This post is in partnership with Christmas Tree Shops andThat! As always, all opinions are my own.
It’s the beginning of a New Year, and what better way to start out on the right note than to get organized?! We’ve all been home more than ever this past year, and the clutter piles up. It happens to all of us! Even organization lovers like myself. Trust me – you don’t want to see the “before” of my pantry!! I decided to jump right into my organization projects this year, but if you’re waiting for Spring cleaning season that’s fine too! Better late than never 🙂 I wanted to share a few of my organization tips and tricks to make your life easier whenever you are ready to tackle the task!
Organization Tips:
- Focus on one room or area at a time. Figure out which areas need the most work, and pick one or two to work on first. I started with my pantry and master bath linen closet because they had the most clutter, and I use them both daily. Taking on too many areas at once can get overwhelming, so focus on one space at a time and then move on to the next.
2. Use storage supplies. Bins, baskets, jars and containers are great for organization for a number of reasons. They save space, keep things tidy, make it easier to find what you’re looking for, and they look nice! I found everything that I needed at Christmas Tree Shops andThat! They had tons of beautiful water hyacinth woven baskets in all different shapes, sizes and colors. I grabbed quite a few in various sizes which work perfectly in my pantry.
Christmas Tree Shops has always been my go-to for seasonal home décor, but they also have a huge selection of all things storage and organization – and the best part? Everything is really affordable! I’ve never understood why some things (like baskets!!) can be so expensive, but I love that Christmas Tree Shops always has the best prices – it honestly saves me from spending hours online trying to hunt down deals. I definitely recommend visiting a store near you to find everything you need for a home organization projects.
3. De-clutter. Before you start organizing, take some time to go through everything in the space, and get rid of what you can. For pantries – make sure to check the expiration date on each item, and toss anything that has expired. For closets – try to find some items that haven’t been worn/used in a while and can be donated.
4. Take inventory. Once you’ve de-cluttered, do a quick look through at what you have to work with and make sure it still belongs there. Closets especially tend to accumulate random items since it’s easy to close the door and forget about. For small spaces, I like to take everything out and start completely fresh.
5. Group items by category. Lay each basket out on the counter or floor, and fill them with groups of items that go together. For the pantry I have a bread basket, a breakfast basket, a couple snack baskets, etc.
I also found a great selection of decorative jars at Christmas Tree Shops that I grabbed for the pantry! I couldn’t resist the ones labeled “sweets” and “stuff” – they would also look great on the kitchen counter as décor! I’m all about items that are both decorative and functional.
7. Visibility. Make sure that all labels are facing forward, especially for cans, jars, and bottles. Not only will it look nice and tidy, but it will make it easier to find what you are looking for.
Speaking of visibility, I highly recommend using large clear containers or canisters to store baking items like flour & sugar, or even pasta, grains, cereal, and snacks once opened. Not only does it look nice, but it helps keep things fresher longer. Christmas Tree Shops has several options in various shapes and sizes – I found a pack of three large glass jars that work perfectly! They come with chalk so that you can write labels on them, but I thought I’d spare you from my handwriting in this post haha.
8. Accessibility. Place the items you reach for most where they are the easiest to access. For me, snacks front and center 😉 I stashed the junk food in a basket on the very top shelf where it isn’t really visible – it had to go somewhere!
I used the same method for organizing our linen closet (which was also a disaster) but with fabric storage bins instead of baskets. I also found the bins at Christmas Tree Shops, and they work perfectly for this space! I left the large towels alone since the stack neatly, and used the bins for everything else – toilet paper, hair tools, smaller towels, etc. I also love the two smaller baskets for wash cloths and other small items.
When it’s time to get organized, Christmas Tree Shops has everything you need to get the job in any room of your home! From storage solutions to functional décor and more, there is always a great selection of unique, affordable items that will make your organization projects a breeze! You can check here to find a location near you!
