What Is a Home Organization System?

We’ve all heard the quote “A place for everything, everything in its place.” A home organization system really boils down to this sentiment - a truly functional home needs storage spaces. 

Does setting up a home organization system in your home sound boring and a little too constraining on your lifestyle? Are you more of a “go with the flow” kind of person or are you a type A personality with routines and systems already in your home? Either way, getting your home organized is beneficial.

A Few Benefits of Having an Organizing System

• You can find what you need when you need it! How many times have you been late for an appointment because you couldn’t find your keys?
• You know where to put every item away because it has a designated “home.”
• Tidying up your house can be done relatively quickly when you already know where things live.

What Are Some Home Organization Solutions?

Incoming Snail Mail

 Throw away the junk mail immediately! If mail requires action, deal with it right away or put it in a dedicated space to deal with it later (and then make sure you deal with it later!) Small decorative baskets are affordable and work in almost any space! 

Everyday Items

Busy families need a landing place for essential items like keys, purses, and bulky items like coats or work bags. While most people will usually keep them near the door that you enter, you can be creative with this. In our home, my husband keeps his wallet and keys in an extra drawer of a china cabinet in the kitchen! Keeping these items in an organized station will be a time saver when you are on the go!

Pantry Organization

​Pantries work really hard!
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​They hold snacks and cereal and canned goods and drinks and backstock and paper towels and…the list goes on! If you don’t have a pantry organization system, you get in big trouble when it’s time to put the groceries away!

You can invest in food storage containers or utilize simple plastic shoe boxes.  
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Kids' Schoolwork

There are several systems that can work for kids' schoolwork that comes home.

The Container Store has plastic containers and document storage boxes that are perfect for preserving childhood memories.

​But my best advice is that you don't have to keep everything they bring home! Keep sentimental items in a special place, but it’s ok to file the less important papers in the trash can!
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Home Office

​Home offices have become popular as more people work from home. An organized home office can help you stay focused and organized while you work!

​When choosing furniture for your office space, it's important to consider storage solutions that can help you stay organized. Remember, it’s important to store office supplies like paper clips, pens, and pencils in an accessible way that makes sense for you.

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3 Tips for Creating Organizational Systems

Every home is different and we all own a unique set of items. But we can all use some basic practices that work every time. In my role as a professional organizer, I use the same methods to help my clients achieve their goals for their home organization project.

1. The first step is always to declutter the space or the room that needs a system! Be sure to check out this blog post on Organizing 101: Organizing Basics for Decluttering Your Home. 
2. Ask yourself what makes the most sense for your life and your home. What habits do you have that are already working well for you?
3. The items that you use regularly need to be stored in spaces that are easy to access. Eliminate as many barriers as you can. For example, if you must go to another room to retrieve a step stool in order to wear your favorite shoes, and then take them out of a box, there are too many steps involved. You are unlikely to put the shoes away at the end of the day! Unbox those shoes and put them in a convenient location! Cut out as many steps as you can.

The Key to Keeping Up a Home Organization System

Maintenance! Home organization is never a “one-and-done” project. Once a space is organized, we have to commit to learning and practicing new organizational habits to keep the system running smoothly. And sometimes, certain systems will need to be tweaked as time goes on. For example, think about young children and all their toys. Sadly those kids grow up and don’t play with those toys but move on to other things. As they grow, our systems need to change and grow with them!
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Need more help? Contact me here or find a professional organizer near you. We can help you set up a system to keep your home running smoothly.