Secrets of Getting Organized

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contents
6 GET HELP WITH
HOUSEHOLD CHORES
Motivate your family
to (happily) help out
around the house.
10 LABEL SMARTS
Get the lowdown on the entry + living kitchen + pantry bedroom + closet
best types of labels to use
30 DO THIS, NOT THAT 48 DO THIS, NOT THAT 62 DO THIS, NOT THAT
for various containers.
Find solutions for decluttering Find out how to bring order Learn how to maximize
built-in cabinets near the TV to your jumbled pantry. space in your reach-in closet.
14 TAKE CHARGE and fireplace.
OF YOUR TECH 50 QUICK & EASY 64 QUICK & EASY
Utilize new ways to 32 QUICK & EASY SOLUTIONS Stress less SOLUTIONS Streamline
stay organized with SOLUTIONS Tidy your entry with our smart storage morning routines with
digital devices. and living areas with simple and meal-planning tips. organizing tricks for closets
organizing strategies. and kids’ rooms.
18 TWO WAYS 56 REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY
TO DECLUTTER 42 REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY Accessible storage brings 72 REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY
Discover a pair of easy- See how a cluttered entry new efficiency to a busy Witness a jumbled closet
to-use strategies for closet becomes an efficient cooking zone. transform into an efficient
organizing any space. drop zone. dressing area.
22 OPTIMIZED CUBES
Make the most of storage
cubes by adding smart
and stylish containers.
25 MEET THE PROS

Meet the organizing
experts who share
their tips and insights
throughout the issue.
108 BUYING GUIDE

bath + laundry work +
78 DO THIS, NOT THAT
hobby space
112 ONE MORE IDEA Use easy-to-add 94 DO THIS, NOT THAT
organizers to tidy your Set up a system to keep
bathroom vanity. important papers in order.
SECRETS OF GETTING ORGANIZED
80 QUICK & EASY 96 QUICK & EASY

SOLUTIONS Learn how SOLUTIONS Find tips
to speed up morning for organizing your office,
prep and ease household garage, and crafts room.
cleaning chores.
104 REAL-LIFE CASE
88 REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY STUDY Family-friendly
Smart storage helps a tiny storage strategies
laundry room live large. reinvigorate a shared
BHG.COM/SOGO crafts area. 1
welcome
tips + tricks
Simplifying your
life sounds great.
Having more time
and less clutter—that
sounds even better. But how do
you achieve the elusive goal of
getting organized and staying
that way? That’s why we’re here.
We supply the motivational plan
so you (and your family!) can
tackle your toughest spaces. Tips
and products recommended
by our organizational pros will
help you reach your goals. Then
you’ll have more time to do what
you love and spend less time MAKE SMART LABELS
Stop clutter chaos by creating
labels that work best for specific
situations. In “Label Smarts”
(page 10) we take the guesswork
out of where to use each type.
Samantha S. Thorpe
Editor PURCHASE THE
RIGHT PRODUCTS
Photographers Cameron Sadeghpour and Jason Donnelly

Shop smart by selecting the right
organizational tool for every job. See
our “Great Ideas” recommendations
throughout the issue.
Hair and makeup Mollie Riesberg
LOOK FOR THESE

TIME-SAVING TIPS! ONE-HOUR TECH TRICKS
Check out the ideas sprinkled
throughout the issue for clearing
CLUTTER TO TIDY UP
out the pileups and leveraging CURE QUICK
your tech to get organized fast.
Editor SAMANTHA S. THORPE
Senior Editor BRIAN KRAMER
Contributing Editor RENEE FREEMON MULVIHILL
Assistant Art Director CHRISTY BROKENS
Copy Editor MARTHA COLOFF LONG
™ Editorial Assistant RENAE MABIE
MEREDITH SPECIAL INTEREST MEDIA ADVERTISING

