Table of contents for Organize Your Home 2026 in Real Simple

CLOSET HACKS Get out the door faster—and happier—with our closet-organizing tips for clothes, shoes, and accessories. With these easy-to-follow strategies in mind, choosing an outfit for the day promises to be a lot less stressful—leaving you plenty of time to savor your morning cup of coffee. realsimple.com/getdressed FAVORITE FINDS Discover some of our favorite places to shop for shelving, storage bins, and more. Hint: A variety of office supplies work well in other areas of your house. Some popular home decor brands have great finds too. realsimple.com/organizers STREAMLINE YOUR BATHROOM Want to make your bath a calming oasis? The first step is to get rid of all the things that are cluttering up your countertop and vanity cabinets. Check out our list of 14 things you can get rid of…

CLICK BAIT These BPA-free plastic containers have magnetic screw-top lids that click and stack together for streamlined storage. The lids also have removable tabs for your labeling fun. TO BUY: Family 3-Pack, $59; cliikhome.com VOICE-ACTIVATED BIN Just say “open can” (or wave your hand at the sensor) to lift the lid of this sleek receptacle. Its clear coating prevents smudges and fingerprints. TO BUY: 58-liter sensor can with voice and motion control, $300; simplehuman.com. GROCERY STORE ORGANIZER This eco-friendly four-bag set fits inside your cart to make packing up at checkout a cinch. Includes a large insulated cooler bag, plus pockets for eggs and wine. TO BUY: Lotus trolley bag, $60; lotustrolleybag.com. TOP DRAWER This modern coffee table has two shallow drawers that can be pulled all the way out…

WHAT IS THE CAPACITY OF MY ENTRY? Audit how much your entry can comfortably contain, and set ruthless quotas for how many items can be stored. And, yes, a family policy of one bag, one jacket, and two pairs of shoes per person is achievable when consistently enforced. WHERE DO I USE THIS ITEM? Not everything you use daily deserves a spot in your entry. Sports equipment needs to air out, so store it in the garage or on a porch or patio. Stash backpacks and briefcases near the table or desk where you go through them. Transport musical instruments to the practice space. Worried you’ll forget an item when you leave? Affix a note to the door frame to trigger your memory. CAN I USE MY ENTRY WITH ONE…

HOW DO I ACTUALLY COOK? Home cooks approach meal prep in many different ways. Use your preferred cutting board as a guide for how much counter space to always keep clear for meal prep. If you do a lot of work to prepare ingredients, give yourself additional space for tools and mixing bowls. WHICH APPLIANCES HAVE I USED TODAY? In order for a toaster, blender, or coffeemaker to merit a spot on your counter, you need to use it daily. That fancy stand mixer or food processor is almost certainly and unnecessarily taking up valuable real estate. DO I NEED MORE THAN ONE? Gather all hand tools and sort by type. Do you truly need two (or more) spatulas? Many cooks efficiently work with one favorite version of each tool.…

WHEN MOST OF US HEAR the term “professional organizer,” we picture a decluttering maven who can alphabetize a pantry and color-code a closet in no time flat. But Sarah Giller Nelson, owner of Less Is More, an organizing service based in Miami, says that more and more parents are seeking help to organize something arguably scarier than their chaotic basements: their crammed schedules. “Parents’ calendars are packed with school activities, birthday parties, sports events—plus they’re juggling their own personal and professional duties and trying to keep track of their partner’s,” she says. The first question Nelson asks these clients is, “Do you feel like you’re always busy but never get anything done?” If the answer is yes (it’s usually yes), she explains, “it’s time to streamline, improve communication within the…

Streamlined rooms inspire serenity and encourage daily self-care. Less is truly more when you edit your bedroom to the essentials for relaxing and sleeping. (Translation: No more smartphones charging on the nightstands.) Elevate your clothes closet—sort garments by type, deploy coordinating hangers, add labels—and your personal style will follow. Your bathroom doesn’t require a remodel to serve you better. Focus this weekend on tailoring your vanity, whatever its size, with the best containers and smartest zoning plans. Organized looks good on you!…

