42 organising tips you’ll wish you knew all along

“If you have an overflowing drawer, consider expanding it to two drawers, until every drawer can close. Next, narrow down how many types of things are in the same drawer. Only bras and underwear should have to share space. Lastly, move out-of-season or excess items into under-bed storage. —Alissa Dorfman

Here’s exactly how a professional organiser would transform your wardrobe.

“How old are your kids? Do their toys reflect that? As kids grow, their toys change shape. In the beginning, everything is big and chunky with fewer pieces. A few years down the road, everything is teeny and collectible and kills if you step on it. Your playroom should reflect the ages of your kids and have different ways of organising the distinctly different toys. Use bins and Ziplock bags for all the little pieces, labelled so kids know which is for which. Communal areas, like dress-up and kitchen, should have big bins so clean-up is easier. Puzzles and board games should have a shelf, but make sure they too are separated by age, so each kid knows which area has their age-appropriate toys. Encourage taking out one thing at a time and remind them ten minutes before a playtime ends to clean up. You may have to help at first, but once your children know where every toy belongs, they are more than capable of cleaning up on their own.” —Alissa Dorfman

“For people who chronically pile papers instead of filing them, ditch your filing cabinet. Instead, keep your piles but make them a little more structured by putting them into clear bins and then labelling them by category. It’s best if bins are transparent—either wire or acrylic—because if you’re a piler then you also probably have a visual memory. Labelling helps other people interact with your piling system.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin, co-authors of Organise Your Way: Simple Strategies for Every Personality

“Consider hanging almost all of your clothes. (You can use a double hanger to increase hanging space.) This helps you see everything you have so you know exactly what’s there and what you need. Drawers should be reserved for socks and underwear only.” —Kelly McMenamin and Katie McMenamin

Organise your closet: here are 9 genius rules for deciding which clothes to keep or toss.

“Being surrounded by a lot of stuff can wear you down, physically and emotionally. Your home should be a reflection of items that truly hold meaning for you – either because you really like them or because there’s a special memory attached to them. Don’t hang onto unused picture frames, knick-knacks, plates, bowls, vases and other items you don’t have out on display or use. And remember, just because it’s hidden in a closet doesn’t mean it won’t add to that overwhelmed feeling you have as you still have to take care of it.” —Jeffrey Welder

Discover 10 ways to declutter your mind this year.

“Just because you loved something once doesn’t mean you still have to love it ten years later. Times change, people change, and trends change, and there’s nothing wrong with letting things go that no longer make you happy.” —Jeffrey Welder

“Hanging shoe organisers are a handy tool to keep clutter off floors and shelves, with uses for every room of your house. Try hanging one in your laundry room to organise all of your cleaning supplies. Or put one on your pantry door as the pouches are the perfect size to organise small boxes and gravy packets. Hang one in your bathroom to organise makeup and other toiletries. Use one in the playroom to keep Legos, matchbox cars, stuffed animals, and other small toys off the floor and in plain sight. Or try one in your workroom to keep all of your craft and wrapping supplies together.” —Jeffrey Welder

Here’s how to instantly organise your medicine cabinet in a few simple steps.

“Under cabinets often end up packed to the gills (and hard to use) or half full of dead space. A simple solution is to use half shelves or stackable containers to use as much of the vertical area as you can.” —Schae Lewis and Bahar Partow

“Our clients love the ‘12-12-12 challenge.’ Each week, set a time to find 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home. It takes just a few minutes and is a fun, easy way to quickly organise 36 things in your house.” —Alison Bradley of the London Cleaning Team

“If you want to declutter without being wasteful, throw a party and invite friends to bring unused or unwanted items to swap. Everyone gets to go home with something new, and if you end up with leftovers, donate them to a local charity.” —Alison Bradley