8 Secrets of People With Beautifully Organised Homes
Discover the strategies of people who easily keep their homes orderly while raising families and maintaining busy lives
Jeanne Taylor
26 September 2019
Houzz Contributor. Jeanne Taylor is a professional home organizer in the San Francisco Bay Area. She is the co-owner of Tailorly with her business partner Patricia Lee. Together they create beautiful homes through decluttering, organizing, and styling. For more information visit www.tailorly.net.
Houzz Contributor. Jeanne Taylor is a professional home organizer in the San Francisco... More
We all have friends or family members who live in tidy, well-kept homes despite having full, busy lives. No matter what the occasion, nothing appears to be out of place. You might wonder how seemingly ordinary people with jobs, partners, children and pets can maintain a tranquil, clutter-free environment.
As a professional organiser, I work with people who have a wide variety of personalities, and see inside their cupboards, drawers, cabinetry, garages and even spaces under beds. Through my intimate observations, I have learnt the secrets of maintaining an orderly home, and in this article I share eight with you.
As a professional organiser, I work with people who have a wide variety of personalities, and see inside their cupboards, drawers, cabinetry, garages and even spaces under beds. Through my intimate observations, I have learnt the secrets of maintaining an orderly home, and in this article I share eight with you.
A special note to those of you who are not naturally organised, please don’t despair as you read this list. I have yet to meet a person who has implemented all of the ideas to perfection. So, pick the strategies that work for you, and forget about the others. Even if you can implement only one or two, you’ll still move closer to your goal of living in a beautifully organised home.
Find a professional organiser or storage designer near you on Houzz to create a beautiful, organised home
Find a professional organiser or storage designer near you on Houzz to create a beautiful, organised home
1. They make decisions quickly
My clients who successfully maintain organised homes all make decisions quickly. They are good at getting rid of items they no longer use, and they try to let go of things that they might use… someday.
They let go of clothes that no longer fit or are excessively worn. They even get rid of expensive clothes that might come back in vogue someday, because they understand that if a style does experience a comeback, it is usually slightly different. And yes, these clients may need to hire a professional organiser to manage the decluttering and organising process, but they quickly take suggestions to heart.
For the majority of my clients, decisive or not, sentimental items and gifts are the hardest things to part with. But decisive people are able to avoid wallowing in the guilt that might surround getting rid of these items. They choose to keep only things they truly love. On that note, they do not save every piece of their child’s art or schoolwork. Instead, they may take pictures of their children’s work and create a beautiful – and compact – photo album from them.
If making decisions quickly does not come naturally to you, try to focus on your goal of living in a clutter-free home. Create a Houzz ideabook and save images of rooms that inspire you. You may find that the more you practice letting go of possessions, the easier it gets.
10 Steps to Culling Keepsakes (That Aren’t Worth Keeping)
My clients who successfully maintain organised homes all make decisions quickly. They are good at getting rid of items they no longer use, and they try to let go of things that they might use… someday.
They let go of clothes that no longer fit or are excessively worn. They even get rid of expensive clothes that might come back in vogue someday, because they understand that if a style does experience a comeback, it is usually slightly different. And yes, these clients may need to hire a professional organiser to manage the decluttering and organising process, but they quickly take suggestions to heart.
For the majority of my clients, decisive or not, sentimental items and gifts are the hardest things to part with. But decisive people are able to avoid wallowing in the guilt that might surround getting rid of these items. They choose to keep only things they truly love. On that note, they do not save every piece of their child’s art or schoolwork. Instead, they may take pictures of their children’s work and create a beautiful – and compact – photo album from them.
If making decisions quickly does not come naturally to you, try to focus on your goal of living in a clutter-free home. Create a Houzz ideabook and save images of rooms that inspire you. You may find that the more you practice letting go of possessions, the easier it gets.
10 Steps to Culling Keepsakes (That Aren’t Worth Keeping)
2. They quickly move items to donate or dispose of
Organised people do not let bags full of items to recycle, dispose of or donate to charity linger in their wardrobe, hallway or garage. Instead, they move these items out of the house in a timely manner.
