Get simple, actionable organizing ideas that will leave your home feeling calm and stress free. This list of DIY organization ideas is easy to implement and quite inexpensive – your home organization will be next level in NO TIME!

New year, fresh start! Get inspired with this quick list of five things that you can organize now, without a lot of effort. These ideas are truly easy organization projects anyone can accomplish.

Organizing doesn’t have to be complicated- let’s take it one step at a time.

mudroom in garage with peg rail and shoe tray
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I’m always looking for ways to streamline our home to make the transition through seasons a little more seamless and our home a little more calm.

Truthfully, this organization tour is basically another version of our home tour – exposed. (click through to see the full before and after tour of our St. Louis abode!)

Now you’ll get to see behind the cabinet doors, inside the drawers and a find a few free printables, too!

Today I thought it would be fun to do a round-up of many of my most popular ideas that I’ve shared over the years.

Organizing doesn’t have to be stressful. Start small with these incredibly efficient projects that will get you energized for more! These ideas can work for anyone, no matter the style, size or era of your home. Let’s get started!

The inside of a pantry cabinet organized with baskets

Home Organization

“It’s easy to organize when your shelves are almost bare. Everything looks pretty. Try adding a lot of things and the organization is so much harder.”

This was a message I received on Instagram once.

True, adding things makes it harder, but to me, organization often means being thoughtful about what you need and eliminating what you don’t. In fact, that’s how each and every one of my projects starts!

We remove everything from the space, evaluating if we need it. If so, does it belong in this space or is it a better fit in another space? Then, we determine placement.

Sometimes stuff is just stuff. Take our linen closet, for example. It was filled with a plethora of sheets, old bath toys, dried up bath paints and bathroom rugs from our previous home amongst other junk.

I realized when I removed everything that we only needed two sets of sheets per bed, some bath toys could be moved to the bathroom and the dried paints – TRASH. Why was I allowing them to consume space in our home and my head?

Organization isn’t about perfection. It’s about efficiency, reducing stress & clutter, saving time and money, and improving your overall quality of life.

–Christina Scalise

garage mudroom
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Tips

  • Eliminate excess. Start with my Decluttering Tips!
  • Order organizers and storage essentials ahead! That way when the urge to tackle a project hits, you’re truly prepared.
  • Measure once, twice, three times before ordering baskets, drawer organizers, bins and more.
  • Use expandable drawer organizers or assorted sizes for a custom fit.
  • Leave Empty Space – The best organization system is one that leaves empty space for incoming items until you can organize them into their appropriate home at a later time.
A clear plastic bathroom drawer organizer with make up

20+ Home Organization Ideas

So many of these ideas are easy to implement, inexpensive, and can be accomplished in a weekend or less. If there’s ever a time to organize our homes, it’s right here and now! Don’t let the weight of too much stuff weigh you down- take the steps to get organized, one step at a time.

Here we go! Are you ready to get organized for good? Start with one of these ideas, or tackle a few in a weekend. You won’t get overwhelmed because you’re starting small!

Organize your Nightstand

Let’s start small, friends! What about starting with your nightstand?

Don’t skip this new Nightstand Organization post! There’s great inspiration for tackling that simple drawer that tends to get out of hand.

A drawer opened with nightstand organization of remotes, lotions and more

Use Hooks

Hooks are a simple way to hang coats, bags, bathrobes and towels. Use them thoughtfully and they can offer storage in an otherwise empty wall, keeping items within easy reach.

There’s one of my very favorite home organization tips! Keeping items within easy reach will help your family with getting and returning items on their own.

A white mudroom with brick floors and simple mudroom storage bench and hooks.

Bathroom Organization

Yes, your bathroom deserves all the organizing too! In fact, these spaces are often neglected and easily become overwhelmed.

Get all the inspiration you need with bathroom drawer organization as well as simple ideas to get your under sink cabinets under control, too.

