How to Organize Your House

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1 Decluttering Your Space

2 Organizing the Kitchen

3 Working on the Bathroom

4 Organizing Your Living Room

5 Updating Bedroom Storage

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Co-authored by Julie Naylon and Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: October 2, 2025 References

Tackling your clutter is a big task, but it's not impossible. Start with clear expectations and goals so you can move through each room in your home and reorganize it. Part of organizing involves getting rid of things you don't need or want anymore, so give yourself time to sort through your belongings. Once you're left with things you want to keep use storage systems that work for your space and style.

Steps

Method 1

Method 1 of 5:

Decluttering Your Space

1. 
   1
   Tackle 1 type of clutter or room at a time. You'll get a better idea of what you own if you can see all of it together. Start by gathering all of a category and going through it before you move on. For example, weed through all of the clothes in your home before you do books, papers, miscellaneous items, and sentimental belongings.

   • If it's hard for you to focus on tidying 1 type of thing, it's fine to go room by room instead. Just choose a system that works for you!
   • To keep you moving through things quickly, set a timer and tell yourself that you need to get through 1 category or room.
2. 
   2
   Discard or donate things you don't want to keep or organize. Once you can see all of your belongings in 1 space, throw out any trash. Then, decide what else you'd like to sell or donate. Sort items you want to keep by which room they belong in and group items together based on what they are.

   • For example, put all of your office supplies into 1 pile. Once you're in your office, store your paperwork in a filing cabinet and put your chargers and cords into a spot on your desk, for instance.
   • If you have a lot that you'd like to get rid of, consider holding a garage sale. Then, you can use some of your profits to buy organizational supplies for your home.
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3. 
   3
   Wait to buy storage containers until you've gone through your belongings. It's easy to get caught up in the excitement of reorganizing your space, but don't get carried away. Go through all of your things before you buy shelving, containers, or baskets so you know exactly what you need and where you'll put it.

   • If you start accumulating storage before you've sorted through what to keep and discard, you may feel even more overwhelmed.
   • Walk through your home and create a list of storage solutions for each room so you don't have to guess what you need.
   • If you're trying to organize on a budget, shop garage sales and thrift stores. You can usually find shelving, hooks, and cabinets in a variety of styles.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 5:

Organizing the Kitchen

1. 
   1
   Group your spices so they're easy for you to use. There's no right or wrong way to organize your spices since everyone has their own cooking styles. The important thing is that you put them near your stove and you can quickly find the spice you need at a moment's notice. Place your spices on a spinning spice rack that sits on the counter, in a spice drawer, or hang them from a spice holder, for instance.

   • You can group the spices by cuisine or alphabetically. If you reach for the same few spices again and again, ensure that you can get them out quickly.
2. 
   2
   Get rid of utensils you don't use or that you have more than 1 of. Find all of the items that only serve 1 purpose and gather utensils that you have duplicates of. Try to get rid of the tools that you don't use often or that you can do with another tool. If you have more than 1 type of utensil, donate the extras. You'll save a ton of valuable kitchen space.

   • For example, if you have a 2 or 3 fancy garlic mincing tools, you could probably get rid of all of them and rely on a standard chef's knife to chop your garlic.
   • If you have 3 or 4 can openers, keep the best 1 and donate the rest.
3. 
   3
   Move your pots and pans so they're easier to access. Once you've donated pots and pans that you never use, install hooks above your stove or kitchen island. This creates new storage space and makes it easier to get the pieces you need. If you can't hang your pots and pans, place storage racks near your stove so you can store thin pieces or lids vertically.

   • Avoid putting your favorite pots and pans out of reach. You shouldn't have to scramble while you're cooking to get the equipment you need.
4. 
   4
   Rotate the food in your fridge and pantry on a regular basis. It's hard to stay organized if expired food is taking up valuable space in your kitchen. Take time every month to ditch food that's expired or staples and condiments that you never use. Then, label the pantry staples and put them into airtight containers. This helps the food stay fresher and you'll be able to find what you need.

   • Clear containers are great since you can see what's stored inside. You can also place small packages or bottles into baskets or onto a Lazy Susan.
5. 
   5
   Keep only the serving dishes and mugs that you actually use. It's really easy to hold onto lots of mugs, dishes, platters, and serving pieces that you intend to use for when you have company. However, if you're like most people, you probably don't use them often, so don't store them in your kitchen where they take up valuable space.

   • You probably have storage cabinets in your kitchen that aren't easy to get to. If you won't be reaching for serving ware very often, it's fine to use these storage spaces. For example, put the serving platters you use just for holidays in the cabinet that's above your fridge.
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Method 3

Method 3 of 5:

Working on the Bathroom

1. 
   1
   Hang shelves or cabinets to create extra storage space. If you're like most people, you probably feel like your bathroom just doesn't have enough useful storage. Fortunately, you probably have empty space on at least 1 wall where you can install floating shelves or a small cabinet. Then, put extra towels, toilet paper, or beauty products in the new space, for instance.

   • If you don't have room for a long shelf or big cabinet, install 2 or 3 small, floating shelves. This creates a polished look and actually gives you some useful storage.
2. 
   2
   Put baskets or a Lazy Susan under the sink to store cleaning products. Instead of tossing cleaning supplies, hairdryers, or your first aid kit under the sink, put stackable bins or a Lazy Susan under it. Then, group your items by type and put them into separate bins or levels on the Lazy Susan.

