Organizing

From Monica Gellar-worthy organizational skills to Charlie Kelly-level messiness, glance at this grid to see where your distinct cleaning style falls.

It is intended to serve as an example of the complementary union of sustainability and contemporary design.

As an added bonus, I no longer have to deal with weeks-old kale I find in the bottom of a fridge drawer or smelly cheese in the deepest, darkest part of the fridge.

When you live in a small space, every inch counts.

Straight from the AT archives.

And it works in virtually any space—big or small.

Looking to up your storage space? These ideas are equal parts pretty and practical.

These 10 guidelines can apply to any area you want to tackle, and will make every cleaning endeavor go just a little bit more smoothly.

When it comes to decorating—and organizing!—small spaces, IKEA is one of our go-tos. And for good reason: not only are most storage products affordable and customizable, the annual catalog is a treasure trove of smart solutions for storing your stuff in a beautiful way. Here are seven tips from the 2020 IKEA catalog. One of the easiest ways to maximize your space is to look up.

In a list of "rules to live by for keeping a tidy house," the topper would certainly be: A place for everything and everything in its place. But if you don't have an "in its place" spot to put things, you won't ever feel empowered to put them away.

Renters rejoice: You no longer need your landlord's okay to revamp your bathroom on the cheap. We searched the web high and low and found a dozen drill-free ways you can upgrade your bathroom—all for under $40.

To clear my head—and my space—for a season of carefree entertaining, here are five things I'm throwing away (or giving away) this summer.

The solution for your "too much stuff" problem is one of these uni-tasking organizers designed to perfectly store your menagerie.

Underneath the stairs lies a great abyss known as unused space in most homes. Check out this list of 13 inspirational ideas to kick-start how to use your stairs, steps, and angles to your best small space advantage!In no particular order, here are our favorite 13 ways to efficiently use your staircase space: Stair Drawers: When you think about it, directly underneath your steps are layers of unused space. So why not add functionality to those common rectangles by transforming them into drawers?

Here are some common culprits that make a clean bathroom appear disheveled.

If you’re lucky enough to have a linen closet, you know how quickly they can become disorganized and messy. In my experience, a disorganized linen closet often leads to buying double (and sometimes triple) the amount of personal care items—only because you don’t realize you already have them. The trick to a clean, well-organized linen closet is creating an intentional space for everything. Here’s how.

Right now, we’re looking at our blank bulletin board. It has one final step (a coat of white spray paint) before its ready to go back in our office. It used to be covered in fabric from IKEA (a busy pattern) but we wanted to go with simpler look for 2009. The previous bits of information on the bulletin board happened to be quite cluttered as well. Everything from inspirational tear-out pages from design magazines to a spare set of car keys were scattered about on our bulletin board.

Here's how to make the best of a space with no closet.

I thought I was an all-star organizer, but my first week working with a luxury organizing company showed me that there is always room for improvement.

Reverse to-do lists begin at the end of the day. Here are three rules to keep in mind as you're writing one.

Two iconic Scandinavian brands are teaming up to make playtime more fun. Finding the balance between YouTube and actual physical activity, IKEA and LEGO have partnered to create a comfortable space for playtime that’ll be enjoyable for kids and parents alike.

Embrace the in-between-ness of spring, put the winter behind you, and make room for the coming season.

Treat yourself, and your jewelry too.

Banish these things from your counters and not only will you have the room you need to do your thing, but you'll also end up reducing visual clutter.

Where do you begin when it comes to cleaning out your home in preparation for finding stuff to sell at a garage sale? Well it turns out it’s pretty similar to regularly decluttering your home; only after you’ve combed through drawers and closets, you’ll be evaluating if there’s anything you can make a little dough on. 1. Declutter You’re going to start looking for things to sell in a garage sale in the same way you would if you were aiming to declutter your house.

A good pegboard setup can do more than get you organized—it might help you free up some space at home, too.

It takes a lot of effort to appear effortless. Disney parks don't become the "most magical places on earth" without an enormous amount of behind-the-scenes problem-solving.

The books we hold onto say something about us. Sometimes it’s because the characters, places, or plots are still a part of us, even after we turn the last page—and we’re not quite ready to donate, or pass along to a friend. Other times, they’re like to do lists: the titles we’ve been meaning to get to. Or maybe they’re just something you’re proud to display: Those books that telegraph something about your personality, interests, or convictions.

They offer next-level organization, save me time, and preserve my mental balance

Full disclosure: I think Kate is soooooo much cooler than Andy Spade (and, yes, I’m a guy). Hilary (woman) may lose, but Kate (woman) has won. Her style seems so much more grown up, fun and exciting than his little confused downtown boy club around the corner from her SoHo store. Okay, that’s harsh, but it’s true (his bags are nice, but that’s it). And even though I have NO USE for anything in HER store (bags, glasses, etc), I still go in there and I like it.