A clear plastic bathroom drawer organizer with a spray bottle, hair brushes and accessories

Incorporate Baskets

Baskets are my go to for organizing our home. We’ve used them in our bookcases, closets, as end tables, for shoes in mudroom, for wrapping paper, and in the girls’ rooms for toys and stuffed animals. The uses are endless!

As you can see below, we use them on our living room bookshelves and even as side tables!

A white living room with bookshelf decor.a brick fireplace surrounded by built ins,

Organize your Kitchen Counters

Kitchen counter organization is easier said than done, right? This is an area where many of us live with clutter. Learn more!

A kitchen sink with a container of dish detergent pods

Use Labels

Labels not only help you decipher what should go where, but they help others who are unfamiliar to find exactly what they’re seeking {husbands, anyone?}.

It doesn’t have to be color coded to be organized. When everything has a place, it’s easy to put things where they need to go each and every time!

We love this wireless label maker – adding labels to your charging cords can be especially helpful for parents! If you know, you know.

A home organization shelf with a gold label on it.

Create a Potting Bench

Right in your garage! Come see how we incorporated a little charm and a LOT of function by organizing all of our garden necessities into one pretty area.

See more of our garage organization makeover in this garage floor coating post.

A green built in potting bench with garden tools and flowers, with a white bike in front

Peg Rail

Next on this quick list, add a peg rail to any wall where you need a little storage and organization – you can do this in any room, closet, or storage space in your home!

Make use of a little bare wall space with the charm and convenience of this family-favorite storage hack. It can maximize valuable real estate in a small kitchen, garage, laundry room, storage room and more. Order a simple peg rail system and thank me later!

garage mudroom with boot tray and peg rail

Pots and Pans Storage

No matter how much space you have in your kitchen, or how old or new it is, storage for pots and pans can be a conundrum. We’re here to show you some great, realistic options!

White Caraway cookware in a pots and pans organizer inside a kitchen cabinet.

Choose Multipurpose Furniture

Purchase versatile furniture that is intended for multiple uses. This is another storage and organization trick that we use frequently!

We’ve got unconventional end tables and we’ve combined items like this bedside table desk. A versatile piece of furniture often amounts to less pieces, consuming less space.

We love these folding benches that double as luggage racks and spare seating at the lake.

A blue and white coastal living room.

Use Existing Cabinetry

We took a previously under-utilized cabinet and turned it into a bar cabinet.

Open the doors in the built in bookcases to reveal this cute little mini bar. I like to make valuable use of every inch! It’s a pretty way to display and store your liquor that goes away when you close the doors.

This is a DIY home organization technique that is completely free! Have an open cabinet? You’ve got room for a home bar if you can create that space!

A white shelf with wine bottles, glasses, and a clock offers an elegant solution for home organization.

Re-Purpose Furniture

We used an old three drawer chest to store hats, sunscreen and keys in the mudroom, an old trunk doubles as storage of my family heirlooms in our bedroom and my heirloom wardrobe serves as a linen cabinet for the main level.

One of my favorite techniques for home organization is to use what you have. You don’t have to run out and buy beautiful storage containers- although that’s fun too! Getting the job done one step at a time is priority, though.

A white mudroom with brick floors and mudroom storage cabinet and hooks.

Linen Closet or Linen Cabinet

Yes, I have both, a linen closet for sheets and blankets near our bedrooms, and a linen cabinet for pillows and throws in our family room.

Pick one to organize this weekend, and in just a few minutes you can be done! Get tips and tricks to organizing your linens in minutes here.

A home organization armoire filled with towels and linens.

Install Closet Systems

They have really helped us organize our former closet and our current. Chris and Adalyn reworked hers and she loves keeping them organized.

Whether you update your closet or just organize it, I highly recommend starting by removing everything. Want to see what you’re really wearing? Flip your hangers around and at the end of the month, any hangers that are backwards are subject to donation.

A white closet with wicker baskets for home organization and a teddy bear.

Laundry Room Organization

Next up, let’s tackle the laundry room! In most homes, this is a small space that can be fairly easy to re-organize.