Group Editorial Leader DOUG KOUMA
Content Director, Home KARMAN HOTCHKISS HOME
Content Director, Food JENNIFER DARLING Senior Vice President and Group Publisher CHRISTINE GUILFOYLE christine.guilfoyle@meredith.com
Associate Publisher TRACY HADEL tracy.hadel@meredith.com
HOME
Group Editor SAMANTHA HART LUXURY HOME PORTFOLIO
Senior Editors ANN BLEVINS, KATY KIICK CONDON, BRIAN KRAMER, Group Publisher BETH McDONOUGH beth.mcdonough@meredith.com
SAMANTHA S. THORPE Group Associate Publisher, Marketing STACY SHAPIRO FELDMAN stacyshapiro.feldman@meredith.com
Senior Associate Editor MARIA V. CHARBONNEAUX Marketing Assistant SOPHIA THID sophia.thid@meredith.com
Senior Associate Art Director KIMBERLY MORGAN METZ
Associate Art Director NICOLE DEAN TEUT FOOD AND HOLIDAY
Assistant Art Directors CHRISTY BROKENS, EMILY PHIPPS, LORI STURDIVANT Group Publisher STEPHEN BOHLINGER stephen.bohlinger@meredith.com
Advertising Director MALLORY PARKS mallory.parks@meredith.com
FOOD Advertising Sales Assistant SHARON TAPLIN sharon.taplin@meredith.com
Executive Editor JAN MILLER
Senior Editor JESSICA SAARI CHRISTENSEN GARDEN
Associate Editor CARRIE BOYD Vice President and Group Publisher SCOTT MORTIMER scott.mortimer@meredith.com
Senior Associate Art Director STEPHANIE HUNTER Regional Account Executive CHRIS WOOD chris.wood@meredith.com
Assistant Art Director RACHEL KENNEDY Regional Account Executive BRIAN KEANE brian.keane@meredith.com
Better Homes and Gardens® Test Kitchen Director LYNN BLANCHARD
CRAFTS AND DO IT YOURSELF
GARDEN Vice President and Group Publisher SCOTT MORTIMER scott.mortimer@meredith.com
Group Editor JAMES A. BAGGETT Advertising Sales Director AMY GATES amy.gates@meredith.com
Assistant Editor RISA QUADE Advertising Account Manager AMBER DARBY amber.darby@meredith.com
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Assistant Art Director JESSICA ENO Business Development Director CURT BLADES curt.blades@meredith.com
Better Homes and Gardens Test Garden® Manager SANDRA GERDES Sales Assistant ASHLEY JACOBS ashley.jacobs@meredith.com
EDITORIAL ADMINISTRATION ADVERTISING OPERATIONS

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Meredith National Media Group

President | TOM HARTY
CONTRIBUTING FIELD EDITORS
Atlanta Lisa Mowry Baltimore Eileen Deymier Birmingham, Alabama Cathy Still McGowin EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENTS
Charleston, South Carolina/Savannah Sandra L. Mohlmann President, Parents Network CAREY WITMER
Charlotte/San Diego Andrea Caughey, Karen Reinecke President, Women’s Lifestyle THOMAS WITSCHI
Chicago Megan Chaffin, Chandra Hammond, Elaine Markoutsas President, Meredith Digital JON WERTHER
Dallas/Fort Worth Donna Talley Denver Mindy Pantiel, Elaine St. Louis Chief Marketing Officer NANCY WEBER
Detroit/Toronto Khristi S. Zimmeth Jaﬀrey Center, New Hampshire Stacy Kunstel Chief Revenue Officer MICHAEL BROWNSTEIN
Los Angeles Darra Baker, Laura Hull, Robin Tucker General Manager DOUG OLSON
Minneapolis/St. Paul Bonnie Broten, Heidi Pearson, Alecia Stevens Nashville Anna Forkum SENIOR VICE PRESIDENTS
New Orleans Kimberly Clarke, Margaret Zainey Roux Newport, Rhode Island Lynda Sutton
New York City Jorge S. Arango New Paltz, New York Anna Molvik Chief Digital Officer ANDY WILSON Digital Sales MARC ROTHSCHILD
Portland, Maine Susan Salomon Portland, Oregon Shannon Quimby San Francisco Sarah Alba Innovation Officer CAROLYN BEKKEDAHL Research Solutions BRITTA CLEVELAND
Seattle Linda Humphrey Washington, D.C. Jeanne Blackburn VICE PRESIDENTS
Chatham, Massachusetts Karin Lidbeck-Brent Business Planning and Analysis ROB SILVERSTONE Content Licensing LARRY SOMMERS
Corporate Sales BRIAN KIGHTLINGER Digital Video LAURA ROWLEY
Direct Media PATTI FOLLO Brand Licensing ELISE CONTARSY
For editorial questions, e-mail getorganized@meredith.com or write us at Secrets of Getting Organized, Communications PATRICK TAYLOR Human Resources DINA NATHANSON
Special Interest Publications, Meredith Corp., 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. Strategic Sourcing, Newsstand, Production CHUCK HOWELL
Chairman and Chief Executive Officer STEPHEN M. LACY