STREAMLINED LINEN CLOSET Items accessed most often—towels and washcloths—warrant eye-level shelf space. Sheets labeled for each bedroom are just above. Deep canvas bins on a middle shelf hold spare blankets. The almost-useless tippy-top shelf is perfect for extra pillows. Heavy, bulky stuff is a no-brainer for the bottom. TO BUY: Beach House bins, $24, and wire baskets (similar), $14; containerstore.com. Canvas tote bag (similar), $50, and laundry tote (similar), $60; llbean.com. Steele canvas truck, $155; steelecanvas.com. CRAFTY CATCHALL CLOSET A “miscellaneous” closet is notoriously tough to tame. The key is to equip it with containers and shelving dedicated to each of its (random) purposes. We outfitted this one in the Hammonds’ homework area with a wheeled cart to corral wrapping paper and ribbon. Shallow shelves line the back and side…

WHAT DO I ACTUALLY USE? Stand in front of your vanity and go through every task in your morning and evening routines. You should be able to do this test-drive without taking more than two or three steps in any direction. Every item you touch should be kept; anything you don’t touch needs to move out of the prime real estate of your vanity—and perhaps out of your life for good. HAS IT EXPIRED? Medications, cosmetics, and products containing milk or essential oils expire—often more quickly than you think. Toss cosmetics that have been open for 12 months. If you have any doubts about an item’s age, ditch it now. Place a permanent marker in your vanity so you can mark start dates on new cosmetics, contact lenses, medicines, and…

ZONE 1: THE DEDICATED DESK MAKE A MEMO BOARD The fabric board is perfect for posting sketches and to-dos. To DIY: Buy a piece of soundproof fiberboard at a hardware store. Stretch fabric around it, making hospital corners; staple in back to secure. UPGRADE YOUR DESK A scaled-down model with deep drawers does everything the family needs without taking up much floor space. The striking blue-and-white chair to the left is a nice spot for visitors. DESIGNATE SPOTS Keep the focus on work by giving accessories and paper a home. A six-door desktop organizer corrals small items like pushpins. The bottom cabinet holds paid bills, receipts, and household papers. ZONE 2: THE CRAFTING CLOSET REMOVE DOORS Mounted slightly wider than the door frame, drapes make the closet look bigger, offer…

THE FACT THAT IT HOLDS so many random objects is what makes the garage so useful for a New York couple. Organizer Chip Cordelli reassured them they didn’t have to ditch everything, but he did challenge them to get everything off the floor. “Don’t treat it like a junk pit. The garage needs the same consideration that the rooms inside the house do,” Chip says. A fresh coat of paint (blue, because the homeowner is a Yankees and Giants fan) and a set of new hooks and hangers (less than $20 at a home center) elevated the existing pegboard to the garage’s organizing centerpiece. Chip added ready-to-assemble cubbies and shelves (designed to stash folded clothing in closets) to create specific storage spots for power tools, books, and frequently used supplies.…

Our Experts JANINE ADAMS is a St. Louis-based professional organizer. peaceofmindorganizing.com DEBORAH CABRAL is a professional organizer and productivity and efficiency consultant and trainer. dceffconsult.com JENNIFER FORD BERRY is a professional organizer based in Buffalo, New York. jenniferfordberry.com ABY GARVEY is a co-owner of Simplify 101, which offers online classes about organizing. simplify101.com SARAH GILLER NELSON is the owner of Less Is More, an organizing service based in Miami. lessismoreorganizers.com MELISSA MAKER is host of the CleanMySpace YouTube channel. cleanmyspace.com JORDAN MARKS is an organizer and cofounder of It’s Organized, with offices in New York, New Jersey, and California. its-organized.com ANDREW MELLEN is the author of Unstuff Your Life! andrewmellen.com ASHLEY MURPHY is the cofounder of the organizing service Neat Method. neatmethod.com MRIDU PARIKH is a productivity coach and owner of…

I tell the kids why we organize, not just to do it because I said so. In our house, it’s for ease and lack of stress.–A.M., LITITZ, PENNSYLVANIA With three active teenagers, keeping track of who needs what uniform and equipment when can be a little overwhelming. Dry erase markers have been our salvation. The kids write their schedules on their bathroom mirrors so they’re reminded of what they need every morning. –D.E., AUSTIN, TEXAS I make wristbands from construction paper (or I use soft, flexible plastic with Velcro on the ends for something more durable). I write chores on them and put one on each child’s wrist. They wear them until the chore is done. –M.S., HOUSTON Start young and make it fun. I also try to set an…

