How to Start Organizing Every Room in Your Home
Tangletown 2-story TWO Year Anniversary
On April 2nd, it will be my 2 year home anniversary of purchasing my Tangletown 2-story. Although this milestone is quickly approaching, it feels like it was just yesterday that I started renovations. Opening up walls and reformatting the home to fit my vision was a blessing that I happily tackled, amongst other goals last year. With a construction start date of May 2021 and a completion date of October 2021, my first round of renovations commenced. I’ve now had some time to settle into my new home and enjoy the fruits of my labor.
My unpacking style
When moving, I typically like to find everything a “home” right away, and then address organization and decluttering down the road. Step one for me is just getting things unpacked and put away so I can check it off my list. I never put much time into the tidiness behind the cabinet doors or drawers. As long as they stay shut and I know where my belongings are housed, I’m all good.
Well, that’s not the case any more. Call me crazy, but now that I’ve officially been unpacked for about 6 months (I lived on the living room floor for a few weeks during construction, while my belongings camped out in my garage), I’m ready to go through my belongings, donate any excess, and clean things up. I want to organize all-the-things hiding behind my cabinet doors and drawers throughout my home. And I’m not just talking about one room you guys, or even one floor! I want to tackle it ALL!!!!! Go big or go home. Am I right?
My approach
To get things started, I’ve done a bunch of research on organization solutions and pulled together a shopping list by room/function. We’re talking makeup drawer, kitchen pantry, bathroom vanity, refrigerator, and more! I’ll be honest when I say, I’m going a little overboard and buying a bit of excess so that I have extra storage options, per location. I want to be able to allow myself to get creative in each area, while I’m executing. I am not one that likes to start a project, and then wait to order more materials before being able to finish. Instead, I’ll bulk order materials, and worry about returning any excess after everything has been completed. Let’s be honest though…I’ll probably find a home for every organization solution I order. Each closet, cabinet, and drawer in my house will be getting a facelift, and no matter how much I order, I’m sure I’ll run into areas where more will be needed.
Here is a sneak peek at some of the most important locations I’m looking to organize as I go through and declutter. Not only will this help me get rid of excess, but it will also help remind me of extra products that I have and can use, prior to buying more. Example: when my shampoo runs out, I typically put in an order to replenish it. Instead, I have quite a few travel-sized shampoos and conditioners that should be used first, before buying more. By organizing these products and creating better visibility, it is my goal to be able to save money in the long run and reduce waste down the road.
Makeup Drawer
First up is my makeup drawer! Currently I have all of my makeup dumped into one drawer. Although I know where my everyday essentials are, it is not organized in any way, shape, or form. What I plan to do once my goodies arrive, is to divide up my makeup brushes, bronzers, eyeshadows, etc. by use. It’ll also be a great time for me to look through expired makeup that should be thrown out, as well as wash all of my makeup brushes. I’m looking forward to pairing down my beauty routine to just the essentials, and parting ways with any items that I know I won’t use moving forward.
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Refrigerator
A clean, organized refrigerator is going to make my heart sing! I am just one person, but your girl likes to eat, and with that comes a full fridge. Instead of constantly stacking my hummus, yogurts, butter, and a myriad of other goodies, I can’t wait to show you what my new fridge layout has in store. Think freshly washed and cut produce ready to be eaten, followed by rows of organized La Croix, salad dressings and more! I’m hoping by creating this extra step in my fridge, I’ll be able to create a routine of washing my produce right away, meal prepping, and storing things in an orderly fashion for meals and snacks throughout the week. The more options I feel like I have ready to go at a whims notice, the less “junk food” I eat when I’m constantly on the go. This could be a game changer!
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Dresser Drawers
One of the most daunting tasks I have ahead of me are my dresser drawers. I am the type of person that rotates clothes from my primary dresser, to my backup dresser, so that I don’t have to get rid of items “that might come back in style”. I hold onto Halloween costumes, old uniforms, more than enough bathing suits, extra underwear and more! Enough is enough! My sisters will be coming to visit me in April, and I’m going to have them hold me accountable to getting rid of at least 20% of my extra clothing items. The storage products that I’ve purchased will also help push me towards decluttering, as there will only be enough space for a certain number of socks, bathing suits, underwear, etc. Wish me luck on this one you guys!
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Kitchen Pantry
One of the areas that I am most excited about organizing with different storage solutions is my pantry. I originally designed my kitchen with a large pantry in mind. I made sure there was adequate space to hide the microwave, create an appliance garage, and offer pull out drawers for all of my canned + dry goods. What I didn’t think through is the unused space that is created in a pantry with items that all vary in size. To combat this, I’ll be purchasing storage options that all for easy stacking, labeling (expiration dates), and more. I can’t wait to make this adjustment and start maximizing this space!
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Cabinets
Last but not least, I hope to tackle my main cabinet areas. Think - under the kitchen sink, linen closet, and vanity bathroom cabinets. The variety of products in each of these areas will cause for some creativity and diversity of materials, but I’m up for the challenge. I have drawers of hair products, wash clothes, dish detergent, and more strung about. I’m hoping to get to that wow factor in these areas, as much of it is either cleaning supplies, or every day personal hygiene care. By having these looking clean and tidy, I feel like it will help me feel more put-together in general.
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Well, that’s all for now. Stay tuned as I round up all my purchases and start the process. I’ll be sure to share a bunch of before and afters to help potentially inspire you!
All the best,
Jen
