How To Organize Any Room with the Right Storage

I will make a bold statement: The amount of clutter directly affects one's physical, mental, and emotional organization.

Now let's back it up:

• According to Brother UK, 54% of Americans feel overwhelmed by clutter. (Emotional)

• Meanwhile, the National Association of Professional Organizers says employees waste about four hours per week looking for papers. (Physical)

• And Crowdspring reports that since the brain responds to order, people have difficulty being productive when there is too much visual stimulation. (Mental)

These startling statistics prove an important point: Our spaces profoundly affect us in some of the most critical areas of our lives.

Armed with this important revelation, what can we do about it?

We're going to examine the different types of storage pieces that can help manage messy situations to learn how to organize any room, whether an office or a child's playroom.

Preparation and Planning

Before organizing your room directly, you want to do some prep work. Chances are the space didn't become disorganized overnight, so there's no reason to rush in without much planning.

Firstly, consider your room's purpose and layout. Identify the space's primary function, which will help you organize which items and furniture pieces belong there and which ones don't.

Also, consider the room's layout. How can the shape and size of the room you're looking to organize be optimized for the purpose you intend to use it for?

Lastly, but similarly, think about the activities you'll be doing in the room. This should be a full list of everything that you will do in the room that relates to its original purpose. If you're using the space for work, the activities would be to print, type, rest on breaks, file paperwork, etc. The layout can be maximized by adding a desk in a small corner near a window for light and a mini armchair against the wall for a place to relax.

Set a Realistic Goal for Organization

Answer the above questions, and then be sure to set goals for organizing. Be specific about what you want to achieve with your room organization and in what time period. Break down larger tasks into smaller, manageable chunks and create a timeline for completing your organization project.

Planning is one of the simplest ways to get organized, and by answering these few simple questions about your space, you can move on to the next phase of the process.

Decluttering and Sorting

Now comes the fun part. Whenever anyone thinks of organizing, they think of sorting and decluttering. So, how should you go about it?

First, you primarily want to eliminate items you no longer use or need to reduce clutter. A good rule is that you don't need it if you haven't used or seen it in 6 months. The exception to this rule is if you need to sort clothing in that cluttered bedroom. Never let go of winter clothes in summer and vice versa.

Also, maintain organization throughout the decluttering process by sorting items into piles of similar items to compare and make decisions. If you have five similar items, you can look at all of them and determine the ones you genuinely want to keep or use on a regular basis.

Once you've decided which items to keep and which to let go of, use Post-it notes to label trash bags or boxes for items to keep, toss, or donate. You're fighting organization with the organization, so labeling will help to ensure the wrong pile doesn't go to the wrong place.

Give it all a Wipe Down

After you've completed the decluttering process, it's time to go back and do some cleaning on the entire room. Some areas of your space may not have seen a dust mop in a while. Wipe down walls and baseboards, go in with a mop and broom, and let a duster or vacuum take care of those furniture pieces.

There's nothing like a clean, fresh family room or closet that was previously littered with things and is now a tidy space. Once you've turned your previous dumping ground into the model showroom, it's time to match the remaining items with well-thought-out and helpful storage solutions.

Storage and Organization

Every room, from the private office or cubicle to the linen closet or guest room closet, needs storage solutions.

Whether small bins, wall hooks, storage cabinets, closet organizers, clear bins, a storage bench, or a lateral file cabinet, your room is only as organized as your storage system.

So which ones do you need?

Here are a few suggestions based on the room, considering that storage can easily be used in multiple spaces.

Types of Storage By Room:

Living rooms—Living rooms benefit greatly from furniture pieces like credenza cabinets and storage benches that double in function. Both can and are used for multiple purposes.

Closets—Whether a pantry, linen closet, bathroom closet, or other, clear bins with labels allow you to get more use out of your closet space. Extra pillows can be neatly stored, towels folded, and additional supplies such as shampoo bottles and toilet paper ensure the closet space remains clutter-free.

Offices - From the home office to the private office or cubicle, there are many solutions to ensure your office doesn't end up like a teenager's bedroom and ruin your productivity. To name a few, metal storage cabinets can be used to file papers, while under-desk storage maximizes the use of a forgotten space for supplies. A locking cabinet is a perfect way to ensure that personal belongings stay safe throughout the day, and a 2-drawer or 4-drawer file cabinet is an ideal place to keep client paperwork.

Bedrooms—Kids' rooms come to mind when we think of organization and storage systems, but let's be honest; we adults need them, too. Stuffed animals and extra blankets can be kept in a designated spot in a walk-in closet that uses sizeable clear storage containers or laundry baskets. Adding shelves to otherwise open closet space can also help create small storage systems that can be labeled and categorized according to the types of items you may find lying around the bedroom.

Kitchens—This is a place in the home where people either nail organization with clear food containers and labels or dread the clutter of the Tupperware and cookware cabinet. Keep small appliances in convenient spots, whether tucked away or on unused counter space. Try drawer dividers for those smaller items like silverware, sauce packets, and extra chopsticks. Organize cabinets for boxes and glass jars, and declutter cookware and dishes with too many of the same size and type. Lazy Susans make sense here as well.

Here are a few more essential tips on maximizing the storage space of any room:

1. Use under-bed storage bags for items you don't use often

2. Invest in under-desk storage to keep items out of the way

3. Use hanging organizers in closets to store accessories and office supplies

4. Use floating shelves to add storage and display decorative items

5. Install hooks for hanging clothes, bags, or accessories

6. Consider using a wall-mounted storage unit for linens or cleaning supplies

   Once decluttering, organizing, cleaning, and storage systems are settled, returning to the planning stage is essential to ensure your newfound clutter-free room will last.

   

Maintenance and Upkeep

Creating a Maintenance Routine will ensure that the room you've organized will last long into the future. Try setting aside time each week to maintain your organized space and make sure that it is the same day and time every week so that it becomes routine.

Create a schedule for tidying up, usually simpler things like putting items away directly after using them. Then, have another schedule for deeper cleaning tasks like dusting, sweeping, and wiping down. You can also make organization a habit by incorporating it into your daily routine as a simple reset you do each night before bed.

Keep It At Bay

To keep clutter at bay, don't let it build up by putting things back in their designated place directly after use. For newer items, consider implementing a "one in, one out" policy that will help maintain the balance of items in your space.

Another part of maintenance is organizing your space by regularly reviewing items and removing what you no longer need.

Conclusion

You don't have to live in confusion, work in clutter, or try to think your way through disorganization. Learning how to organize your room—or any room, for that matter—will give you a system for making sure the room works for the purpose it was intended.

Remember to plan, declutter, and clean, decide on the storage pieces to use, and regularly maintain the space where you want to stay organized. Ensure that you decide on the use of the room, maximize the layout and how it will be used, decide on the activities that will be done there, and use these things as a guide for which items stay and which items go.

It doesn't have to be a sprint but a slow jog toward organization systems in your daily life. Take every step one day at a time, and if need be, hire a professional organizer who can get things in order while you handle the upkeep.

Because clutter negatively affects us in every area of our lives, organizing can have a profound effect on us as a whole—for the better.

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