Life Hacks for an Organised House

Keeping your home organised doesn’t have to mean spending every weekend cleaning, sorting and putting things away. A few clever systems can make a surprisingly big difference.

These 50 simple life hacks for an organised house will help you reduce clutter, make better use of your space and make everyday household routines that little bit easier.

Decluttering & Everyday Organisation

1. Give everything a home. If an item doesn’t have a designated place, it will usually end up becoming clutter. Decide where everyday items belong and return them there after use.
2. Use the one-minute rule. If a task takes less than a minute, do it immediately. Hang up the jacket, put away the shoes or file the piece of paper instead of leaving it for later.
3. Create a drop zone near the door. Give keys, handbags, hats and other everyday essentials a designated spot so they don’t migrate around the house.
4. Keep a donation box handy. Place a box somewhere convenient and add unwanted items as you find them. When it’s full, donate the contents.
5. Follow the one-in, one-out rule. When you buy something new, consider removing a similar item you no longer need. This works particularly well for clothes, shoes, toys and kitchenware.
6. Declutter one small area at a time. A single drawer, shelf or cupboard is far less overwhelming than tackling an entire room.
7. Use baskets to contain everyday clutter. Group similar items together so they’re easy to find and quick to put away.
8. Label storage where it helps. Labels make it obvious where things belong, especially in shared cupboards, pantries and storage areas.
9. Keep frequently used items within easy reach. Save high shelves and awkward storage spaces for things you use less often.
10. Do a quick reset before bed. Spend five or ten minutes returning things to their homes so you wake up to a tidier house.

Smart Storage & Making the Most of Your Space

11. Use vertical space. Add shelves, hooks or stackable storage to make use of empty wall and cupboard space.
12. Add hooks inside cupboard doors. They’re useful for lightweight items such as cleaning cloths, measuring spoons, accessories and small tools.
13. Use clear containers for stored items. You can see what’s inside without opening every box.
14. Store similar items together. Keeping batteries, light bulbs, stationery, tools and other household supplies grouped makes them much easier to find.
15. Use drawer dividers. Stop small items becoming a jumbled mess by giving each category its own section.
16. Make use of under-bed storage. It’s ideal for spare bedding, seasonal clothing and items you don’t need every day.
17. Store things close to where you use them. Keep cleaning supplies near the areas they’re used and everyday items close to where you naturally reach for them.
18. Use the backs of doors. Over-door organisers and hooks can create useful storage without taking up floor space.
19. Keep bulky items on lower shelves. Heavy appliances, large containers and other bulky items are safer and easier to access when stored lower down.
20. Leave some storage space empty. Don’t pack every cupboard and shelf to capacity. A little spare room makes it much easier to keep things organised.

Cleaning & Household Routines

21. Keep cleaning supplies where you use them. A small set of bathroom supplies in the bathroom or kitchen supplies under the sink makes quick clean-ups much easier.
22. Clean as you go. Wipe benches while cooking, put ingredients away as you finish with them and deal with small messes before they become bigger jobs.
23. Give each day a small household task. Spreading jobs across the week can make cleaning feel much more manageable than tackling everything at once.
24. Keep spare bin liners in the bottom of the bin. When you remove a full bag, the replacement is already there.
25. Use a basket for things that belong elsewhere. As you tidy, collect misplaced items in one basket, then return everything in a single trip.
26. Empty the dishwasher before you need it. An empty dishwasher gives dirty dishes somewhere to go instead of accumulating on the bench.
27. Reset the kitchen after dinner. Clear the benches, load the dishwasher and wipe down surfaces so the kitchen is ready for the next morning.
28. Keep a cleaning cloth within easy reach. You’re much more likely to wipe up a spill immediately if you don’t have to hunt for supplies.
29. Create a simple laundry routine. Choose regular days for washing, folding and putting clothes away so clean laundry doesn’t become another pile of clutter.
30. Finish the job completely. When tidying or cleaning, include the final step, whether that’s putting the vacuum away, returning cleaning products or putting folded clothes in drawers.

Bedrooms, Wardrobes & Clothing

31. Turn clothes hangers backwards. After wearing an item, return the hanger the right way around. After several months, you’ll easily see which clothes you never wear.
32. Keep everyday clothes easiest to reach. Put frequently worn items at eye level and move occasional or seasonal clothing to less accessible storage.
33. Fold clothes vertically in drawers. This lets you see more of what you own without digging through a stack.
34. Use small containers inside drawers. Separate underwear, socks, accessories and other small items so they stay organised.
35. Keep an outfit donation bag in your wardrobe. When something no longer fits or you realise you never wear it, add it straight to the bag.
36. Store seasonal clothes together. Rotate clothing as the seasons change rather than overcrowding your everyday wardrobe.
37. Keep matching bedding together. Fold each sheet set and store it inside one of its matching pillowcases.
38. Use the space under hanging clothes. Shorter garments often leave valuable storage space underneath for drawers, baskets or shoes.
39. Create a home for clothes that aren’t quite dirty. A hook, valet stand or designated basket stops worn-once clothes ending up on the floor or a chair.
40. Keep your bedside table simple. Limit it to the things you actually use at night so it doesn’t become a dumping ground.

Habits That Keep Your Home Organised

41. Never leave a room empty-handed. If something nearby belongs where you’re going, take it with you.
42. Put things away, not down. Taking a few extra seconds to return something to its proper place prevents clutter from building up.
43. Deal with mail as soon as it comes in. Recycle junk mail immediately and give bills or important documents a designated place.
44. Keep flat surfaces intentionally clear. Benches, tables and dressers quickly attract clutter, so decide what is actually allowed to live on them.
45. Create a simple system for paperwork. Use clearly labelled folders or trays for documents you need to keep, action or file.
46. Do a five-minute tidy while waiting. Use the time while the kettle boils, dinner cooks or the washing machine finishes to tackle one small area.
47. Keep a running household shopping list. Add items as they run out instead of trying to remember everything when you go shopping.
48. Return items to their proper place after using them. A good organisation system only works when things consistently make their way home.
49. Declutter regularly instead of waiting for a big clean-out. Removing a few unwanted things each week keeps clutter from becoming overwhelming.
50. Make organisation easy, not perfect. The best system is one that you and your household can realistically maintain.

A More Organised Home Starts With Small Changes

You don’t need to reorganise your entire house in one weekend. Start with one or two ideas that solve a problem you deal with regularly, then build from there. Small systems that are easy to maintain can make your home feel calmer, less cluttered and much easier to manage.

Looking for more clever ways to make everyday life easier? Explore more Life Hacks from The Thought Hive.