They take bags to a donation drop-off location the same day the bags are filled. If items are too big for their cars, they schedule a charity pick-up as soon as possible. For excess rubbish, they contact their local council or waste-management company to organise removal.
My most organised clients do not worry about finding the perfect home for their donations or spend excess time trying to offload unwanted items to family members or friends. They move things quickly out of the house so they have a sense of accomplishment that fuels further progress and a clutter-free home.
If you have a problem moving items to donate, recycle or dispose of out of your house, try to make it part of the decluttering process. I recommend not finishing the day without deciding how items to be donated or discarded will leave your house.
Organised people do not let bags full of items to recycle, dispose of or donate to charity linger in their wardrobe, hallway or garage. Instead, they move these items out of the house in a timely manner.
They take bags to a donation drop-off location the same day the bags are filled. If items are too big for their cars, they schedule a charity pick-up as soon as possible. For excess rubbish, they contact their local council or waste-management company to organise removal.
My most organised clients do not worry about finding the perfect home for their donations or spend excess time trying to offload unwanted items to family members or friends. They move things quickly out of the house so they have a sense of accomplishment that fuels further progress and a clutter-free home.
If you have a problem moving items to donate, recycle or dispose of out of your house, try to make it part of the decluttering process. I recommend not finishing the day without deciding how items to be donated or discarded will leave your house.
3. They store music, movies, books and recipes electronically
Owning fewer possessions helps keep a home from becoming cluttered. Instead of purchasing DVDs, CDs and books, many organised people rent or buy music, movies and books from a cloud-based service and store them on electronic devices. They also tend to save recipes to their hard drives instead of owning a multitude of cookbooks. They take pictures of their favourite recipes and search for new ones online.
Of course, electronic storage doesn’t work for everyone. Some of us find turning the paper pages of a good book a total pleasure – one not quite matched by reading a novel on a cold electronic device. Others have extensive vinyl record collections that bring great enjoyment. Choose the suggestions that work for you, and don’t feel pressure to get rid of something you truly love.
8 Ways to Keep Technology Tidy
Owning fewer possessions helps keep a home from becoming cluttered. Instead of purchasing DVDs, CDs and books, many organised people rent or buy music, movies and books from a cloud-based service and store them on electronic devices. They also tend to save recipes to their hard drives instead of owning a multitude of cookbooks. They take pictures of their favourite recipes and search for new ones online.
Of course, electronic storage doesn’t work for everyone. Some of us find turning the paper pages of a good book a total pleasure – one not quite matched by reading a novel on a cold electronic device. Others have extensive vinyl record collections that bring great enjoyment. Choose the suggestions that work for you, and don’t feel pressure to get rid of something you truly love.
8 Ways to Keep Technology Tidy
4. They edit clothing and accessories frequently
Organised people cull their wardrobes regularly. I recommend that you follow their lead and, at the end of each season, look at your apparel and get rid of anything you haven’t worn. Give yourself permission to toss stained or torn items, to donate ill-fitting or uncomfortable clothes, and even to let go of items you simply don’t wear because they are no longer your favourites.
Many people demote clothing to being ‘house clothing’ because they don’t want to make any real decisions. As a result, they end up with a large quantity of clothes they wear only when relaxing at home. I recommend you try to avoid this delay tactic. Instead, allow yourself one to three ‘house outfits’ and donate the rest.
Also, if you want to keep sentimental clothing such as children’s outfits, old sports uniforms or concert T-shirts that you don’t wear, consider removing them from your primary clothes-storage spaces and store them in your attic, garage or at the back of your wardrobe. Alternatively, you might consider taking photos of sentimental pieces and then letting them go.
Organised people cull their wardrobes regularly. I recommend that you follow their lead and, at the end of each season, look at your apparel and get rid of anything you haven’t worn. Give yourself permission to toss stained or torn items, to donate ill-fitting or uncomfortable clothes, and even to let go of items you simply don’t wear because they are no longer your favourites.