Ah the milk crate, the original building block for DIY furniture. Milk crates are often abused in a design sense by students looking for cheap – read free – storage solutions. But we’ve always known they could be so much more which is why we were so excited when we saw Tasmanian furniture designer Simon Ancher’s clever milk crate stool. With the simple addition of a wooden ‘top’, the crate is transformed into an attractive comfortable seat.

Growing up, we were taught that everything can have more than one purpose. One man’s trash is another’s treasure, some would say; we like to think we just concentrated on the “reuse” part of reduce-reuse-recycle. So when we went home earlier in the week, we snapped this photo of one of our mom’s trash-to-treasure successes. Here’s one small, simple project that you can do at home, whether you’ve got a green thumb or not.

Time to ditch those ugly plastic storage bins you've been hiding, once and for all.

We always focus on organizing your closet, which is definitely a vital storage area to keep clean and organized for easy dressing during the work week. But your dresser drawers are important too — save yourself just the smallest amount of time by cutting out the search for matching socks! Here are a few tips for getting your dresser drawers organized and keeping them that way.

Good, green design is wonderful, but when you live in a cluttered home, it can feel like you can’t see the forest for the trees. This was the case for my friend, Susan, so she asked for my advice on how to organize her living room. In her modestly sized home, the living room is the big multitasker. In it, she runs her small business of bath and body products, does billing, packages her products, does all her online work, exercises, meditates, and watches television. Whew!

In a world where everyone is repurposing and making over things in their home, diy’s are a dime a dozen. So it’s always special when we come across one that stops us in our tracks and has us reading the entire tutorial. You won’t ever look at foam flooring pieces the same way again after you see what these are magically turned into!Yesterday over at Design*Sponge we saw this really rad rug makeover scroll past our screen.

A Totally Overloaded Drying RackAfter doing loads of laundry, sometimes the last thing we feel like doing is hanging up our wet clothes to dry. Yes, it’s mostly that we’re being lazy, but there’s also an art to doing it well so that the clothes dry quickly and with as few wrinkles as possible.

Having a food storage area or pantry is a true thing of luxury. But for many it can also be a real headache. But an organized space not only leads to better shopping and food use, it can also add value to your home for very little money. Check out what this pantry looks like now, after the jump!At first glance this just looked like another pretty pantry.

I’ve taken trip after trip to my local Re-Store and always take a moment to gaze at the pile of unloved cabinet doors. My husband and I have purchased a few in the past to mount artwork on or paint up for other projects — but we never had the vision to see their true potential: hot honeycomb shelving!Joshua and Sara Rhodes make up the dynmaic duo of Arrow & Apple and they’re always up to something wonderful.

Attractive storage solutions in the living room are always a joy. My heart leaps at the sight of built-in shelving. Everyone seems to want them, but not everyone can get them, especially if you rent. Using these tips, create a serious storage solution and the beautiful look of built-in shelving. They’re quick, affordable and eco-friendly. All without hiring a single contractor!

Anyone else have a garage, basement, or storage space that looks like this? There’s hope: Marji was fed up with the clutter in her tool shed, and she decided to first purge and then create a clever system that works for her.From Marji: As you can see, our tool shed was an unbelievable, disorganized mess.

When it comes to making a closet as efficient as possible, the right shelving can make all the difference. The Container Store’s Elfa Shelving is a well-known system but Home Depot, Lowe’s and IKEA all offer similar options. On a recent Sunday afternoon I visited all four stores to shop for closet systems so I could compare the shopping experiences. THE CONTAINER STORE Overall Shopping Experience: I’ll admit from the start that I’m a bit crowd averse.

Advances in technology are making excessive wires and cables slowly go the way of the buffalo but, the remote? It looks like we may be stuck with that one for a while. So if you can’t beat it, hide it! (Along with those goofy 3D glasses that seem to come along with every new TV.) We’ve rounded up a few options that you won’t mind leaving out based on the average size TV remote (7.5”) though you may want to check them against your own. 1.

A beautiful, functional, new kitchen is a wonderful thing. The act of renovating a kitchen, maybe not so much. It’s a job that causes even the calmest heads to get a little stressed over the decisions that need to be made. To help ease the strain for all the brave planners, I gathered some of our best real-life info on a item that most every renovator considers due to their reputation, availability and price: IKEA kitchen cabinets.

The beauty of thrift store finds is in many cases their affordable price and less than ideal condition frees their owners from preconceived notions of how and where to use furniture within the home.

