7 Organization Hacks for a Beautiful, Tidy Home
After months of quarantine, odds are, at some point, you’ve felt the urge to organize.
For me, this happened in the first month or two. I like simplicity and organization, whether I’m talking about my email inbox or my kid’s closets.
Basically, with me in the house all day every day, the Zimmerman home didn’t stand a chance.
I went through every cabinet, closet, and drawer. Facebook marketplace contact-free pick-ups were my best friend. I sold, donated, and only kept what is really important to me. After my organizing frenzy, I’m ready to share my favorite old and new tricks for keeping my home simple and organized.
1. Personal Weathertight Trunk
Everyone in our house has one of these. We call them Keepsake Trunks, and they’re labeled with each of our names.
Anything we really want to keep for sentimental purposes? It goes in the trunk. Inside the kids’ trunks are the clothes they wore home from the hospital, a couple of their first drawings, and some other big milestone things.
In mine, I have a scrapbook I made in middle school of me and my first boyfriend. (Those of you who have read Sleeping with a Stranger will know him as Jon).
Now, I’m not going to hang pictures of my first boyfriend in my house, but it’s fun to look back and remember middle school years! Brian’s box has some pictures from college.
2. Practical Holiday Storage
I once was a manager and buyer for a retail store for four years, and decorating for the holidays was a huge ordeal. Then, I spent years in the wedding industry, where I decorated and designed for weddings and events.
So I’m not a total humbug, but I am just a little over big, over-the-top decorations in my home. I like a little festive fun, so for each holiday, I store my simple decor in these clear garage totes.
They feel almost magical in that they’re small and compact while still having a ton of space. I label each one “Halloween,” “Easter,” “Fourth of July,” etc. They’re clear, light, and stackable. The trifecta.
These go beyond holidays. We have one labeled “extension cords,” one labeled “stroller accessories,” and one labeled “beach toys.”
3. Oblong Oddball Storage
I cannot tell you how much I love this storage item!
We all have those oddly shaped things like the Christmas tree or miles of extension cords or winter coats. Sometimes you just have a big pile of things you need to go through but you don’t have the time right now.
Instead of leaving a closet filled with junk, when you could use it for something you actually use everyday, take the contents and put them in this see-through duffle (with handles!). So much nicer than a plastic garage bag, and that way you won’t accidentally throw it away!
4. Keeping Drawers that Spark Joy
I’ve said it before in a podcast episode, but I don’t want to live without these Eagle Creek packing cubes. I keep them in my drawers 24/7, so that when it’s time to travel, I just zip the whole container up and toss it in my suitcase. Great for travel, great for organizing my drawers. I love them!
5. Toiletry Storage
I’ve had this toiletry bag for probably ten years. And honestly, I never unpack it! It hangs in my closet, and I get what I need from it everyday. When I need to go somewhere, whether an overnight trip or a two-week excursion, I’m ready to go!
6. The Every-Room Basket
Every single room needs a beautiful, natural basket like this. I was given this basket by a BBB student of mine, and you can’t beat the price! This is my #1 absolute favorite storage basket.
The basket in our living room is always ready if the doorbell rings and I need to do a quick clean-up. The one in our pantry is perfect for tossing in some snacks before an impromptu hike. I can fill it up and toss it in the car!
7. Clean Kids’ Closets
If you open up my kids’ closets, you’ll find lots of these small, neutral-colored bins. Stella can read, so in her closet they’re labeled things like, “Doll Clothes,” “Art Supplies,” and “Stuffed Animals.”
The boys can’t read, so for them, I print out a photo of a lego, a transformer, a pull-up, you get it. Whatever goes inside? That picture goes on the front. Even before the kids can read, they learn that everything has a place and they can be responsible for putting things away.
These last forever, and you can just update the labels as you change their contents. In fact, these came from my studio. I used to keep “tape” in one, “wrist corsage supplies” in another, “boutonniere pins” in a third, etc. These hold up great. You can’t beat the price and they’ll last forever!
My secret for organization is that everything has a place and every place looks pretty. It’s easier to keep things clean if you love how they look! These containers help me keep my home the way I love it— clean, organized, neutral, and full of the people I love— not their messes!
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