Decorating & Design
January 6, 2022
40+ Ways To Be More Organized In 2022
Improving home organization is a common design resolution in the new year, especially as homeowners continue to make their spaces work harder than ever. Whether you’re considering custom storage, looking for decluttering tips, or simply want the motivation to get organized, here are some solutions to help boost order in every room of the home.
Scroll down for tips on how to ditch the clutter and get organized in 2022!
San Francisco professional organizer Shira Gill shares tips for clutter busting in her latest book, Minimalista. “A cluttered living space is a universal stress trigger, it doesn’t matter if you are smart or famous,” writes Shira.
The kitchen and pantry are among the most detailed and time-consuming spaces to organize. “People tell me they could never have open shelving because of the cluttered mess hiding behind closed doors. My easy answer is to invest in one nice set of plates, bowls, and glassware that you are proud to display. This goes for bowls, plates, and glassware,” she says.
“Editing one toy category at a time will ensure that you (and your kids) don’t get overwhelmed,” says Shira. Shira encourages people to review toys with their kids and make two piles — one for the items they love, and one for the stuff that has to go. “Make sure not to hover or pressure your kids so they can practice making clear and decisive choices all on their own. Hello, life skills!”
Shira encourages people to jot down what they actually want to do in their living and dining rooms in order to organize each space appropriately. “I’ve had clients who wanted to practice yoga in their dining rooms and host macramé workshops in their living rooms. It all makes sense if it makes sense to you,” she says.
“Your bed takes up a significant amount of square footage in your bedroom. If it looks like a hot mess, so does the rest of the room,” says Shira. Consider how you curate your nightstand. Stick to things that will bring you joy: fresh flowers, a framed photo, and a candle and book.
Laundry rooms and storage closets are magnets for clutter and random household items. “It takes far less time to overhaul a storage closet, or any other hidden storage space, than you might think. Turn on some tunes and set your timer for 15 minutes; transformation is on the way,” says Shira.
Mandy Moore’s pantry is truly #organizationgoals. Commonly used appliances are on display and ready for to use at a moment’s notice, spices are organized into categories and placed on Lazy Susans for easy access, and a pyramid of paper towels are ready to go for spills and clean up duty.
If you’re planning a kitchen remodel, consider integrating custom tech solutions that will free up space on the counter to create a less cluttered look. Designer Ali McQuaid Mitchell was asked to design a kitchen that was both dramatic and functional. On the kitchen island, a counter-integrated vent hood neatly tucks away into the island when not in use.
Having one floating shelf in the kitchen forces you to display the things you use on the daily, like tea cups, drinking glasses, and a few plates and bowls.
If you’re renovating your home from scratch, look for innovative ways to integrate hidden storage solutions. In this multigenerational home designed by Ali Budd, the design theme was to blend South Asian tradition with modern functionality. A secret mirrored closet off the home’s entryway is playful, practical, and is the perfect spot to hide jackets, school bags, shoes, and family belongings.
Nashville-based experts The Home Edit‘s Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin have advice on how to tackle the clutter everywhere in your home. One of their tips to is to designate a living room play area.
“We know, authorizing any designated space for your kids in the living room is terrifying, but hear us out,” says Clea. “Visually distinguish the space by adding color to it. Separating toys by hue in containers placed on a vibrant mat will help prompt kids to put things away in the right place and can turn cleanup into a game.”
Next up on their tip list? Involve the kids! Arranging books by color helps preschoolers identify their favorite bedtime reads by cover and creates a rainbow display.
Clear up counter space with a bar cart. “Love coffee but can’t accommodate an espresso machine in the kitchen?” says Clea. “Move it to the living room and create a speciality coffee bar.”
This savvy mudroom also functions as a laundry room, where well-equipped zones keep clean laundry separate from muddy shoes, and wet or stained garments can go directly into the wash. In the laundry area, closed cabinets hide detergent and cleaning supplies, while on the mudroom side, rows of hooks and benches make it easy to grab a coat or tie laces. A central counter-height cart bridges the two sides (the height is ideal for folding), and a lower shelf and bins can store shoes or corral lone socks.
Make the most of niches! In this dining room, everything from firewood to artwork has its own place (with extra points for a dramatic dark background). This wall works extra hard with a floating shelf for even more display, which makes it easy to move around the picture frames.
Here’s a smart way to max out every square foot of room in a small apartment, and turn a living space it into a quick-change guest room. Custom built-in sofas are a clever use of space and double as beds.
Don’t get boxed in by bad storage. “Our old pantry was a similar size, but everything was always falling over and it was dark,” explains homeowner Alison Mazurek. “We knew pullout shelves would make it really functional. Our ceilings are nine and a half feet high, but the cabinets are a traditional height, so there was unused space on top of the pantry and closet. We added another two feet to store seasonal items or additional pantry supplies.”