INCREASE VISIBILITY Keep shoes that you wear most often on open shelving. Ashley Murphy of Neat Method, a home-organizing company with locations nationwide, suggests designating a row or section of cubbies for each family member so everyone in the house knows exactly where to find their favorite footwear. Make the functional piece of furniture part of your mudroom decor (and prevent it from becoming a cluttered catchall) by creating an inviting display with flowers and framed artwork. TO BUY: Sonoma shoe bench (similar), $116; homedepot.com. MAKE USE OF VERTICAL SPACE Take advantage of an empty slot in a closet and incorporate a tall hanging shoe organizer, says Lisa Zaslow, founder of Gotham Organizers in New York City. Install a shared organizer in the coat closet, or place one in each…

Because every family member uses these rooms, everyone should play a role in clearing the clutter that collects in them. Think of it as collaborative caretaking. Set the right tone the moment you step inside your home by establishing personal drop spots that are super easy to use. The kitchen can become the efficient heart of your home when you add organizers to cabinet interiors for grab-and-go access. And that nest-worthy family room? Focus on establishing a tidy new habit: Just as you make the bed each morning, you can make the sofa each night.…

FIRST ORDER OF BUSINESS for this weekend pantry makeover: purge. The family removed absolutely everything from the closet—even the shelves. They tossed expired and unsealed packages, as well as perfectly good items they didn’t or wouldn’t ever use (bye-bye, too hot salsa). They sorted what was left into meaningful categories for them, including breakfast foods, snacks (salty and sweet varieties), baking, and lunch-making supplies. When it was time to reassemble the pantry from the ground up, the family first chose the right containers to fit their items and keep food fresh. Then they shifted shelf heights to accommodate the containers and a logical layout. Recycling bins, dog food in an airtight container, and bottled beverages now rest on the floor, followed by kid- and adult-specific ingredients on higher shelves. Less-used…

HOW DO I FEEL AS I SCAN THE ROOM? Stand in the center of your family room and slowly turn 360 degrees. Note every time you feel a tinge of sadness, annoyance, or any other negative emotion. (This is best done with a partner, saying each feeling out loud.) The areas that activate emotions need attention first and likely offer the greatest decluttering opportunities. WHAT DO WE ACTUALLY DO HERE? Write down every activity that happens in your space. Identify the top three or four family activities by a group vote and declutter to encourage these activities. Consider relocating some activities to other spaces (such as practicing yoga in a bedroom) or focusing on portable solutions for activities enjoyed by just one person (a tote for favorite crochet projects rather…

Professional organizer Kathy Jenkins in Richmond, Virginia, recommends these essentials for a tidier home and more organized kids. Essential #1 Bookcase Why: Everyone needs a special place to organize reading materials. Establishing a rule that your child’s library must fit on his or her bookcase helps limit sprawl. Look for: A piece with two to four solid-wood shelves that are 10 to 12 inches deep and adjustable. Tip: Add a few bookends and gather magazines in holders. Secure the bookcase to the wall with appropriate hardware. Essential #2 Hamper Why: Dirty laundry needs a landing spot that’s not the floor, bed, or chair. Look for: A ventilated plastic container or a mildew-resistant fabric bin with a sturdy frame. Go for a taller bin and forgo the lid. Tip: Transition dirty…

1. ADD A BOOKCASE No linen closet? Try a slim tower to stash tissues, towels, cleaners, and morning essentials. TO BUY: Better Homes & Gardens three-cube organizer in white, $54; walmart.com. 2. ELEVATE THE DAILY Place frequently used items on the tower’s top surface. A tray means you can whisk everything away for a quick clean. 3. TAME WITH BINS Minimize visual chaos with bins and baskets to corral identical items (washcloths)or supplies for a specific task (cleaning). 4. DIVIDE & CONQUER Slip an insert, such as the H- and X-shape shelves in the top and middle cubbies, into each compartment to boost storage power. TO BUY: Better Homes & Gardens H storage shelf in white, $13; walmart.com. BONUS TIP When traditional, wall-mount towel bars aren’t an option, install mini…

