Buzz
Image credit: Martia Punts/Getty Images1. Steer Clear of the Big Black Hole
A large, empty storage area can easily become a magnet for clutter. It’s so easy to toss things into the space just because they fit—but this can make finding anything later on a real headache. The solution? Bins and compartments. Use bins in an armoire to organize table linens (runners, napkins) separately from table decor (candlesticks, vases). Keep smaller pouches in your larger handbags to prevent pens, keys, and lip glosses from getting lost at the bottom.
2. Say 'No' to Overflow
Are stuffed animals overflowing the toy chest? Is the coat rack sagging under too many clothes? Instead of finding yet another bin for the extras or expanding into the guest room, send the surplus off to the donation pile.
3. Reward Yourself With Small Treats
4. Establish Routine Triggers
When productivity experts discuss hooks, they’re referring to actions that smoothly transition you from Task A to Task B and beyond. These hooks are typically simple changes in behavior that push you into action. For instance, while rinsing your cereal bowl with one hand, use your other hand to open the dishwasher and pull out the correct rack.
5. Spend 30 Seconds Now to Save Hours Later
Rather than dropping an item wherever you finish using it or onto a random pile, make the decision on where it should go while you're holding it, and place it there immediately. If you don’t, you’ll eventually grow frustrated with the piles and waste an entire afternoon when you're finally motivated to tidy everything up.
6. Relocate Donations to the Car
When there’s a box or basket in the trunk ready to be filled with items for donation, it becomes a habit to regularly offload unused things, keeping your closets from getting cluttered. A full container signals it's time to let go. Drop it off at a nearby charity or send it through GiveBackBox.com, which provides free shipping labels to send items to your chosen charity.
7. Install Plenty of Hooks
Maximizing wall space—like hanging garden tools on a pegboard, hairstyling tools on a mounted rack, or brooms and mops on a hanging organizer—keeps your items off the floor and within easy reach, all while making your space look tidier.
8. Adjust Your Shelves
It’s simple yet transformative: Alter shelf heights to suit your needs. This applies to bookcases, medicine cabinets, refrigerators, hall closets, and pantries.
9. Organize with Zones
Organize items based on their use, not by category. In the pantry, create a breakfast section: pancake mix, syrup, nut butters, and jams. In the mudroom, set up a pool-gear station with goggles, arm floats, and beach towels. By the back door, create a pet-stuff area with leash, flashlight, treats, and waste-pickup bags.
10. Don't Regret Anything You've Let Go
By detaching emotions from your purging choices and recognizing that a clean, clear space feels more rewarding than keeping something you rarely use, you’ll find it's really not so hard to let go. Focus on the bigger picture: a cleaner, more joyful home.
