When you spend a lot of time in your home, it can be easy to get into the habit of organizing and reorganizing the same space over and over.
Whether you just can’t get yourself to finally get rid of certain items or you’ve had trouble finding an organization solution that’s as efficient as it is aesthetically pleasing, you’re certainly not alone. After a year in various levels of COVID-induced lockdown, odds are that all of us have at least one area of our home that makes us want to pull our hair out.
For me, for a long time, this area was my closet floor — or what I would assume to be my closet floor. I couldn’t actually be sure it was there, because it had been a solid year or so since I’d seen it at one point.
Usually, this mess would develop for a couple different reasons: Items would slip off hangers and fall into the abyss, or I’d stuff never-worn clothing down there to make space for things I actually did wear. Needless to say, this wasn’t exactly efficient, and the clutter made me feel discombobulated.
The ultimate solution? An empty box placed at the bottom of my closet. When an item was ready to be thrown out or donated, I simply placed it in the box. When the box was full, I got rid of the clothing in it and started again. It was a simple, nearly free solution, and it was effective.
If this type of super-easy, super-efficient storage solution sounds right up your alley, here are a handful of other decluttering hacks and tips that have improved people’s lives.
Who: Toshi
The decluttering tip
“Elevate your laptop. Elevating your computer screen is better for your posture, and it also provides you with additional real estate if you’re short on space,” Toshi says. “If your at-home office setup is temporary, consider using a shelf riser that you can repurpose once you’re back in your office.”
Cost
$54
How they discovered it
A friend’s Instagram photo of their work-from-home setup.
What life was like before the change
“A cluttered desk and a cluttered mind.”
How life has improved after it
“A clearer space both physically and mentally.”
Who: Ginger Wojcik
The decluttering tip
Store food storage containers with the lids on.
Cost
$0
How they discovered it
“The first person I saw do this was my friend’s mom in high school. Even as a 17-year-old, I was in awe of the neatness and utility of not having to try a million different lids every time you need a Tupperware.”
What life was like before the change
“My Tupperware drawer was a catastrophe, and I regularly lost lids and bottoms. I used to dread putting food away because I knew it meant I’d have to contend with that disaster area.”
How life has improved after it
“Now when I open my Tupperware drawer, I feel like I’ve really got my sh*t together. Not to mention, I’ve gained who-knows-how-much time I used to spend fishing around and angrily trying lids that look like they’ll fit but, mysteriously, don’t.”
Who: Professional organizer Holly Blakey
The decluttering tip
Use digital products such as Everplans and Trustworthy that store important documents securely.
Cost
As little as $6.25 per month
How they discovered it
It popped up on her Instagram and she signed up immediately. “Now, any time I do home offices, it is the exact product I use for clients vs. messy file folders. I also use it for myself and my family.”
What life was like before the change
“After many failed attempts of scanning and uploading documents to Google Drive and Dropbox for a client and it taking nearly a week to do so, I became so frustrated with the process that I googled alternatives.”
How life has improved after it
“I quite literally have my time back. The 1-week challenge of trying to upload documents to save for a client to organize their physical office space has now resulted in less than 30 minutes. Paperwork is stored beautifully, and they don’t need to purchase extra products to have it physically organized. Things can be kept away in desks and drawers, labeled and unseen.”
Who: Emily McLaughlin
The decluttering tip
“If you have some rail space but not so much floor space, put the handles of a reusable bag on a hanger. You can have whatever you need organized in the bag but off the ground. We put our electronic cables, saved plastic bags, vacuum attachments, etc., in our linen closet that has a bunch of hanging space but very little floor/shelf space.
Cost
$0 to $5
How they discovered it
“No idea.”
What life was like before the change
“A closet full of sh*t on the floor.”
How life has improved after it
“More room, less clutter, and finally a use for the reusable bags I feel guilty for always leaving at home when I go shopping.”
Who: Ashley Foster
The decluttering tip
“Color-coding clothing ROYGBIV! I even color-code and fold my underwear to this principle, and it’s changed my life. With hanging items I organize by sleeve length (shortest to longest) as well. I’ve been doing it for about 10+ years now, and it’s a game-changer!”
Cost
$0
How they discovered it
“Working at the GAP. It’s how we organized clearance sections.”
What life was like before the change
“Chaotic — it was always hard to find the items I wanted to wear.”
How life has improved after it
“Less of a struggle to decide what I want to wear and where to find it. I live small as well, so it just keeps things looking tidy!”
Who: Laily
The decluttering tip
“I put a small basket under my paper towels that holds kitchen towels. That way, when I reach for a paper towel, I see the towels and can reach for the reusable option. The second half is that I keep a small laundry basket in the kitchen for the dirty towels. That way, when I run out, they’re separated from the rest of my laundry and I can wash them quickly in super-hot water.”
Cost
$0 to $5
How they discovered it
“I guess I came up with it myself.”
What life was like before the change
“SO MANY PAPER TOWELS!”
How life has improved after it
“I use so many fewer paper towels! Which makes me feel better about my environmental impact, and I save money! It also has made my laundry easier because dirty kitchen towels aren’t in with the rest of my laundry.”
Who: Olivia
The decluttering tip
“Vacuum-seal bags for spare/off-season bedding, labeled with when they were washed and stored.”
Cost
“Forty dollars for a pack of 10 bags on Amazon.”
How they discovered it
“I remember my friend using those bags to pack for college, and I desperately needed to declutter my spare bedroom closet.”
What life was like before the change
“Just too overwhelmed with the bulk of storing spare comforters and pillows. They take up so much space!”
How life has improved after it
“I feel like I bought myself some space and sanity knowing things are sealed and clean and I don’t have to wonder when they were last washed. And now they take up SO much less space.”
Who: Drea Montali, Professional Organizer and Owner of Dream Organization
The decluttering tip
“Find a charity you are passionate about! I can’t tell you how many times I have worked with clients who were nervous to donate things because they did not know where they would end up. When you find a reputable place, you will find yourself being more generous.
For example, I am a huge animal lover. When I learned that animal hospitals and shelters take old bedding and towel donations I was happy to give them so much! I’d rather it stay with the puppies and kittens than in a landfill.”
Cost
“Not really sure how much it cost, but it definitely added value to my life.”
How they discovered it
“From hearing feedback from my clients about not trusting certain organizations with their donations. I decided to do research and find places where I know they will actually be helping people.”
What life was like before the change
“Before decluttering and setting up organization systems at home, I found my space to be chaotic. Your home should be a Zen space and not add more stress to your already stressful life.”
How life has improved after it
“I ultimately found time to do more things that I love instead of always feeling like I needed to be cleaning something.”
Olivia Muenter is a Philadelphia-based freelance writer and digital content creator. Follow her on Instagram or through her website.
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