Eliminate what you don’t need and consolidate what you do with my free printable natural stain removal guide. I like to keep the basics easily accessible and store remaining products, an iron, steamer, etc in the cabinets above.

An organized laundry room equipped with a washer and dryer.

Speaking of linens, where you wash them should be pretty and functional, too, right? You can get my tips and free printable laundry room labels here.

Laundry Closet

Don’t have a full size laundry room? Get all the best laundry closet ideas at the link above – it’s full of small space inspiration! Learn how to organize your laundry room here.

bookcase trashcan and stacked washer and dryers in closet

Kitchen Cabinet Organization

Organizing the kitchen can feel a bit daunting, but if you take it cabinet by cabinet, it’s an achievable task that can add a lot off function {and space} to your kitchen.

For example, take this baking pantry in our former home. I took one of our small kitchen cabinets and organized it into a home for all of our baking items! I also love to add flexible storage to cabinets using hooks.

A white kitchen with wicker baskets for home organization in the cabinets.

Similarly, in our lake cottage, we use a single kitchen cabinet area for our dry pantry storage. What was once a jumbled mess is now an organized area where we can see everything we need!

An organized cabinet in a white kitchen used as a pantry

Tackle the Space Under Your Kitchen Sink

Of course, this little space gets messy… but as easy as it is to get out of control, it’s just as easy to get it back to a good place.

Throughout our years of home ownership, we’ve tried various methods of under-sink organization and storage. In the end, I tend to like flexible baskets and containers that help divide items under the sink by category.

Eliminate anything you don’t use (or that doesn’t belong there) and group products into categories. I keep dishwasher detergent, scrubbers, etc next to the dishwasher and frequently used cleaning supplies on the other.

under sink cabinet organized with baskets and tubs.

Rarely used specialty items go in the back, but with the use of bins, are easily accessible and won’t fall down. This is a quick and easy organization project that will leave you feeling satisfied.

I have also used bins with handles under the kitchen sink to separate cleaners, dishwashing detergents and accessories, etc. Separating them in bins makes it easier to locate specific things and eliminates the risk of playing dominos.

Organize Paint Colors

Does it bother you that when you need a quick touchup, you’re not exactly sure which one you need? Or when you look for a can of paint and find that you have a few in the garage, a couple on the stairs and a slew of paint stored in the basement?

Oh, that’s just me?

Last week I organized our paint cans and colors by level and it felt so good. Over time paint cans have been left in various places, cluttering areas they don’t belong. My convenient paint color chart will ensure you never mess up with a touch-up, so don’t skip it!

paint cans brushes and color swatches

Make it Totable

Organize your cleaning supplies in easy-to-tote bins. Storing them this way keeps them neater and allows you to transport to any room you need them.

Strategically organize two laundry baskets in a room with a door for optimal laundry room organization.

Drawer Organizers

This is the ultimate answer to the “everything has its place” conundrum of junk drawers and every drawer in your home.

Use drawer organizers in your bathrooms, nightstands and dressers, in your kitchen, office and more!

A junk drawer opened with a wooden organizer, filled with home items and essentials.

Organize your Refrigerator

Get all my best tips for refrigerator organization! This is a fun project that will transform your family’s daily snacking and cooking routines, I promise.

kitchen organization

Sources

Peg Rail with Shelf

Ours is 50″ with a 10″ deep shelf.

A potting bench painted in a green gray color, flowers and tools on top

What are your favorite organization tips? I’d love to hear from you!

More Organization Inspiration

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15 Comments

  1. This is an amazing post! I would love to invite you to my link party: The Beautifully Creative Inspired. The party launches every Fridays at 9AM eastern time! It runs until Wednesday. 😀 Hope you can party with me!

  2. These are such great tips that I can definitely take on board myself! The images are so Pinterest-worthy as well.

  3. Can’t wait to see how your pegboard in your garage! I absolutely love your idea of the glass bathroom organizer as a drawer organizer! Everything you do is so timeless and pretty!

  4. I always always love seeing your home Julie! Absolutely gorgeous and so serene! Love that brick floor too – soo pretty!