Many people demote clothing to being ‘house clothing’ because they don’t want to make any real decisions. As a result, they end up with a large quantity of clothes they wear only when relaxing at home. I recommend you try to avoid this delay tactic. Instead, allow yourself one to three ‘house outfits’ and donate the rest.
Also, if you want to keep sentimental clothing such as children’s outfits, old sports uniforms or concert T-shirts that you don’t wear, consider removing them from your primary clothes-storage spaces and store them in your attic, garage or at the back of your wardrobe. Alternatively, you might consider taking photos of sentimental pieces and then letting them go.
5. They declutter the pantry and refrigerator regularly
My clients who have achieved an organised home get rid of old food regularly. To adopt this habit, I recommend you allocate a regular time – perhaps once a week – when you clean out your fridge and toss wilted vegetables, old fruit and uneaten leftovers. Also, take note of what you toss. If you didn’t get around to eating something before it went bad, I recommend you don’t buy that item or ingredient again for a while, as it may not be top of mind for you to consume.
I also recommend going through your pantry every six months and discarding any stale or expired food. If you have unopened packages or cans of food that you know you won’t eat, consider donating them to a local food bank.
How Do I… Store Food to Keep it Fresh?
My clients who have achieved an organised home get rid of old food regularly. To adopt this habit, I recommend you allocate a regular time – perhaps once a week – when you clean out your fridge and toss wilted vegetables, old fruit and uneaten leftovers. Also, take note of what you toss. If you didn’t get around to eating something before it went bad, I recommend you don’t buy that item or ingredient again for a while, as it may not be top of mind for you to consume.
I also recommend going through your pantry every six months and discarding any stale or expired food. If you have unopened packages or cans of food that you know you won’t eat, consider donating them to a local food bank.
How Do I… Store Food to Keep it Fresh?
6. They are mindful of purchases and free samples
Well-organised people are thoughtful about what they bring into their homes. To take a leaf out of their book, I recommend you consider your storage situation before making a purchase. Ask yourself, “do I have room?”
You might also consider getting rid of one item for every object you buy. And if you do not have enough space to store more purchases, simply don’t buy them.
Another good tip is to look at what you already own before you shop so you don’t buy duplicates. I often see clients with duplicate spices, condiments and sunscreens. Furthermore, try to avoid bringing home free samples – make-up, laundry samples, complimentary notepads or pens – which tend to clutter drawers.
Before you buy any kitchen appliance, consider whether you have the bench space for it. Also, try to avoid buying small appliances or gadgets that only have a single purpose, such as strawberry hullers. Instead, collect items that can be used for multiple purposes, such as paring knives, which you can also use to hull strawberries.
8 Steps to Organise Kitchen Cupboards and Drawers for Good
Well-organised people are thoughtful about what they bring into their homes. To take a leaf out of their book, I recommend you consider your storage situation before making a purchase. Ask yourself, “do I have room?”
You might also consider getting rid of one item for every object you buy. And if you do not have enough space to store more purchases, simply don’t buy them.
Another good tip is to look at what you already own before you shop so you don’t buy duplicates. I often see clients with duplicate spices, condiments and sunscreens. Furthermore, try to avoid bringing home free samples – make-up, laundry samples, complimentary notepads or pens – which tend to clutter drawers.
Before you buy any kitchen appliance, consider whether you have the bench space for it. Also, try to avoid buying small appliances or gadgets that only have a single purpose, such as strawberry hullers. Instead, collect items that can be used for multiple purposes, such as paring knives, which you can also use to hull strawberries.
8 Steps to Organise Kitchen Cupboards and Drawers for Good
7. They’re not afraid to outsource tasks
Many of my organised clients outsource their outdoor work to a gardener or landscape contractor, or their housekeeping to a cleaner, so they can focus on keeping their home decluttered and organised. They’re not afraid to hire a professional home organiser to help them get a handle on the clutter and dispose of unwanted items in the first place. A follow-up appointment every six months with an organiser can help them keep clutter at bay.
