The Home Edit’s Best Hacks to Getting Organized for Good
If you’ve been putting off your spring cleaning because you just.can’t.deal with those cluttered problem areas, we feel you. But how do you make this the year that your organization system really sticks? We called in the experts from The Home Edit — yes, the Nashville-based team that elevates pantry-organizing to an art form and boasts such celeb clients as Gwyneth Paltrow and Mandy Moore — to share their top tips for making sure your spring cleaning payoff lasts all year.
1. Demolish the ever-growing paper pile once and for all. “The amount of homework, permission slips, and artwork that comes into the house every day can feel endless,” according to Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin, co-founders of The Home Edit. (We know that feeling!) “Setting up folders to organize and categorize the stream of school papers helps you stay on top of everything. We like to designate separate folders for each member of the family, one for general household, and one action items that need follow-up. You can use a traditional file sorter, a desktop organizer, or even place hanging files in a bin.”
2. Keep your crafty side controlled. If you’re someone with a healthy DIY habit, you know what it’s like to when your works-in-progress have taken over your home. According to Teplin and Shearer, a dedicated space for current projects is key. “Having a specific spot will decrease piles of clutter that can otherwise accumulate,” they tell Brit + Co. “The best way to organize crafts is to individually store all the bits and pieces. Keeping the categories divided and contained is the only way to prevent craft chaos.” The team suggests clear bins and other see-through storage solutions for two reasons. First, the easy visibility lets you be aware of what you have, and second, seeing your favorite crafting items daily will spark a little extra creativity, even when you’re not in DIY mode.
3. Think beyond the closet when it comes to clothing. A perfectly organized closet is the dream, sure, but even a pristine closet is useless if your clothes are all piling up elsewhere. For those items that tend to accumulate by the front door, The Home Edit team suggests a simple two-part system. “Create seasonal closet bins for summer and winter so you can easily grab mittens or a beach hat as you’re headed out the door. Place one on a high shelf, and one within reach, then rotate them as the weather changes.”
4. Streamline your morning routine. Messy areas bring even more stress to already-chaotic morning routines, so cross two personal improvement projects off your list and create a system that helps you get out the door with ease. “Create a daily drawer or bin that holds all of your everyday items,” Shearer and Teplin suggest. “It’ll save you time in the morning since everything will be at your fingertips.” For the end of the day, have a similar system in place: “Always have a drop spot. A sectioned bin is a stylish solution for organizing purses, coats, and more.” If you divide the bin based on your family’s needs, they advise, each member always knows where to put their essentials — and they’ll have them ready and waiting in the morning rush.
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(Photos via The Home Edit)