by Stephanie Denson 

A well-organized home isn’t just visually appealing—it saves time, reduces stress, and makes everyday tasks smoother. But with so many rooms and responsibilities competing for your attention, it can be overwhelming to decide where to start. The trick is to focus on the critical areas of each room—the spaces that influence your daily routine the most. 

Start the year with a room-by-room approach. These easy tips will help you transform every room in your home into a functional and clutter-free environment. 

1. Kitchen: Streamline the High-Traffic Zones 

The kitchen is the heart of the home, but it’s also one of the easiest places to fall into disarray. Focus on these crucial areas: 

✔ Counters and Drawers 

• Keep counters as clear as possible to allow for food prep workspace. 
• Place only daily-use items on counters; store infrequently used appliances and other items at a further distance. 
• Keep cooking utensils near the stove, cleaning tools and supplies under the sink, and food items near the fridge. 
• Use drawer dividers to organize cooking tools by frequency of use. When everything has its place, it’s easy to find and put away. 

✔ Pantry Essentials 

• Arrange items by category: snacks, breakfast, baking, canned goods (and toss expired or unwanted items!). 
• Try storing dry goods in clear, labeled containers for consistency and easy access. 
• If you don’t have shelves that pull out of your cabinets, use bins as drawers that you can pull out to see items at the back. 

2. Living Room: Tame the Surfaces and Storage Hotspots 

The living room is where family life meets relaxation, so clutter often builds up fast. 

✔ Coffee Table & Side Tables 

• Limit décor to 2-3 pieces per surface for a cleaner, calmer look. Remove items that no longer delight you. 
• Use trays to corral remotes, coasters, or candles. 

✔ Storage Systems 

• Store controllers, remotes, and chargers in labeled drawers or baskets. Declutter cables using cord organizers. 
• Keep throw blankets in a lidded basket or ottoman with storage space. 
• Place a basket, box, or bin where you can easily stash magazines, books, and other items you want to hide in a pinch. 

3. Bedrooms: Prioritize Nightstand and Closet Control 

A cluttered bedroom can add stress and make it harder to relax, impacting your quality of sleep. If nothing else, ensure that the surface beside your bed is orderly, and that the closet works for you.  

✔ Nightstand 

• Limit the surface to the essentials such as a lamp, book, water, and a phone charger. Try using a tray for smaller items for a tidier look. 
• Use drawers for extra chargers, lotions, or personal items, utilizing drawer organizers to make it easier to find what you need. 

✔ Closet Organization 

• Use consistent slim hangers to maximize space and minimize visual clutter; it makes such a difference when everything hangs at the same level. 
• Remove clothes you don’t wear, don’t love, and that don’t fit. Minimize decision fatigue by ensuring that the clothes you choose from make you feel good. 
• Sort clothes in a way that works for you, such as by type, season, or color. 
• If you have enough space to store off-season clothes elsewhere, you’ll have more space in your primary closet. 

4. Bathrooms: Maximize Storage Systems 

Small spaces like bathrooms need strategic organizing to stay functional. This is a room that almost always has items to purge, from half-empty old bottles to expired products and samples you never used. Toss expired medications and unused products regularly. 

✔ Under-Sink Cabinet 

• Use stackable bins to capitalize on vertical space.  
• Add a pull-out organizer for easy access. 
• Separate cleaning products, hair tools, and toiletries. 

✔ Medicine Cabinet and/or Drawers 

• Place daily items front and center for easy accessibility. Store irregularly used items and excess supplies further away. 
• Give everyone who uses the bathroom their own space. 
• Use drawer organizers to keep items in their place, making it easy to find what you need. 

5. Home Office: Declutter Your Work Zones 

A clutter-free office boosts productivity and helps you stay focused. 

✔ Desk Surface 

• Set up the space to work for you. Only keep work essentials within reach. 
• Use a desktop file organizer for incoming papers. 
• Use cable ties or sleeves to eliminate tangles, control cords, and keep them out of the way. 

✔ Paper Storage 

• Digitize whenever possible. 
• Sort necessary papers into Action, File, and Shred trays. 
• Establish a filing system to help track important papers you need to keep. There’s no “correct” system; do what works best for you. 

6. Entryway: Command Center Essentials 

The entryway (for the door your family uses most) or mudroom is the go-to spot for keys, chargers, mail, and schoolwork—things your family moves in and out of the house. Make it work for you so that everyone knows where to drop and grab essentials. 

✔ Hooks & Racks 

• Use wall hooks for coats, hats, and bags.  
• Give each family member their own bin for quick-grab items such as hats, umbrellas, and gloves. 
• A shoe rack or tray prevents piles at the door. Consider a tall rack for vertical storage, or a bench with bins or shoe storage below. 

✔ Keys and Mail 

• Use a small bowl or mounted organizer for keys. 
• Sort mail regularly and get rid of junk mail as soon as it arrives. Place trash and recycle bins within easy reach. 
• If kids are bringing home schoolwork and other materials, make time regularly to go through those items and decide what to keep. Set up a system elsewhere to store items for keeping. 

7. Laundry Room: Make Your Space Work Harder 

Laundry rooms often double as storage, so keep essentials streamlined. 

✔ Detergent and Supplies 

• Keep everyday supplies readily accessible by the machines. Store infrequently used and non-laundry products out of the way.  
• As your space allows, try organizing products such as labeled baskets and caddies for brushes, bins for smaller supplies. Find what works for you. 

✔ Space-Saving Extras 

• Install a wall-mounted folding table and/or ironing board. 
• No cabinets above the washer and dryer? Install a wire rack where you can keep hangers and supplies. 
• Use an over-the-door valet rack for hanging items to dry. 

Final Thoughts: Start Small, Stay Consistent 

An organized home doesn’t happen in a day; it’s built through smart systems and consistent habits. There’s no “right” way to organize, and some people have a higher tolerance for clutter. But almost all of us have areas that get away from us. By focusing on the most critical areas of each room, you can make noticeable improvements without feeling overwhelmed. 

Start with one room, or even just one trouble spot, and build from there. Every small win adds up! Share your success in the comments below. 

Find a NAPO professional near you to accelerate your decluttering and organizing journey.

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Meet the author, Stephanie Denson