I have a few organization tricks that work for me and they might work for you too!
The best organization tricks are the ones that work for you and your lifestyle. Full stop.
You could buy $1,000 work of pretty bins from The Container Store and still have a pantry or closet that is a hot mess because you don’t actually use the pretty bins.
You could buy a label maker and go crazy labeling everything in existence, but if no one in your family reads the labels, what was the point? Besides the fact that label makers are kind of fun to use!
Remember that organize is a verb. That means it requires action. Regular, on-going action, unfortunately. Wouldn’t it be better if organization was like magic and happened spontaneously?
The reason why the organization tricks in this post work for us is because they either solve a very specific problem in our household or because I’ve trained the members of our household to use the organization trick.
Training is such an awkward word in this context, but it is true. I could install one of those hooks for keys that actually looks like a giant key by the front door with a humongous spotlight shining on it and unless I tell everyone (over and over and resist doing it for them) that is where keys go, they will still put their keys everywhere but on the giant key hook.
With that said, these organization tricks are ones that work well for us and I hope they will give you ideas for your home too!
Organization Trick #1: Store Hair Bands on a Carabiner
I’ve been doing this for years with my daughter’s hair bands and it works just as good or better as any other solution I’ve found.
Please note this is one of the larger carabiners (3 inch), not the teeny tiny ones.
Organization Trick #2: Hide Cords With Mini Command Hooks
If Pinterest is any judge, this is probably my most popular organization trick with the masses.
I like to hide charging cords behind my nightstand with mini command hooks. Not only is the cord hidden, but more importantly, it doesn’t fall off behind your nightstand where you can’t reach it.
I’m not using this organization trick in the Colonial Farmhouse though because we don’t have any outlets behind our nightstands. We do use it in other places in our house.
Organization Trick #3: Lazy Susans Rule
Lazy Susans work hard and never get any glory! I’m here to change that!
I have used plastic Lazy Susans for years for kitchen organization, but I’m really loving our recent Lazy Susan addition to our bathroom closet.
We made three of these ourselves with wood rounds and Lazy Susan hardware off Amazon.
Organization Trick #4: Use Pretty Bowls to Corral Everyday Things
It is hard to justify keeping a cabinet of pretty crystal bowls if you only use them once a year. I get around that rule by using those pretty bowls to organize everyday items like hot chocolate packets and instant coffee.
Think of it as a basket, only fancier.
In general, I don’t think baskets, bins, and in my case, bowls, are a panacea for disorganization.
I am a fan, however, of saving space by taking taking pantry items out of their original packaging and regrouping common items together in bowls, baskets, bins or on Lazy Susans. I do this not just with tea, coffee, and hot chocolate, but with the kids’ snacks too.
Organization Trick #5: Drawer Organizers Are Your Best Friend
I’m a big fan of drawer organizers, especially for socks and underwear. These little plastic cubbies for your socks keep everything front and center. No losing socks in the bottom of a drawer or basket. It’s also prevents you from buying new stuff without discarding the old stuff because you have a limited amount of space for things to fit.
Small cubbies in drawers also work really well for kid clothes.
This is my actual sock drawer, folks. No staging with brand new, perfectly rolled socks. It doesn’t have to be perfect or even pretty to be organized. It just needs to work for you. Have I hammered that point home enough today? Ha!
Organization Trick #6: Use a Hanging Organizer for Gloves and Hats
I never owned a hanging diaper organizer when my kids wore diapers, but I bought one this winter to hold gloves and hats and it has been LIFE CHANGING. (All caps was needed because I’m that passionate about this solution.)
Hanging organizers (diaper or otherwise) are usually double-sided. If you are hanging yours in the closet, make sure that it is on a swivel hook so you can access both sides. This also works best if you actually have room in your closet to swivel it around.
If this isn’t an option for you, an over-the-door organizer could do the trick instead.
Keep in mind that hanging organizers have different sized pockets. The smaller pockets are good for mittens and headbands, but they aren’t appropriately sized for adult snow gloves. We use the larger pockets on the back of our hanging organizer for adult hats and gloves.
We used to keep gloves and hats in a basket and it was a nightmare every time someone was looking for a specific item. They would dump everything out on the ground and it was frustrating. Now we can see exactly what we own. As long as gloves and hats go back where they are supposed to, it makes getting out the door so much easier. It all comes back to that training!
Do you have any organization tricks that work well for you and your family?
I’d love to hear about them! As much as I try to stay organized, we definitely have some problem areas in our house that could use a little organization love.
Happy organizing!
Thanks for being here today. I enjoy exchanging ideas with you. I can’t tell you how many “aha” moments I’ve had over the years due to a reader idea. Now, here are some other blog posts you might enjoy!
How to Fix a Zero Gravity Chair on the Cheap
The One Touch Cleaning Rule (this really helps!)
Online Game Budget Form for Kids
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