See shelving in a new light, as Alison does in her daughter’s room. “I wish my kids had a desk, but I rationalize that they can use our dining table, or a shallow seven-inch Ikea shelf instead,” she says.
Small closets are typical in older homes, but here’s a fix when the mitts start overflowing. In this West Coast mid-century home, a stately vintage wardrobe in an entryway is the perfect place to hang jackets and coats. The deep drawer and interior shelves also make a great spot for stowing hats, mitts and shoes.
Not everything has to be stashed away! Enhance the farmhouse vibe with crocks, cookie jars and old-time apothecary jars. They are a pretty way to display foodstuffs, so ditch the boxes (and add a tin scoop for good measure).
Carving out a workstation where none existed before is a common ask in 2021. In this kitchen, a tucked-away mahogany table with brass legs is just 24″ deep, but pulls out to be 48″ to serve as the home office when needed. Plus, take a look at the matching canisters on the open shelving — can you say #organizationgoals?
Consider stacking the washer and dryer laundromat-style to leave more room for efficient floor-to-ceiling storage that keeps cleaning supplies out of sight.
If there isn’t room for cabinets, there are lots of opportunities for freestanding storage and organization. An antique glass-fronted cabinet keeps culinary essentials within easy reach and it helps skirt the problem of drilling into the stone walls to secure cabinets. We also love the Shaker-style pegs that are mounted on the left wall, and the racks to tuck in dishes in front of a window.
In this Vancouver apartment, a mix of open and closed storage beneath the bed is a smart way to keep things from looking too busy.
Divide and conquer! The drawers inside this kitchen island are divided inside, so the owner can meticulously organize baking supplies.
Don’t underestimate the power of a pretty pink set of curtains on the bottom of a bunk bed to close off clutter. They also serve as a way to create a fun hideaway to play with all those cuddly stuffies.
The hook for the 2020 Spring Princess Margaret Showhome mudroom by Sarah Baeumler? Take your pick. As a mother of four, Sarah knows how much gear kids can accrue. The answer is a mix of dedicated solutions: cubbies, drawers, hooks and a wraparound bench that lets everyone get ready for hockey practice at the same time.
Large baskets are an inexpensive way to remedy a lack of storage. Here, H&H design editor Kai Ethier placed a trio of bins beneath the sink to store extra towels and free up counter space.
Is a shower update on your reno wish list this year? Consider a shallow inset shelf to keep soaps and shampoos off the floor.
For bathrooms where greater storage is required, take a cue from designer Sam Sacks and repurpose a vintage armoire for a functional unit with a one-of-a-kind look. Casually draped hammam towels give a spa vibe.
Former J.Crew menswear designer Frank Muytjens opted for a custom closet solution in his own principal bedroom, creating a wall-to-wall storage unit with pull-out shelves and metal baskets for stashing smaller clothing items away.
Keep a box or tray near the door and fill it with ornamental ceramic bowls as catchalls to hold keys, trinkets and more.
For a built-in storage solution, a shallow shelf with drawers affixed to the wall is great for keeping on-the-go items at the ready.
Shoes are often a tornado of clutter at the door. In her own home foyer, designer Erika Floysvik opted for a console table with flip-down doors to free up floor space and keep her shoes neatly stored.
Designer Élaine Fortin took advantage of a tall backsplash and installed rustic open shelves to balance the look of modern tile and keep kitchen essentials at hand.
Designer Sam Sacks put an unused wall to good use when redesigning this high-contrast kitchen. A new pantry unit (background, left) provided her clients with the extra storage they craved, while an open bookshelf helped to break up an expanse of white cabinetry.
Keep plates sorted and out of sight with dividers that fit into deep drawers. Likewise, custom cup slots make grabbing a glass easy and accessible.
Narrow vertical drawers are perfect for storing spices, but that’s not the limit of their value. Use this space to store baking trays and cutting boards for quick and convenient access.
Make the most of space behind a sofa or chair to corral items, like a record collection, as designer Sophie Burke did in her West Vancouver home.
Aim for large-scale coffee tables with lots of surface and storage capacity, like this simple square one in Kristin Andersons’s home, which makes the most of style and function.
For bedrooms with limited closet space, forgo bedside tables in favor of a storage unit that makes the most of vertical and horizontal space around the bed.
Use the open space above storage cabinets to keep baskets that can store out-of-season accessories.
Keep a mess-prone kids’ bedroom organized with picture rail shelves. Not only do they help reduce floor clutter, but they provide a sweet and accessible space for display.