5 Home Organization Tips from an Interior Designer

Successful Designers know how to make the most of a space- that starts with space planning but continues into the final details of how and where items will be stored. We are ringing in the new year strong with high hopes of getting organized while we're still feeling the momentum. Below you will find links to several items we are eyeing to help keep clutter at bay and provide a place for everything. From pretty to utilitarian- you will find many helpful items to meet your organization goals for 2024. Keep reading to see my top 5 organizing tips I use in every project as a designer.

Fave Finds: Organization Ideas

What are my top 5 organizers I use in every project? Glad you asked! Let's start from the 5th and make our way to the top!

Tip 5: Different colored dishware. If any kids are involved: colored dishware is a huge organizing tip! If each kid has their own color, they can also have a place where it goes (drawer or pantry) and there is never any question about who didn't put a dish away. We linked Fiesta dinnerware from Macy's because there are so many color combinations possible.

Tip 4: Create a Command Center. This will look different depending on your life-stage but there is always a need for an area to keep track of schedules, paperwork and things people in the house need to know. People are using their phones more and more for this but I have still seen the need for households to have a central station where everyone can refer to and place items. In some homes, there is a dedicated desk/small area in or near the kitchen for this purpose. Sometimes, if it's relatively low profile, it can be hung on the inside of a cupboard door in or near the kitchen. We linked a simple, stylish weekly calendar from The Container Store. It also has a matching mail & pencil bin that can be installed below it to keep items at hand. We like it because it's large enough to temporarily store some items, but small enough that it won't allow paperwork to get out of control.

Tip 3: Turntables. I cannot overstate how helpful these are. As a designer, I have utilized these both in kitchens and bathrooms, but they also have uses in office areas and playrooms. Especially for corner cabinets- they allow you to access items that would otherwise get lost in the depths of the corner. They come in many sizes, with or without lips and even have ones for refrigerators now. If a client doesn't have a built in for spices in their kitchen, I always recommend getting a 2 tiered one like the one we linked from The Container Store so that spices are easily accessed.

Tip 2: Trays, trays, trays. Trays are a beautiful way to corral just about anything and in any room. Whether small or large, elevated or not, round or square, woven or metal, they can house keys by the door, books on a coffee table, fruit on a kitchen island, jewelry in a bathroom or closet, décor items on a dining table- the possibilities are really endless. I have a pretty, elevated glass and metal tray that has served as a fruit holder in the kitchen then made it's way into my bathroom counter to hold decorative soap & hand towels. It currently is sitting on my bookshelves in my living room styled with some simple greens on top and looks fantastic! Safe to say I have gotten much use out of it in many iterations. Our favorite one we highlighted in the Fave Finds is the sweetly scalloped black catchall tray from Lulu & Georgia and are keeping it in mind to use in a project.

Tip 1: Drawer organizers: a MUST! We don't mean every drawer, and most people have an insert for flatware, but anywhere there are many items in a drawer (ie wooden spoons, spatulas, thermometers, graters, can openers etc.) compartmentalizing drawers make it super easy to locate what you need quickly. In most cases, I prefer having the modular bins that are bought individually (or the inserts that you can adjust the widths within the insert like the one we linked from The Container Store that way it can be configured to exactly what you have. For example, in my drawer by my cooktop, I have 2 long, narrow modular bins for spatulas, spoons etc. then to the right of those I have a shorter but wider modular bin that contains my garlic press, can opener, bottle opener. Then above that there are 2 narrow ones that are short running horizontally, one contains random small knives and the other a meat thermometer & knife sharpener.

Are you organizing in the new year? What tips did you find the most helpful?

Lisa