1. ARRANGE VERTICALLY Hang a pegboard above a desk to hold tools and supplies. As you add to your inventory or your interests change, rearrange the shelves and pegs to suit your needs. TO BUY: Tetonia pegboard kit in Nature (similar), $49; wayfair.com. 2. LET IT ROLL Any room can be a craft room when your supplies are arranged on a go-anywhere cart. Wheel it into a corner or a closet when not in use. TO BUY: Sauder Craft Pro Series craft cart, $380; sauder.com. 3. PROVIDE EASY ACCESS A spinning organizer corrals pens, pencils, and other small supplies right on your work surface. TO BUY: Desktop carousel organizer (similar), $30; officedepot.com. 4. SEPARATE SUPPLIES Designate a cubby, storage bin, or drawer for each type of project to keep necessary…

AVOID STOCKPILES It’s a core decluttering principle, and it especially applies to lawn machines, bicycles, and other outdoor gear. To avoid future garage pileups, commit to the “one in, one out” rule: If you bring home a new lawn mower, for example, you need to sell or toss the old one. ROTATE BY SEASON When it’s summer, make the camping equipment accessible on lower shelves, and move skis and poles to upper shelves. A switcheroo twice a year will save you time as you pack the car for a weekend campout with friends. ASSEMBLE KITS Gather all the tools and supplies for infrequent tasks in a single container. The next time you need to paint, patch a wall, or deal with a plumbing problem, you can simply tote your kit…

Think of decluttering as the opening move that makes all other organizing goals more achievable. Our whole-house, whole-family plan featured here is designed to save time (fewer closet excavations) and aggravation (no more pantry landslides). It might also erase guilt, since clutter reminds us of the decisions, big and little, that we’ve dodged. More shelf space is lovely, but more mental space is the real game changer. What will you do with yours? Step 1 The Prep CONFER WITH YOUR TEAM “It’s essential to get everyone in on the process to ensure buy-in. Without collaboration, it’s unlikely anyone will honor your unilateral decisions on where things live,” says Andrew Mellen, a professional organizer based on both coasts. Spark your family’s interest by transforming a key shared space, like the mudroom…

WHEN I WAS A YOUNG INTERN at the Atlanta Constitution many years ago, the television critic for the paper returned from a California junket where reporters had been invited to tour the Malibu home of actor Larry Hagman, then at the height of his Dallas fame. (I said it was many years ago.) I recall the critic laughing at how the writers had formed a line at Hagman’s bookshelves jotting down the titles, keen to find any detail that would make their stories distinctive. But I absorbed a different message: Your bookshelves define you. People walk into your home and create a narrative of who you are based on the books on display. And for more than 30 years, across eight moves and four states, I was in thrall to…

“THINK OUTSIDE THE BOX” was the mantra from professional organizer Deborah Cabral as she advised homeowners Christy and Tony Brokens on their tiny entry closet. Following her advice, the couple replaced a traditional hanging bar with wall hooks mounted on 1×6 boards hung at two different heights. “Coat hooks are quicker and easier to use because they put everything you need right at your fingertips,” Cabral says. At the top of the closet, woven bins store items based on the weather—rain, sun, and snow. A new motion-sensor ceiling light aids visibility. To ensure the closet remains clutter-free, Cabral suggested that Christy and Tony limit items to just two in-season coats and two pairs of shoes per person. Off-season clothing and extra shoes are now stored in each child’s room. The…

1. STORE STRATEGICALLY Designate a space for cookware as close to the range as possible so you’re not running across the kitchen to retrieve supplies. Keep pots and pans in lower cabinets, saving upper areas for smaller items that are easier to find at eye level. 2. PROTECT THE FINISH Preserve the nonstick coating on nested cookware by placing felt or silicone pads between each pan. TO BUY: Pan & dish protectors, $31 for 3; kuhnrikonshop.com. 3. PUT A LID ON IT If your space allows, store pots and pans with their lids to avoid spending time tracking down the proper mate. Otherwise nest small pots inside larger ones (never more than three to a stack) and use a rack to arrange lids vertically by size. TO BUY: Bamboo wood…