   • If you have small kids at home, keep all cleaning products high up and out of reach. You might prefer to store bath toys in a bin under the sink instead.
3. 
   3
   Use hanging storage in the shower to store shampoo and skincare items. Home organization stores are full of clever products designed to maximize your bath and shower space. You can buy shelving that hooks onto the shower or baskets with suction cups that hang onto the side of your tub or shower. Install a few of these and put your personal grooming products into them.

   • This is a great way to free up counter space and you'll never knock things off of the side of your tub again!
4. 
   4
   Hang a behind-the-door organizer for towels, makeup, and supplies. It's amazing how quickly towels pile up in the bathroom, even if you have a bar or hooks for hanging a few. Add valuable storage space by using the back of the bathroom door. You can hook a behind-the-door organizer in order to hang more towels or choose an organizer that has slots for holding brushes or hairdryers, for instance.

   • You'll probably be able to find an organizer that has a combination of these features.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 5:

Organizing Your Living Room

1. 
   1
   Tidy the display shelves and coffee tables. Loose papers, clothes, toys, and dishes scattered around your living room can make the room look disordered. Spend some time picking up things that belong in other rooms. Then, clear off your shelves and coffee table so you only have a few items that you want to display.

   • Remove anything that stresses you out or causes you anxiety. You might be tired of looking at books that you never get around to reading or piles of papers that you need to recycle.
   • Set up bookshelves, floating shelves, or hooks to store things in the open.
2. 
   2
   Add closed storage to your living room. There are probably things you don't want to keep on display in your living room, so put a storage ottoman, small table, or sofa with a storage seat in the room. You can put DVDs, books, or kids' toys into storage while keeping them easy to access.

   • You can use small, decorative boxes to hold things like remotes or cell phone chargers.
   • Choose coffee tables or ottomans that have storage space or put items into totes that you can store under furniture or in a closet. If you're using storage boxes, label the outside so you can quickly find what you need.
3. 
   3
   Put a large basket in the living room to catch clutter or toys. Instead of letting things pile up throughout the room, set a big tote or bin somewhere in your living room. Throughout the day, put items into it that need to go into other rooms. Then, you can spend a few minutes at the end of the day sorting through toys, magazines, or laundry.

   • This is really helpful if you have kids that tend to drop things off in the living room. Make them a part of organizing the living room and have them sort through the clutter basket with you.
4. 
   4
   Use available wall space for storage to keep items off of the floor. Your living room might feel cramped if it's filled with furniture, storage cabinets, and coffee tables. Don't forget that you have valuable storage space on the walls. Instead of using low storage tables, put a tall bookshelf against the wall or hang floating shelves and hooks.

   • Even though you're using vertical space, don't cram your shelves full of trinkets, which can still make your living room look messy.
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Method 5

Method 5 of 5:

Updating Bedroom Storage

1. 
   1
   Sort through your clothing and accessories. Think about all the things you keep in your room and immediately take out the things that should go into other rooms like the living or bathroom. Then, decide if you can put coats or accessories in a separate closet or cabinet in another room. This reduces the number of clothes you have to organize in your bedroom.

   • Think creatively! For example, you might be able to store out-of-season scarves or shoes in a storage ottoman in the living room.
2. 
   2
   Reassess how you store your clothes. If you have piles of clothes in your room or hangers all over the floor, you might need to store your garments differently. Try a new storage system to see what works for you. You might prefer putting your clothes into:

   • A wardrobe or dresser
   • Garment racks
   • Bookshelves or floating shelves
   • Storage benches
   • Hanging hooks
3. 
   3
   Maximize the storage space under your bed. If you're not putting the space under your bed to use, you're missing out. Buy a few long, shallow storage containers and put clothes that are out-of-season into it. This protects the clothes and frees up space in your closet or dresser.

   • You may also want a container to store out-of-season shoes and accessories like belts, scarves, and socks.
4. 
   4
   Use the space behind your door to hang shoes, accessories, or jewelry. Unless there's a mirror attached to the back of your door, you're probably not using this valuable space. Buy a behind-the-door organizer and put small items into the pouches or hang scarves and jackets from the bottom of it.

   • These types of organizers now come in a variety of styles, so you should be able to find an organizer that matches the look of your bedroom.
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Expert Q&A

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• Question

  What is the best way to organize paperwork at home?

  

  Julie Naylon
  Professional Organizer

  Julie Naylon is the Founder of No Wire Hangers, a professional organizing service based out of Los Angeles, California. No Wire Hangers provides residential and office organizing and consulting services. Julie's work has been featured in Daily Candy, Marie Claire, and Architectural Digest, and she has appeared on The Conan O’Brien Show. In 2009 at The Los Angeles Organizing Awards she was honored with “The Most Eco-Friendly Organizer”.

  

  Julie Naylon

  Professional Organizer

  Expert Answer

  Scan all of your documents to digitize them so you can get rid of the paper copies that clutter up your space.

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Tips

• If it's taking you a lot of time to keep things organized or you're changing the way you use space in your home, you might need to change your organizational system, too.
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• Don't fall back into old habits where you accumulate clutter. If you start to feel overwhelmed in your home, schedule some time to go through your things again.
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• Create an easy organization system so it doesn't feel like work to tidy things up. If you get into the routine of putting your things away, you'll develop a great organizational habit.
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