Our 45 Best Home Organizing Hacks Ever
How do you wrangle all those belts in your closet that always end up in a tangled mess? And what is the one product you need to finally get your socks organized (and keep them that way)? We've got answers, plus 43 more of our best organizing tips.
To get started
1. Purge all clutter.
This will save you time in the long run, as you won’t waste time organizing things you don’t need.
In the bedroom
2. Designate a place to put jewellery at the end of the day.
Keep items you wear often in easy-to-access containers.
3. Keep your glasses out of harm’s way.
You’ll always know where to find them, and you won’t risk accidentally sitting on them.
4. Give bigger items their own space.
Serving trays work great here.
5. Repurpose vessels already kicking around the house.
Dip trays work great for storing small accessories like rings and hair ties.
6. Jazz up your drawers with paper liner.
When you get bored with it, swap in another piece of wrapping paper.
7. Ring holders are worth it.
Stack rings in one place while adding a cute piece to your dresser.
Ceramic Ring Holders, $8 each
8. A few “S” hooks can wrangle all your belts
Suspend them on your closet rail and hang belts by their buckles. (Shower curtain hooks also work!)
Solid Brass S Hook, starting at $16
9. A headboard with shelves means nothing ends up on the floor
Check out this affordable Walmart option—all your books will have a place to go.
10. Fold ’em like Marie Kondo
The decluttering guru Marie Kondo stacks her folded clothes vertically in drawers. It makes choosing a tee so much easier.
11. Storage trunks are as handy as they are stylish
If you’re tight on closet space, a decorative box at the end of your bed can store quilts, throw blankets and extra pillows.
12. Socks don’t need to suffer separation anxiety
Never lose a sock’s companion when you sort them with a drawer divider.
Drawer Divider, $4
13. Get creative with furniture
Tight on space? Put your dresser next to your bed for a makeshift side table, then place a lamp on the end closest to your bed, as designer Stacey Cohen has done here.
14. Use pillowcases to store sheets
Fold matching sheet sets and slide them into their pillowcases. Stack them in your closet—he next time you make your bed will be a breeze.
The kitchen
15. Take freezer bags out of their packaging.
Tuck them in a small box for easy reach, and never be surprised by the need to buy more.
16. Store similar lids together.
And any container base in your kitchen missing its lid gets tossed. That’s non-negotiable.
17. Invest in a set of matching containers in varying sizes.
You only really need three sizes: Small, medium and large.
18. Transform magazine holders into lid sorters.
These work great for deep drawers, and they hold a whole bunch at once.
19. Say yes to glass containers.
They’re durable and easy to stack and will last you a lifetime.
20. Group items by task
Keep all the items you need for a specific daily task, like making coffee, on a single tray. You’ll suddenly have a tidy counter.
21. Stand flat kitchen accessories, don’t stack
Baking pans will be much easier to find if you stand them upright and keep them separated with tension rods or wire dividers. Keep them on the counter in a tidy display, or place the divider rack in a cabinet.
22. Use jars to organize dried goods
You’ll know where everything is! Bonus points: Use chalkboard labels to identify what’s inside and when it will expire. Wire baskets are great for storing produce that needs air like potatoes and onions.
23. Make a pretty display out of your muffin cups
Take them out of their packaging and stack them in a Mason jar, like Julie from Table for Two has done here. Mixing colours and patterns will look adorable too. Same goes for straws and chopsticks!
24. Custom utensil holders will buy you more space
You’ll be able to fit more items in your drawer this way. Remember to sort them by task.
26. When in doubt, reach for a tension rod
They’re great for keeping pot lids upright in drawers.
The bathroom
27. Get rid of packaging, stat.
Store cotton balls, cotton swabs and sponges in separate containers. Looks nice, and you’ll know when to stock up.
28. Give bulky items their space.
Larger items like hairbrushes and combs should be left in a single compartment so they don’t get in the way.
29. Keep everyday beauty items in one place.
A cosmetic organizer houses products like lipsticks and face creams. The key to making it look pretty? Group like items together.
30. Put a lid on it.
Then nothing will fall into your cotton balls, and they won’t fall out and make a mess.
31. Create a travel kit.
Keep sample-sized cosmetics and small travel toiletries in a pouch you can toss into your purse or suitcase last minute.
32. Use baskets to sort towels
Your linen closet isn’t a dumping ground. Sort towels by size in separate baskets. Roll hand towels so you can fit more in the box. Boxes are also great if you don’t have a lot of closet space, and are housing linens with your clothes.
33. There are storage solutions beyond the bathroom drawer
Corral hair ties, floss and other small items in magnetic spice containers and attach them to your bathroom cabinet.
34. Hang wire baskets on the wall
Use them as shelves to store extra towels or toilet paper.
35. A magnetic strip goes a long way
Stick a magnetic strip to the inside of a cabinet door to hang tweezers, nail scissors and files.
36. Decorative baskets do wonders on the floor
No closet storage? Keep clean towels and toilet paper concealed in a pretty basket.
37. Use a back-of-the-door shoe organizer to hold boring bathroom supplies
Out of sight, out of mind! Hang one on the inside of a closet door for toiletry refills and bathroom cleaning products to free up counter and cabinet space.
The office/junk drawer
38. Use small spice jars to hold small items.
Fill with elastic bands, paper clips and bandages. Keep only the amount you are able to fit in each jar.
39. Give scissors their own home for easy access.
You use them so often, you should always know where they are.
40. Keep an old muffin tin to organize small items.
Like loose change and batteries.
41. Cutlery trays make excellent organizational containers
They come in varying sizes which is a plus.
42. Organize cables using rubber bands.
This will prevent them from becoming tangled.
43. Invest in a charging station
Charge up to five devices at once using this modern charging station and keep cords contained in the process. No more cords on the floor!
Great Useful Stuff Multi-Device Charging Station, $123
44. In a small space, keep only what you need
If you have limited desk space, keep the things you use on an everyday basis and make sure everything has its own home using baskets, file folders and cups for pens.
45. Keep loose papers all in one place
Buy one expandable file folder and sort papers, only keeping the most important. Find one with a fun design that you can always keep on your desk for easy reach. If you find you have a lot of paper clutter, try going paperless and scanning your important documents and keeping them on a secure hard drive on your computer.
EcoStash Accordion File Organizer, $23
Want more organization inspo? Check out how our editors tamed their disaster drawers, an overflowing closet and a jumbled home office.
Originally published April 2017; updated May 2026
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Alexandra Gater is a former home editor at Chatelaine who now shares renter-friendly hacks, DIY projects and joyful makeovers with her 900,000 YouTube subscribers.