I think many of us can relate to those catch-all corners of our rooms that we know can be improved in both form and function. Melissa from 5 foot 12 Creations had a vision for her catch-all basement corner: a special space where her children could access art and craft supplies, a charming space where the markers are many and the paper is plentiful. The perfect pint-sized craft corner! I can only imagine the hours of creating that are now spent here.

If you live in a small space, you know that organization is key. We don’t all have the luxury of garages, attics and basements to hide all those plastic bins full of ‘stuff’ that seem to accumulate with life. Nope, we must cohabitate with the ‘stuff’ and stare at it every day. If it’s going to be out for everyone to see, it should look good and intentional in your space. Here are some stylish storage alternatives to keep you organized with style.

Do you have an old dresser that is missing a drawer or two? No problem. Check out these 10 dresser DIYs and turn that old dresser into something new. TOP ROW: 1. Book Shelf and Toy Storage from Apartment Therapy 2. Hidden Laptop Workspace from Lucky Me Studios 3. Garden Potting Bench from Jarden Designs 4. Kitchen Island from Dressy Isles 5. Kitchen Catch All from Clover Lane BOTTOM ROW: 6. Kitchen Buffet from Frugal Chic Living 7. Entertainment Center from Better Homes and Gardens 8.

With the introduction in recent years of the LEGO Mystery Minifigures series, the number of minifigs in our house has exploded. If you aren’t familiar with the concept, LEGO releases a series of unusual minifigures, like Bunny Suit Guy, Yeti, Welder, Diner Waitress, or Bagpiper.

Maybe you see beautiful, clutter-free spaces in magazines or on the web, and think: my home could never look like that. But it can! Freeing your space — and your life — from overwhelmingly huge amounts of stuff doesn’t take superhuman effort. All you need is a little commitment to some basic principles. This isn’t a new idea, but I think it’s a wonderful place to start if you’re aiming for a simpler, less cluttered life.

With the change of seasons comes a change of clothes. But before you head to the stores to buy something new, give your old wardrobe a fighting chance. Which means it’s time to put some waders on, dive in, and clean out your closet. I know it’s not high up there on your list of fun times, but it’s a necessary evil that must be done. Go forth young fashion pilgrim and make us proud. 1. Put on Some Music: This is no time for Adele.

Once the joy of giving and receiving has died down, we often find ourselves with, shall we say…more things than we had last month. While you may not be ready to do an all-out purge, it’s the perfect time for a mini-purge through implementing a one-in-one-or-more-out plan.

Almost every kitchen’s got one. They go by different names: my old flatmate and I called ours the Drawer of Doom, and with my current one, The Sad Drawer. It’s that one place in a kitchen, be it drawer, pantry shelf, or simply an unfortunate corner, that attracts random debris like nobody’s business. From the actually useful (tupperware, kitchen foil) to the barely-used (madeleine pan, anyone?), the Sad Drawer is where things that don’t go anywhere else find themselves.

If you have kids, toys are an important and unavoidable fixture of your home. You know this, and you also know that the sheer volume can easily get out of hand if you’re not intentional about the flow of toys into your home. If you are trying to get a handle on your kids’ toys this year, here are some strategies to help you plan and manage what comes in and stays in your home: Take a moment to think about what is important to you in regards to toys in your home.

It’s a new year, and around the globe people are making that age-old promise to themselves: this is the year I finally get organized. No more drowning in paperwork, no more dining table cluttered with bills and receipts—this year it all stops. Want to know something? It can be done. A simple, user-friendly filing system is something every home should have, and is easy to set up and maintain.

Everyone’s digital life and needs are different. Consider this a very basic guide on how to do a little digital cleaning and organizing of your computer in a couple of hours so you can have a system that runs a little smoother and so you can find files you need a little easier. Before you start doing any deleting, fiddling, cleaning or sorting — backup everything important to you, whether in the cloud, by syncing with another computer or by using an external hard drive.

I have a pair of beloved sweatpants that has a hole in them. I would still continue wear them — in spite of said hole — IF I could find them, but I have a sneaking suspicion that my partner boxed them up and toted them off to Goodwill. She is curiously mum on the subject, feigning perfect innocence in the face of my pointed questioning and unblinking stares, but it’s been months since I saw them last. I am quickly losing all hope of ever seeing, let alone wearing, them again.

So, you just found that vintage apartment of your dreams: perfect millwork, cute tile, and a nifty fireplace. But the downside is that there’s no storage, just one tiny closet and nowhere to put all the stuff that you’re sure you’ll need. Don’t despair! Here are some renter-friendly solutions to work around that storage shortage. If you don’t have much storage space, you can take some tips from Tamar’s tiny kitchen.

