In theory, I have a place for everything. In reality, everything is not in its place.

However, I have noticed that more things end up where they are supposed to go when there is a clear intention. For example, if my family knows that all the living room blankets go into the blanket basket at the end of the day, it is much easier to just yell, “Put the blankets away!” than yell instructions for how to do it.

There is a bit of a learning curve, but eventually it works. But it wouldn’t be possible without a few home organization tools to help me.

How do I begin to organize my home?

Everyone’s answer to this question will be different. Generally speaking, I start with my biggest pain point. For example, we spend a lot of time in our classroom. The classroom is right off the main living space so I can see when it is a mess. It bothers me daily, so I started there.

If you’re struggling to determine how to start, consider starting with how I declutter my home. This will give you a good idea of the areas of your home that you need to focus on while also getting rid of all the unnecessary items in your home.

Now that the clutter is gone, you can focus on making the most use out of the things that you have and love. When my home is organized, my mind it clearer. I have also found that I have a much more organized family when we all know where everything goes and can help one another without having to explain each step.

Home Organization Tips and Tricks

I am breaking down the most helpful tricks for organizing our home. Here are the methods or products that we use everyday broken down by area of our home.

Closet

Monochromatic Hangers - The closet has the potential to be a catch all and a general mish mash of stuff. Having monochromatic hangers has made walking into the closet much more appealing. Also, there is no more searching for the right hanger for different items of clothing - they’re all the same. Saves time and looks better.

Bathroom

Makeup Organizer - I don’t have a lot of makeup, but I have enough that I don’t want to devote an entire drawer in my vanity to it - that’s valuable space! Instead, I use a makeup organizer. My favorite one has removable dividers and zips up easily to conceal that concealer and comes in a bunch of colors.

Jewelry - I love my jewelry tree. The height helps to get all my jewelry off the countertop and also allows me to see everything at once. I don’t have to pull out drawers to see what is inside. The lower branches have small holes where you can put each set of earrings and the bottom acts as a tray for any smaller keepsakes.

Living Area

Box for disposable wipes - Like any parent, we use wet wipes constantly. We have kept a stash of wet wipes in the living area forever, but it is pretty unsightly. I just recently put the disposable wipes into a box that goes with our decor. I love the way it looks, and it is easy for the kids to open and use the wipes to help clean up.

Family Calendar - It is helpful to have one place that can be a snapshot of what to expect. A dry erase family organizer that has a spot for appointments, grocery lists, things to do, meal plans, and sweet notes in the epicenter of your house should help keep everyone (even your husband) on track.

Tabletop trays - Adding a tray underneath all your decor makes it seem more intentional. For example, on our dining table I have a large basket that houses the disposable wipe box, our bluetooth speaker, some decor and our napkins. It’s a lot, but in the tray it doesn’t seem as overwhelming.

Toys

I’ll start by saying, there is really no way to completely contain the chaos with little kids. These are just things that have helped me maintain a little order while allowing the kids to reach everything and put it away when they’re done.

Monochromatic containers - Kids toys come in every color. They are obnoxious and loud. The only way to streamline the chaos is to get a bunch of the same or similar color containers. Even if they each have neon toys of every variety inside, at least the overall appearance will be more organized. I love the wooden bins from Target’s Pillowfort line. They are open so the kids can grab whatever they want. They also stack if space allows.

Legos- I have tried a few different Lego methods. Currently, I am using this Ikea tower for the larger pieces like train tracks. However, my all time favorite Lego storage solution is this Poppin cube from The Container Store. I love it so much that I did a whole post on how I organize my Legos in this cube and create a laptop surface on which the kids can build. Check out my Lego storage solution!

Kitchen - Pantry

Clear Containers - I love taking dry goods from their packaging and putting them into clear containers. I will do this for all my baking products (flour, sugar, etc.). I also prefer to do this with things like cereals since the boxes are usually so obnoxously colored. If I have too much product for the containers, I will just keep the remainder behind the container and use it to fill the container as I use it.

Plastic containers - Plastic containers are my true CONTAINers - I use them to contain. For example, I will take out all the granola bars from the box and put them in one container. This way the kids can easily grab their own snacks. I can also easily see when we are running low. I like this method for canned goods as well.

Shelf liners - These aren’t necessarily an organizational tool, but they do protect my shelves from the containers mentioned above. Most are wipeable for spills and messes too.

Kitchen - Fridge

Lazy Susan - You might call me crazy, but putting a lazy susan in my fridge transformed it. I was able to put so many things in one place and easily reach them all. It provided much more shelf space for my everyday items.

Clear containers - I prefer clear bins in the fridge because it matches with the shelves and veggie drawers - again going for that monochromatic element so that the items I am searching for while the kids scream at me are easier to see.

Personals

Charging Station - If I didn’t have the ping feature on my Apple Watch, I would literally never know where my phone is. A charging station is the perfect compact spot to keep your phone and watch.

Fabric Containers - I try really hard not to hold on to things that I don’t need, but I do have a sentimental streak. My system for this is a row of fabric bins in my closet. I have a bin for personal keepsakes for the kids, from my husband, cards or letters, etc. When I have something that I want to hold on to, I put them in those bins. When I do my annual clear out, I take the items from those baskets and determine what I should keep and what should go. Then I shift the keepers to a clear bin in the attic.

Small bowl on side table - I just recently started keeping a small decorative bowl on my bedside to hold any knick knacks that might accumulate and cause a mess. I use it mostly for my hand cream, bobby pins, and hair ties that I take out before bed.

Books

Wall shelves - We rarely say no to books. If you ever want to get our kids a gift, you can’t go wrong with books. But that accumulates fast. I try to store the books out on wall shelves for two reasons. First, if the kids see the books they are more likely to want to grab one. Secondly, I love to use the books as decor! No need to scavenge through the kid art at Home Goods when I have beautiful books that could match any decor!

If I had to give one award for the most versatile organizational piece I have ever owned, it would go to this cart with wheels. There are lots of options from Amazon to Michaels to the original from Ikea. I am working on a post for all the ways in which of I have used this cart, but here’s a snapshot - diaper cart in nursery, toy cart in nursery, art cart, outdoor storage for gardening and side table, school supplies, and so on. It is so versatile! It has really grown with our needs. I have three in the house currently. I love them!

How can I organize my home without spending money?

Those are some great solutions if you’ve got some money to spend. But if you’re in a saving pattern right now (hi, trying to save for three kids schooling here!), I’ve got some helpful tips and tricks for you to get an organized home and subsequently an organized family!

Don’t toss any containers until you’re completely done

First, NEVER throw away a container when you are decluttering. As you purge what you have, you will no doubt be emptying a lot of baskets, bins, and containers. Designate one place to keep all those spare containers. As you organize the rest of the house, you will find new uses for those containers. When you put those bins into a new place and use for a new purpose, they will feel like a brand new purchase!

Get creative with recyclables

I keep a stash of items that could have a second life. For example, I rarely toss out toilet paper rolls because I used them to contain extension cords. Similarly, I use large yogurt cartons for storing the kids paint brushes and sunscreen outside. And that spaghetti sauce jar could be a great vase with a little spray paint!

Channel your inner DIY star

I would love to have one of those family organizer mentioned above, but I am not spending the money right now. So I found some free printables that I laminated (you could put into a clear binder sleeve), and I write on them with a dry erase marker. It is the same efficiency, just not quite as beautiful.

Here are some of my favorite free printables to organize your life.