. So it’s easy for anyone to buy them, and it’s much cheaper than buying a new piece of furniture. They also come in a lot of different colors. If you want to buy them, they are available at Ikea, but you can also find them at Michael’s Crafts or Hobby Lobby. (via Ikea)

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Double-check the fridge before you buy more. Credit: Shutterstock

2. Check For Items Before You Buy Them

One of the biggest mistakes that people make is that they buy something at the store and that they already had at home. How many times have you checked your junk drawer for something, only to realize that you have 3 of the same object already there? (In my house, it’s scissors.) This happens a lot in the kitchen, and is usually more common if your fridge is disorganized. It can also happen if you have multiple people in the household buying groceries too. But if you want to avoid this, it’s as simple as opening your fridge and pantry to see what you have in stock before you go to the grocery store. 

Make sure you don’t already have similar items in your closet. Credit: Shutterstock

Even if you are stopping by the grocery store after work, try to make it a habit of calling your family members to ask if they need anything. Also don’t be afraid to ask someone to double-check the fridge while you’re at the store. This can help you save money in the long run, and avoid food waste. When it comes to everything else in the house like clothes, shoes, and objects, do your best to search for those things before you buy them. It may take a good purge of your closet in order to get it done, but it’s truly worth it in the end. (via EPA)

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Labeling each of your cords eliminates any confusion about which one it is. Credit: Shutterstock

1. Label Your Cords and Keep them Organized

Have you ever looked at your surge protector and realized that you have no idea which cord belongs to what electronic? The easy solution to that problem is to label each cord. You can do this with some colorful tape, bread tags, a label maker, and so much more. Once the cords are labeled, you should never have a mess of cords again.

These paperclips help organize cords on the side of a desk. Credit: Shutterstock

Another way to organize your cords is by using paper clips. As you can see in the photo above, these cords can wrap around the clips very easily, and they hold on to the side of the desk. Now you’ll never have to wonder where you put your headphones or your extra phone charger.

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