my top 11 organizing tips

yours with a pinky promise

Jun 20, 2025

In our house, we do pinky promises.

When we want to make sure someone’s really going to keep their word, we ask for a “pinky promise?”

So before you read any further, I’m going to ask you to make me a pinky promise.

I’ve gathered my favorite professional organizing tips for you, and I want you to promise that you won’t skip past the hard part.

That you won’t leapfrog over the real work of decluttering.

Decluttering vs. Organizing: Why Order Matters

Decluttering is the process of letting go.

It’s the act of separating yourself from the things that no longer serve you.
It’s where resistance - and procrastination - might show up.
But it’s also where you’ll find deep healing and self-love.

Organizing is the process of making things functional and accessible.

It’s taking the things you love, need, and use, and storing them in a way that honors the rhythms of your life.

Both are important. But order matters.

Organizing without decluttering can become a disguise.
It lets you keep things that aren’t an energetic match simply because they’ve been tucked into a system or made to look pretty in a bin.

👉 (If you need support with decluttering, I’ve got you. Check out my article -Transform Your Home's Energy: 15 Decluttering Tips You Need Today)

MY TOP 11 PRO ORGANIZING TIPS

Store like items with like items
This helps you see how much you actually have and makes it easier to eliminate duplicates.
Keep all the items needed for a task together
This makes it easier to find what you need when you need it.
For example, store the band-aids with the Neosporin, or the cupcake liners with the sprinkles.
Designate a home for everything
This makes tidying up and putting things away a breeze.
Sometimes that “home” might mean buying a bin, clearing space in a closet, or repurposing a bookshelf.
Make sure items are easy to retrieve and easy to put back
You shouldn’t have to move five things just to return one item.
Efficiency becomes your BFF when it comes to maintaining organization.
Use prime real estate for things you access frequently
Think eye-level shelves and easy-to-reach drawers - spaces that are effortless to access. Save the top kitchen drawer for everyday essentials, not the extra light bulbs you only need twice a year.
Create active and passive zones
Active zones are areas you interact with daily like your entryway, top drawers, or visible shelves. Passive zones are the ones you access rarely like the attic, guest room closets, or deep storage.
Store items as close to where you use them as possible
Kitchen appliances in the kitchen pantry.
Dog leash near the door.
Printer cartridges next to the printer.
Proximity is what will help your habits stick.
Set up systems for how you process things
A basket for incoming mail. A recycling bin nearby. A laundry hamper in your closet. The more intuitive your system is, the more likely you are to use it.
Make your systems easy
Don’t fight your natural tendencies.
If your family doesn’t hang up their coats, place hooks near the most-used entrance.
Don’t design a system that depends on behavior that rarely happens.
Leave room to grow
Designate the maximum space you’ll need for a particular item.
For example, if you typically buy a large bundle of paper towels, create space for the full package—not just the three rolls you currently have on hand.
Use self-limiting containers
Let your space define how much you own.
When the bin is full, it’s your signal to pause before buying more.

NOW OVER TO YOU

I’m all about a good organizing hack. Do you have any favorites?

Let us know in the comments. We’d love to hear!

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