IF YOU HAVE … 15 MINUTES MOVE THOSE PAPERS. Arrange loose papers into piles, grab the laptop, and move it all off the table. There’s not time to go through everything and decide what goes where, so just get it all out of sight by putting papers in a file folder or desk drawer to tackle later. ARRANGE THE CHAIRS. Halfway pulled out chairs look messy. Pushing in chairs and making sure they’re the right distance apart from each other give the appearance that you totally have it together. PUT OUT PLACE MATS. A simple move like arranging place mats around the table gives it a polished look in a flash. 1 HOUR DIVIDE YOUR DISHES. Separate your tableware into everyday and special occasion. Your everyday pieces need to be…

A DEDICATED PLAY SPACE should mean the end of kid clutter, right? Not always, as one Congers, New York, family found as they struggled to stay on top of the balls, blocks, and trucks that come with raising two young sons. The couple hired clutter coach Chip Cordelli for solutions, and he helped them turn this formerly chaotic space into one of the home’s highlights. First they cleared the room entirely and assessed the items the boys truly enjoyed. “This should be a play space, not a storage space,” says Chip. He advises parents to devote real estate to the top-10 large playthings and move less popular items into a closet, rotating as needed. Then they updated and upgraded the room so the entire family can now spend time here…

Step 1 Prep for the clean-out If you’re not careful, a closet clean-out can eat up your weekend and take over your whole house. Start with a game plan to keep it contained. SET A DATE Ideally, you want to allocate four hours—that’s the amount of time the stylists interviewed by Real Simple say it takes to overhaul and reassemble the average closet. Besides, most people reach fashion saturation after a morning or an afternoon on the job. Can’t budget a window of time that big? Tackle categories (blouses, lingerie, jewelry, etc.) in one- or two-hour blocks, spread out over a couple of weeks. GATHER SUPPLIES Try on clothing in front of a full-length mirror and have heavy-duty trash bags for sorting castoffs into three categories: donate, sell, and recycle.…

IF YOU HAVE… 15 MINUTES PICK UP PLUSH TOYS. Quick, everyone throw stuffed animals into bins or arrange them on the beds, whichever’s faster. TAKE AWAY THE LAUNDRY. Throw dirty clothes (or what’s on the floor from multiple outfit changes that day) into the hamper. 1 HOUR STACK BOOKS. Neatly file books back on bookshelves, keeping the ones that are bedtime favorites closest to the bed. GO ON A TOY HUNT. Give each child a laundry basket and ask her to fill it with her favorite toys. Explain that the rest will be stored elsewhere for a while. Use garbage bags or bins to pack up remaining toys. Keep in the attic, garage, or spare room. Whenever a child asks for a specific toy, retrieve it. REVIEW OFF-SEASON CLOTHES. It’s…

LIKE MOST FAMILIES, the Taos have a schedule so packed with work, school, and activities that it’s tough to find time to straighten up. Gwen Tao, a physical therapist, and her husband, Pete, an electrical engineer and high school football official, have three sons and adopted five rescue dogs. They also open up their Dripping Springs, Texas, home to weekly community events, including Girl Scout troop meetings and Pilates classes, which take place in a room above the detached garage. Over the years, old papers and outdated electronics spilled out of the drawers and cabinets in a shared home office, and miscellaneous items (exercise ball, ice cream maker) migrated to the laundry room. The mess might have grown even more had it not been for the family’s nanny, who took…

IF YOU HAVE… 15 MINUTES TOSS THESE THINGS. Quickly gather old catalogs, newspapers, magazines, and remnants of DIY projects. To the trash they go. 1 HOUR ASSIGN CATEGORIES. In the garage, find homes for these items: sports equipment, power tools, and gardening tools. Label the areas with blue painters tape and a permanent marker. GIFT THE GARAGE A GARBAGE BIN. Now you’ll have a designated place to throw away food wrappers, junk you find in the yard, or other stuff from those half-finished DIY projects. POT YOUR POTTING SOIL Bags of potting soil and fertilizer can tip over easily (and they’re not much to look at anyway). Instead, pour the soil into rarely used kitchen pots with lids or cheap enamel vessels. For bigger bags, try an Oscar-the-Grouch-style garbage can.…