Keeping your home organized can seem like a daunting task and you may think you need a professional organizer to put your horse in order. 

But you don’t need one! 

You can do it yourself, save a ton of money, and conquer your clutter once and for all. 

Here are 5 secrets of professional organizers to get you started. 

1. Start with Less

It’s a misconception that organization means moving things into different places.

This is just rearranging clutter. 

And organized clutter is still clutter. 

Professional organizers first declutter because when there is less “stuff” it’s easier to organize.

Start with removing items that no longer serve a purpose, items collecting dust, and items that are pushed to the back and forgotten.

Resist the urge to move clutter into storage bins in closets or the garage. Instead, get rid of duplicate items and things you no longer use or enjoy.

Easy Decluttering Tips for Your Home (Here’s How to Clean and Declutter Fast)

2. Start with Inconvenient Clutter

Organizing your entire home can be overwhelming – especially if you go about it the wrong way.

That’s why professional organizers take it one area at a time. Start with the areas of your home that you use often (a desk, counter space, bathroom sink). 

Notice the clutter that causes you inconvenience. Make that space functional and clutter free.  

Tackling your go-to spaces first (and experiencing the positive effects of decluttering) helps you build momentum, give you a big win upfront, and the sense of accomplishment so you’ll keep going. 

3. Sort Items by Category

A great tip for organizing storage, sort items by categories, or grouping like-items together. 

Let these categories form on their own. As you declutter, there will be things that you don’t want to get rid of, but need to be stored away. Think of ways to group your stuff to give yourself functional storage together.

Grouping will also let you see what you have duplicates of, what’s broken or damaged, and what you no longer need. 

Pro tip – Baskets and bins in many sizes are your best friend for storage. 

4. Every Thing Has a Home

Having an organized home doesn’t mean your space is always pristine – it means that everything in your home can be easily put away

In an organized home, stuff still gets everywhere. The difference is that an organized home is effortless to clean. Take a few minutes, put everything back in its place, and your home is basically pristine (aside from the necessary vacuuming and mopping).

Simple House Cleaning and Organizing Ideas (Inspired by Marie Kondo)

You can put bathroom items on your vanity, but that shouldn’t be their home. It’ll look messy, cluttered, and disorganized. Instead, they should go in an organizational bin or inside a bathroom drawer.

If you organize with the mantra “everything in your house should have a home,” you’ll find it’s easier to get rid of clutter.  

After you sort items, think carefully about where these items should live.

If you can’t think of a rightful place where something belongs, it might not belong at all. Consider throwing it out or donating it. 

5. Let Function Be Your Guide

Professional organizers let function guide them as they clear out, organize, and make spaces more livable and enjoyable.

This means identifying where items should go based on their ease of use.

Prioritize accessibility to items you use most and then sort into clearly labeled bins or baskets. 

Place lesser-used items on a high shelf or in the back of the closet.

The pros always organize in a way that the task of locating and retrieving items is easier and less time consuming. 

Be Your Own Professional Organizer

You can organize every space in your home like a professional organizer. 

Use the following tips and you’ll be organizing like a pro in no time.

  • Declutter before you start
  • Start with inconvenient clutter
  • Sort items by category 
  • Make sure everything has a place
  • Organize based on function