Organizing your home can feel like an overwhelming task, especially when you have spaces that are often overlooked—like the garage, laundry room, pantry, family coat closet, and basement storage room. These areas are essential for maintaining a functional home, but they also tend to accumulate clutter over time. Whether you're tackling one room at a time or aiming for a full-house overhaul, breaking your organization projects into manageable steps will make the process less stressful and more rewarding. Here’s a guide to help you get started and stay organized.
Photo courtesy of Amazon
1. Laundry Room: Streamline the Space
The laundry room may not be the most glamorous space in your home, but keeping it organized can make a huge difference in your daily routine. Instead of dreading laundry day, transform this area into an efficient, tidy space.
Steps for Organization:
- Maximize Vertical Space: Install shelves or cabinets above the washer and dryer to store detergent, fabric softener, and other laundry supplies.
- Use Baskets and Jars: Using baskets and jars to organize and store detergent, towels and cleaning supplies creates a lovely design aesthetic to the laundry room
- Add Hooks or a Rod: Use hooks or a rod for drying delicate items or hanging clothes that need to air-dry.
- Declutter Counter Space: If you have a countertop, keep it clear of laundry clutter. Consider adding drawers underneath to store extra laundry baskets, cleaning supplies, or ironing tools. If you don't have a countertop, you can purchase a counter from Amazon that fits over top of your washer and dryer, which provides a wonderful workspace for folding clothes, etc
Photo courtesy of Garage Solutions Louisville
2. Garage: From Chaos to Convenience
The garage is usually the place where everything goes that doesn’t have an immediate home. From sports equipment and holiday decorations to tools and old boxes, it’s easy for the garage to turn into a storage nightmare. Here’s how to make your garage functional and organized:
Steps for Organization:
- Declutter First: Start by pulling everything out of the garage. Sort through items and decide what to keep, donate, or toss. If you haven’t used something in a year (or more), it’s time to say goodbye.
- Categorize Items: Separate tools, gardening supplies, sports equipment, seasonal decor, and other items into categories. This will make it easier to create designated spaces for each.
- Use Vertical Storage: Take advantage of wall space with shelves, pegboards, and hanging racks for tools and bikes. Wall-mounted systems allow you to store things off the floor and make it easier to access what you need. Overhead shelving that mounts to the ceiling can exponentially increase your storage capacity. Although it can be pricey, shelving that raises and lowers by remote control can be a safer option than shelving that requires you climb on a ladder.
- Invest in Clear Bins: For smaller items, clear plastic bins will help keep everything visible and organized. Label the bins clearly so you know exactly what’s inside without having to open them.
- Create Zones: Divide the garage into zones based on activity—one for tools, one for gardening, one for sports, etc. This will make it easy to find what you need when you need it.
Photo courtesy of Adobe Stock Images/Sunday Cat Studio
3. Pantry: Efficient and Easy-to-Access Storage
A well-organized pantry can save you time and money by helping you keep track of what you have and avoid buying duplicates. It’s all about making sure you can easily see what’s inside.
Steps for Organization:
- Remove Expired Items: Start by checking expiration dates and tossing anything that’s past its prime. It’s a great way to refresh your pantry and make room for the essentials.
- Group Like Items: Organize your pantry by category—canned goods, snacks, pasta, grains, etc. This makes it easier to find what you need without rummaging through everything.
- Use Clear Storage Containers: Clear, airtight containers are perfect for storing dry goods like pasta, flour, or cereal. Not only do they keep food fresh, but they also allow you to see what you have at a glance.
- Install Adjustable Shelves: Adjustable shelving will allow you to customize the height of your shelves, accommodating everything from cans to bulk storage containers.
- Add Labels: Whether it’s on containers or shelves, labels are essential for keeping everything in its place.
Pro Tip:
Use a lazy susan or turntable for smaller items like spices or bottles of oils and vinegars. It keeps everything accessible and prevents clutter from building up.
Photo courtesy of loveisleet
4. Family Coat Closet: Keep It Tidy All Year Long
Coat closets often become catch-all spaces for not just coats, but shoes, bags, hats, and more. With a little attention, your coat closet can be a streamlined entry point that keeps everything you need handy and organized.
Steps for Organization:
- Sort Through the Coats: Keep only what’s necessary for the current season. Donate or store out-of-season coats and jackets to keep the closet from becoming too crowded.
- Use Hooks for Hats and Bags: Install hooks or pegs on the inside of the door for easy access to hats, scarves, bags, or even dog leashes.
- Add Shelf or Shoe Rack: A shelf for hats, gloves, and other accessories, as well as a shoe rack or cubby system, will keep everything in its place.
- Maximize Vertical Space: For smaller items, add an additional tier of hanging rods or shelves above the standard coat rack.
Pro Tip:
Use slim, non-slip hangers to make more room and keep coats from slipping off.
5. Basement Storage Room: A Multipurpose Space
The basement often becomes a storage area for everything from holiday decor to old furniture and boxes of keepsakes. To make the most of your basement storage room, you need to be strategic.
Steps for Organization:
- Sort and Purge: Just like with your garage, declutter your basement by going through boxes and donating or tossing anything that you no longer need.
- Label Everything: Label boxes clearly, noting what’s inside (and even the date it was stored) so you can easily find things later.
- Invest in Heavy-Duty Shelving: Install shelving units to store large items like holiday decorations, camping gear, or seasonal clothing. This will keep everything off the floor and more accessible.
- Create Separate Zones: Set aside sections of the basement for different purposes—holiday storage, old furniture, seasonal items, etc. This way, you won’t have to dig through everything to find what you need.
- Use Plastic Bins for Protection: Store items in clear plastic bins that will protect them from dust and moisture. You’ll also be able to easily see what’s inside.
Final Thoughts
Tackling organization projects around your home doesn’t have to be a huge burden. By breaking the task down into smaller projects and taking it one room at a time, you’ll create a more organized, functional, and stress-free environment. Happy organizing!