That time is upon us! Back-to-school, off-to-college time. Which means that all across the country, a whole bunch of soon-to-be-freshman are staring at their wardrobe and wondering what on earth should I pack? Here are a few helpful tips for navigating the college closet quandary! Make a list of what you’ll need. Make a list of the clothes you’ll need for going to class, going out, lounging around, sleeping, and going to the gym.

Think you need an expensive bespoke solution to organize your closet? Think again. These five household objects can pull double-duty and wrangle tough-to-store jewelry and purses (at least while you save up for that Kardashian-style closet of your dreams). When stashed vertically in a magazine rack (or four), clutches and wallets take up virtually zero space. Plus, like the spines of magazines, you can still see and grab every single one.

Paper towel holders don’t just have to stay in the kitchen or stick to the task of holding rolls of paper towels. Helpful as that is, thanks to the variety they come in — hanging from the wall, freestanding — they can help cleverly and neatly organize a handful of items around the rooms of your home. Above: Take side hanging paper towel holders into your closet to organize all sorts of fashion accessories smartly. The idea spotted on Martha Stewart.

A friend you haven’t seen in a while calls to let you know she’s in the area and would love to stop by. You say: “Of course—come over!” You think: “Just give me three hours to clean up, please!” Ideally, we’d follow the “tidy up a little every day” routine, but despite our best efforts, there are certain spots in our homes where the chaos just tends to build.

A tiny bedroom can be a big challenge. There are a lot of things you need to fit into this little room, but you still want it to be a calm and restful space. If you’re lucky enough to have the freedom to make significant changes to your place, built ins can be a real lifesaver in a small bedroom, perfect for adding extra storage and functionality with a streamlined look. Here are 11 ideas.

Not my wardrobe. Sigh. (It belongs to Amanda of Chocolate Heels.) In the middle of 2015, I wrote a post on ways to reduce clutter in the closet and money spent on clothing. Among the ideas presented was the Capsule Wardrobe, an idea which has long been hanging around the internet, but which really took off that year.

This is the final post in my mini-series on capsule wardrobes. If you’ve been following along, you’ve seen why I decided to give this a go and how I created my first capsule, and now it’s time for the results. Read on for my thoughts (warning: I’ve got a lot of ’em) on living with a 37-piece wardrobe for three months. First up: I really loved opening my closet every morning to see a small, edited collection of clothing that I really wanted to wear.

Previously, I introduced you to my recent wardrobe obsession: capsule wardrobes. This on-trend idea (hi, KonMari!) was everywhere last year, and for me, a lifetime of loving fashion, a penchant for organization, and a tight budget came together and created the perfect environment in which it could take root. This week, I’m showing how I made my first capsule back in September 2015 and sharing tips for the structure and creation of capsules in general.

If you were born between, say, 1975 and 1990, there’s no doubt that (a) you think “Clueless” is a classic and (b) you’ve definitely dreamed about Cher Horowitz’s super high-tech (for the nineties, at least) digital closet. Being able to browse your outfit options with a quick finger-swipe is as close as it gets to heaven for some of us, and you can actually get pretty damn close to Cher’s “Clueless” closet right now with just your smartphone.

I don’t know what it is about this time of year, but you’ll often find me with a garbage bag in one hand and a spray bottle in another. I’m tossing things left and right and deep cleaning what’s left. I guess you could call it “spring cleaning,” but with the weather being always-sunny here in Los Angeles, I feel it’s less about the season and more about how things tend to pile up during the school year: the toys, the papers, the… stuff.

While technology has made our lives easier (and lazier) in countless ways, it hasn’t really done us many favors on the organization front. As our collection of tech gadgets grows, so does that tangle of cords under our desks and tv stands. There are a couple schools of thought when it comes to wrangling the wires: Stash them out of sight, or get more attractive wires, chargers, and docks and let them double as decor.

When photos happened on film, you had to be very deliberate about when and where you snapped pictures. But now with a camera app at your fingertips, you’re able to digitally fill entire photo albums with some really boring things. And you should, actually. We’ve put together a list of everyday things you should be documenting with photographs in order to stay organized and sane, and to maintain a perfect record of parking spots and great haircuts alike.

If you aren’t already hip to the value of a good cleaning book, now’s the time to listen up. Along with offering useful housekeeping tips, these books often provide eye-opening philosophical insight about organizing your life. Case in point: Mary Kondo’s bestselling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing.

In the post-Marie Kondo era, clutter has become the enemy. Excessive documents, old T-shirts, and unread books are some of the offending items we see everyday that definitely don’t spark joy. While I’m the first to agree that Kondo’s folding techniques and organizational tricks are genius, there are other ways (besides purging all your worldly belongings) to get your home—and your life—feeling orderly once again.