You may think you own your stuff—but it actually owns you. As daunting as it may seem, being organized doesn’t have to be a Pinterest-worthy project. Use your daily routine as a guideline to determine the spaces that can be better organised to streamline your day. But remember, extra space is not an excuse to fill up with more stuff.
KITCHEN
Create a command station
Stick adhesive pockets to a side wall or the inside of a cabinet door to organise your grocery lists, bills, weekly meal plans and recipes in one spot. Attach a pen loop to make things easier.
Rotate your stock
Have a dedicated—and labeled!—place in the fridge for leftovers and food that needs to be eaten quickly. This way the food actually gets eaten and you will be aware of what you have to buy soon.
Time to Purge
Rid drawers of the melted spatulas and stained spoons you no longer use. Toss out lidless, warped, discolored and mismatched plastic storage containers along with your other recycling.
Get extra storage
Over-the-door towel racks are not just for bathrooms. It can help create out-of-sight storage space for extra tablecloths, throws or towels.
Divide and conquer
Sort cutlery based on usage and double up on storage by stacking up divider trays in your drawer, keeping the ones less frequented below.
Cut the mess
Collect stray cookie cutters, cupcake wrappers and small kitchen items in glass jars or upcycled tins for easy access.
BED AND BATH
Double up on closet space
Hook together two or more rows of hangers with soft drink can tabs to hang stoles and other accessories that would otherwise slip and slide in
your closet.
Creative storage
Repurpose a magazine holder to stow away your hair appliances. You can also save up on countertop space by attaching it to the inside of your bathroom cabinet door.
Spot that sofa!
Manage those last-minute outfit changes without tossing items on the sofa or worse, the floor. Install hooks on the inside of your closet door for an instant pick-me-up.
Seperate Items
Prevent bras, underwear and
socks from becoming a jumbled mess by rolling them up and storing them in honeycomb-style organizers to keep them visible.
Keep the change
Curb the clutter that builds up on your nightstand by placing a catchall bowl or a decorative dish to store small objects and bedside essentials in style.
STUDY
Set up an outbox
Create a designated spot for mail, packages, store returns and more, to prevent them from crowding the tabletop and floor.
Opt for floating shelves
Keep your favorite photos and knick-knacks neatly within eyesight without cluttering up your workspace.
Stack ’em up
Stash your papers, post-its, documents and supplies in stylish stackable containers. Make sure to label them for easy access.
Fun with colour
Choose fun colors for storage boxes/baskets to make it look more like decor pieces and less like a place to stow away toys.
Pull out printer
Printers can be conspicuous at most times. Empty precious desk space by installing a roll out shelf in the office cabinet.
Create designated drop-off spaces
Stow away school bags in a cubby or hooks so you don’t find them cluttering the hallway.
Storage boxes might be ideal to store all the blocks and figurines, but who has the time to clean them up when they are all scattered on the floor? Create play boundaries by laying out a large blanket or bed sheet. That way, when it’s time to clean up, you can bring the ends of the blanket together and quickly dump the toys back.
