42 organising tips you’ll wish you knew all along

For many, organising is something that gets put off for months, but if you stay organised from the start and follow these tips, home organisation might not be such a daunting task. Learning how to organise from the start might be a lifestyle change, but in the end, it’s worth it. Read on to learn the best organising tips from the pros.

“The first step to winning the battle against clutter is to control what comes into your home. Unsubscribe from junk mail and catalogues you do not read. Stop shopping in bulk and buying non-necessities. Once the incoming flow of stuff and papers slows down or stops, you can focus on decluttering and organising what you have.” —Joanna Monahan, chief of external communications for Major Organisers.

“Most households generate a lot of food waste, but you can cut it down just by having a dedicated – and labelled! – place in the fridge for leftovers and food that needs to be eaten quickly. This way the food actually gets eaten and you will be aware of what you have to buy soon.” —Lauren Haynes, expert in home organising and maintenance at Star Domestic Cleaners.

Watch out for these 10 leftovers you should never reheat in a microwave.

“Ice cube trays placed inside a drawer can really help you store and organise all kinds of little things that can easily get lost. They’re perfect for small pieces of jewellery, paper clips, or craft supplies.” —Lauren Haynes

“To structure your kid’s daily routine, get a simple white-faced clock and use different markers to colour the time segments for each activity like sleeping, bath time, or doing homework. Attach an activity list under the clock and you can keep your kid on schedule and on time.” —Lauren Haynes

“If you have groups of items that are shaped similarly (ie shoes in the bedroom or martini glasses in the kitchen), look at how to fit the shapes together instead of fitting the items. For example, if you are using shoe cubbies, put the shoes toe to heel instead of side by side. This way you can fit a pair of high heels in one cubby instead of two. You’ll be surprised how much more you can fit in a space when you look at shapes.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow, co-founders of Mission 2 Organise LLC

Instantly organise your medicine cabinet in a few simple steps.

“Being organised doesn’t have to be about being super creative or crafty like you often see online. For instance, you have probably seen the ‘trick’ to get 20 mason jars and glue the tops to the underside of a shelf, making cute storage for small items. But that’s a lot of work! And for what? Is that really making your life easier? I always tell my clients to look for the easiest solution to your organising problems, not the most creative.” —Alissa Dorfman, personal organiser and owner of Alissa Dorfman Home Organising

“When you have kids, always use hooks for their daily use items like coats and backpacks, rather than using hangers. Many kids lack the motor skills to get a coat on a hanger. Make sure the hooks are low to the ground so that the kids can reach them.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards, professional organiser with Home Key Organisation

“Instead of a traditional dresser, try a shelf with bins on it instead. This way, clothes don’t always have to be perfectly folded to close a drawer. Bonus: It will be easier for kids to put away their own clothes.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards

“Shoe racks are flimsy and rarely have enough space for all the shoes in a home, so use a bookcase instead.” —Stacy Erickson Edwards

Learn 20 things professional organisers would never do in their own homes.