Many people do not have the budget to hire outside help, and of course I wouldn’t advocate spending beyond one’s means. But for those who have the financial resources but feel guilty about outsourcing housework or gardening because they feel they should do it all, consider the stress reduction of bringing a professional cleaner in every other week. It can help you feel a sense of calm when you come home after a long day.
Many of my organised clients outsource their outdoor work to a gardener or landscape contractor, or their housekeeping to a cleaner, so they can focus on keeping their home decluttered and organised. They’re not afraid to hire a professional home organiser to help them get a handle on the clutter and dispose of unwanted items in the first place. A follow-up appointment every six months with an organiser can help them keep clutter at bay.
Many people do not have the budget to hire outside help, and of course I wouldn’t advocate spending beyond one’s means. But for those who have the financial resources but feel guilty about outsourcing housework or gardening because they feel they should do it all, consider the stress reduction of bringing a professional cleaner in every other week. It can help you feel a sense of calm when you come home after a long day.
8. They put things away after each use
My most organised clients put things away after they have used them – and in fact, putting things away is the best secret for keeping a house tidy.
But it’s also true that many of my clients struggle with putting away possessions. If you can’t seem to keep up throughout the day or when you return home from work, consider putting everything back in its place at night before you go to bed. That way, you’ll wake up to a tidier house, and clutter won’t become overwhelming.
5 Decisions That Can Lead to Clutter
My most organised clients put things away after they have used them – and in fact, putting things away is the best secret for keeping a house tidy.
But it’s also true that many of my clients struggle with putting away possessions. If you can’t seem to keep up throughout the day or when you return home from work, consider putting everything back in its place at night before you go to bed. That way, you’ll wake up to a tidier house, and clutter won’t become overwhelming.
5 Decisions That Can Lead to Clutter
Again, remember that no-one is perfect. Everyone has some part of his or her home that is not organised. Many people simply shove clutter into boxes then hide the boxes in their wardrobe before hosting a party. This creates a semblance of organisation for guests but may leave you feeling bad about your house. When it comes to organising, don’t compare yourself to others. Everyone has different limitations, whether it’s budgets, time, a messy spouse or health problems.
Still, your home should be a place where you can relax and recharge, and many of us can’t do that with clutter everywhere. So do your best to make your home comfortable without becoming a slave to organisation. When your home is reasonably organised, be sure to take time to relax and enjoy it.
Your turn
Which of these eight habits of well-organised people would be a game-changer at your home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more storage tips? Read up on 6 of the Best Home Storage Containers… And When to Use Them
Still, your home should be a place where you can relax and recharge, and many of us can’t do that with clutter everywhere. So do your best to make your home comfortable without becoming a slave to organisation. When your home is reasonably organised, be sure to take time to relax and enjoy it.
Your turn
Which of these eight habits of well-organised people would be a game-changer at your home? Tell us in the Comments below, like this story, save the images, and join the conversation.
More
Need more storage tips? Read up on 6 of the Best Home Storage Containers… And When to Use Them
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I find clutter extremely stressful! However, my husband will use any flat surface to store his paperwork…even chairs! I swear if he could pile things on the ceiling, he would! He also cannot pass on anything that is ‘free’. Travel brochures, sale flyers, samples of anything!
I have declared the master bedroom and bath off limits, so I have one stress-free zone in our condo…that is where I spend most of my time! After 52 years I really don’t think he will change!
So so true. Stuff doesn’t bring happiness. And, having very little was the best years of our life together. My husband passed away 3 years ago and I am very thankful that there wasn’t years and years of “stuff” to go through.
My husband passed away close to 6 months ago at age 79. He loved to collect things, almost all things. He was dedicated to yard sales for many years, so there was always something practical or just interesting to bring home after perusing the neighborhoods on weekends. Having lived in this house for 35 years, the accumulation became pretty profound (though truth be told, he did find some very cool stuff). I'm finding it a challenge to weed out these many possessions without feeling like I am losing the personality he brought to our home. So I remind myself that it's okay to let others enjoy these treasures, and remember how much joy they brought him...and to pass that along!