Keeping a home neat is a never-ending chore, but it can be made much easier with the right essentials in each room.
But how do you work out which things every room should have to stay streamlined and tidy? Professional organizers suggest starting with six basics that fit into every space – big or small – will go a long way in setting up a successful organizing system.
These are the six pieces the pros will never skip in their rooms, and why each can fundamentally make or break your home organizing ideas.
Things every room should have to stay organized
Creating a good organizing system is one of the most important steps in stopping clutter before it starts. This, in turn, dramatically reduces how often you have to declutter and tidy up, and how long you spend doing so each time.
1. Trash cans
One of the leading causes of clutter is trash. We are not necessarily talking about empty drink bottles or food packets, but those bits of packaging from online deliveries, or the empty glass jar that forms a burnt-out candle.
To remedy this, Diane Quintana, ADHD organizing and hoarding specialist, and owner of DNQ Solutions suggests having a trash can in every room of the house (bar the dining room, she notes). ‘Almost every room needs a trash (or waste) basket.'
If organizing a home office, you might have three: one for recycling, one for trash, and one for shredding. It's important to have a trash basket in every bathroom and bedroom, too/
‘When organizing a kitchen, you can have a recycling bin (sometimes several if you want to separate plastics, glass, and tin as well as paper) and a trash can, and maybe a small compost bin if you have a composting space outside. The family room also needs a waste basket of some kind.’
2. Trays with handles
When we think of the storage products professional organizers can’t live without, trays are not something that often comes to mind. However, a tray (especially one with handles for easy portability) is a great way to help corral clutter without too much of it accumulating.
Diane Quintana, the expert home organizer, continues, ‘A tray is a great organizer to have in a variety of rooms. It can sit on a stool in the family room to provide a stable place for drinks or snacks. It's a good idea to have a tray in the kitchen (or wherever mail comes in) to corral the mail. A tray is a useful item to carry things back to where they belong while helping to make clutter look intentional and less random.
‘You can use a basket for this but the tendency is to let things collect in a basket,’ Diane explains. ‘If you use a tray, you can't put too many things there before it becomes necessary to deliver the items.’
Head of Solved at Homes & Gardens, Punteha van Terheyden loves this and uses this trick in all rooms of her home. She says, 'I use one with handles on our dining toable so our napkins, candles and my small vase that lives on the dining table can be easily moved off for meal times without each item being scattered around.
'In the living room, I use one to house all my many candles and again, the tray there has handles to easily move it off when we have another use for the sideboard, for instance when my daughter has a playdate and I set up a little snacking station. It's really handy and looks nice too, visually reducing the sensation of clutter because the multiple items are house together in a uniform way.'
We love this set of matching wooden trays that can be painted and sealed to suit your tastes. This will bring uniformity across your various rooms, with the varying sizes helpful for different sizes spaces. You can also leave them nested inside one another until you're ready to use them.
3. Multi-functional furniture
Multi-functional furniture is one of those tools professional organizers can’t do their job without and is something Audra George, professional home organizer and owner of Pretty Neat, Oklahoma, swears by for every room.
Audra explains, ‘Pieces of furniture that double as extra storage ideas, like storage ottomans, dressers, cabinets, and beds with storage are a must. There is always an option for every room to help make storage and clutter less noticeable for streamlined home organization.’
This is particularly helpful for smaller rooms, spaces or areas that have high traffic but need multiple functions at various points in the day, for instance a WFH corner, or play area for the kids.
Sneak in some extra storage for those bits in your living room that don't have a home but are in constant use such as remote controls, pet hair rollers or the books you have on the go right now. This one comes in a trendy teddy fabric and is compact so you could even use it in a hallways as a makeshift seat for popping shoes on and off. You can use it there for shoe polish, and compact umbrellas or hats and gloves.
4. Drawer dividers
Almost every room of the house will have a set of drawers. And wherever there are drawers there is a need for customizable drawer dividers to help organize drawers efficiently to prevent clutter.
Amanda Schmitt, home organizer and family blogger, founder of Life As Mama, says, ‘Drawer dividers keep spaces streamlined. Silverware trays, mesh organizers, and divider trays group similar items while maximizing space. An organized drawer means you can find what you need quickly without sorting through a jumble of items and you are less tempted to hide clutter away when it doesn't fit into an exact category. It’s a win-win.'
Try a stackable set of mesh organizers from Amazon in your office, or in deeper drawers. We like the varying sizes in that set.
The best way to keep drawers organized is to use customizable dividers. This way, you can split up sections to your needs for the best optimization.
5. Shelves
Diane Quintana, an expert home organizer, shares, ‘I'm a big fan of shelves. They come in many different sizes and are useful for more than books. The Container Store has a folding bookshelf unit that is easily folded and moved from one room to another. It is also stackable.
‘I use them in almost every room in the house for books, clothes, to display favorite items, and as storage,’ she reveals. ‘They are very versatile and are one of the best space-saving ways to use vertical storage.'
If you're not in the mood for DIY or drilling and securing shelves to the walls, try this leaning ladder shelf unit instead. Place your heavier items on the lower shelves for stability and more decorative or lighter items up top. If you have young children in the house, be mindful of anti-tipping measures you can take to secure it further.
6. Baskets
It wouldn’t be an essential organizer round-up without mentioning storage baskets. The trick is to use storage baskets properly to prevent a build-up of hidden clutter.
Amanda Schmitt, a home organizer, says, ‘Baskets are my go-to for every room. They are versatile, stylish, and catch all sorts of clutter. In the living room, baskets store remote controls, cords, and kids’ toys. In the bedroom, baskets neatly contain accessories, hair ties, and socks. Labels also ensure everything has a spot and stop you from putting items away that don’t belong.’
If you have a spot in your home that fills up with clutter easily, such as the top, or bottom stairs, place a basket there instead and when it's full, clear away all the items in one go. This way you have a holding vessel for all the stuff, and a formula for when to clear it to stop it overflowing or becoming dysfunctional.
This bluetooth label maker is a great tool to help you quickly organize baskets to help prevent clutter.
By setting up strong systems, you are more likely to put things away, rather than putting them down, preventing doom piles that lead to stress and anxiety. Ensuring every room has at least one of each of these six essentials is the simplest way to avoid common home organizing mistakes by helping you create these more positive habits to keep your home clutter-free.
