If you are walking around the house, thinking every one of your rooms needs a makeover as soon as possible, take a pause and answer one question first. Would it be possible that your home does not need a complete remodeling, but just a bit of decluttering? 

When a room is messy and full of clutter, it doesn’t necessarily get to show its true colors and shine. Plus, an organized home does not only look good, but it can greatly impact your everyday life. When you have to scramble to find your keys in the morning or search for your kid’s missing sock instead of having breakfast, you are on track to start your day poorly.

Luckily, there are plenty of things you can do to get stuff in order around the house. Decluttering can be overwhelming and tiresome, we know, but if you follow some basic guidelines, you can get everything in its place in just a few hours.

Read on to discover our pro decluttering and organizing tips, designed to help make your home shine. 

Always start with the kitchen

The kitchen is one of the most high-trafficked areas in your home. Getting it organized first will help you be more efficient and give you a sense of achievement. Start with the storage space and try to store things exactly where you need them. Pans and pots, for example, are best kept near your stove or cooktop, whereas mixing bowls and stuff you use for food preparation should be stored close to the countertop where you prepare meals. 

Keep small appliances that you frequently use, such as your coffeemaker, toaster, or smoothie blender, on the counter, so that you have easy access to them. The rest can go into a lower cabinet and only be taken out when needed. 

To make the most out of your kitchen space, store things vertically at eye level. This includes glasses, plates, mugs, and anything you may be using more frequently. Use baskets and bins to group small items that would create clutter or take up too much space in your drawers. 

Move on to the bathroom

You can apply most of the principles that work in the kitchen for your bathroom as well. Your first step should be taking out all small items and groping them. Put cosmetics in the same bin, organize all your skin-care products on a single shelf in your medicine cabinet, and group all shampoos and shower gels close to the shower or bathtub for easy access. 

Go through all your products and toss all expired ones. Ideally, you should do this every year because cosmetic products do have an expiration life, and you don’t want to be damaging your skin with them.

Get containers to store all your bathroom products easily, especially if you have a small bathroom, and you are looking for ways to maximize space. One pro tip says you should only buy containers after you are done decluttering to get a better idea of the sizes and quantities you need.  

Don’t forget the laundry room

When it comes to organizing and decluttering your home, the laundry room often gets overlooked. We tend to use the laundry room as a storage space for all the items we can’t find a place for. While this is good to some degree, you need to make sure you don’t end up with a room full of garbage. 

Take everything out and group your supplies according to how you use them. Baskets and bins are great to help you keep things in place, so use them as often as you need. 

To keep cables and cords in place, you can DIY a simple cable holder made out of rubber glue. One great option is Sugru Mouldable Glue, a moldable glue past that turns into a durable silicone rubber when dried. This way, you can keep the drier, washing machine, and other appliance cords in place, avoiding trip and fall accidents. 

Take your closet for a spin

This is the area you will probably spend most time organizing because we all know how messy a closet can get, no matter how big or small it is. An organized closet will be your best friend on busy mornings when you need to choose your outfit fast and get out the door.

Maximize hanging space by installing a few short rods, one above the other, rather than opting for a high one. This way, your skits, blouses, and other short hangable items will have more room to shine. Your long clothes can be hanged in a separate area on a high rod. 

Instead of using fixed shelves, consider going for adjustable ones so that you can change the layout of your closed as needed. Maximize space by using container organizers in all your drawers so that you can easily find whatever it is that you are looking for.

Organize the entryway

The entryway is the first thing someone sees when entering your home. If you don’t organize it constantly, it can easily turn into quite a mess from all the shoes and coats that are thrown around in a hurry. 

Make sure you have a designated space for outerwear. You can go for a front-hall closet or some hooks on the wall, but do make sure you have enough space for everyone in the house, as well as for visitors. Do the same for shoes by using a shoe rack that maximizes space and keeps your footwear organized. 

Install a small table or console against the wall, where you can put keys, mail, or your shopping bags until you remove your shoes and coat. Consider using multiple baskets or standing racks to organize mail and make it easy to see what comes in and what needs to go out. 

Forget about misplaced keys by designating a spot for them in the hallway. Use hooks or trays for storing keys and label them accordingly, especially if they are being used around the house. This way, everyone knows where they can find the basement key and where they need to put it afterward.