President, Meredith Local Media Group PAUL KARPOWICZ
Vice Chairman | MELL MEREDITH FRAZIER

In Memoriam | E. T. MEREDITH III, 1933–2003
For reuse and reprint requests, contact CLpermissions@meredith.com.

PRINTED IN THE USA
bhg.com
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Whether you’re dreaming
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room plan, you can enjoy a these clever ideas, organizing
clean house without the stress. has never been easier!
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get help with
household chores
Put your house in order—and get your
family to help you! Yes, it is possible!
WRITER Renee Freemon Mulvihill ILLUSTRATOR Christy Brokens
Are your kids’ toys scattered all over the family room loor? Is your teenager’s room so messy
he can never ind what he needs? Maybe your spouse leaves dirty dishes in the sink or drops
dirty clothes on the closet loor? Getting organized can seem like an impossible dream—
a reality only possible for some other perfect family. But with a smart game plan and a few
fun strategies for tackling chores (yes, we said “fun”), your household can run more smoothly
and be happier, too. Here’s how to motivate your family to help you get organized.
HOLD A FAMILY MEETING SET UP A ROUTINE

Alone, you can only do so much to organize When everyone knows what is expected of
your house. Your irst order of business is them, there will be fewer arguments and more
to show your family how much better life chance of success. Pair tasks with speciic days
will be when the household is organized. of the week to ensure they get done. Maybe
“Mom should not be doing it all on her own,” you do laundry on Wednesdays and Saturdays
says Helene Segura, a time management and clean the bathroom every Sunday.
consultant with LivingOrder San Antonio. Consider putting up a chore chart to help your
“The key is getting buy-in from everybody. You children know what’s expected of them each
don’t need to make it a big deal; just get them day. You could assign kids set tasks for each
to see why they should care.” For example, if day of the week, or have them do speciic
you’re always grumpy when you walk in and tasks depending on whether it’s an even or
see your messy house—and unintentionally odd day of the month. Even children as young
take it out on the rest of the family—explain as 2 or 3 can help out with easy tasks, such
to them how you’ll be in a better mood if the as putting toys away, wiping up spills, and
house is picked up. Remind your family that placing clothes
organization will cut down on the nagging! in a hamper.
Set up a family meeting and prepare a list Checking off CHECKING OFF
of all the tasks that need to get done around items on the ITEMS ON THE
the house, Segura suggests. Allow family chore chart
CHORE CHART
members to choose which tasks they would can help kids
CAN HELP KIDS
like to do each week. Also be ready to suggest feel a sense of
possible rewards and consequences during accomplishment FEEL A SENSE OF
the meeting. Ask your kids to pick out a reward and teach ACCOMPLISHMENT
they will get if they do all their chores each valuable skills. AND TEACH
week, as well as a negative consequence “Teaching
VALUABLE SKILLS.
(maybe no TV or phone) if they don’t do their organizational
chosen tasks. “The key is that you need to skills is just
stick to those rewards and consequences,” as important as teaching your kids how to
Segura says. If your kids can’t make it a read and write,” says Jennifer Ford Berry, a
whole week, consider offering daily rewards professional organizer based in Buffalo.
and consequences until they get used to the
process, or get a little older.
BHG.COM/SOGO 7
MAKE IT FUN CREATE SMART STORAGE SYSTEMS
OK, so maybe most of us don’t love doing The easier you make it for your family to put
household chores, but with a little creativity, things away, the more likely they are to follow
even the most boring tasks can be a little more through. “The one thing to keep in mind is
enjoyable. Race another person to see who easy access,” Jenkins says. “If it takes seven
can get their task done irst, or set a timer and steps to access or put away something, most
see how much you can get done in ive or 10 people will just
minutes. “Introduce it as a challenge and ask: leave it out.”
Can you ind 10 things to put away in the next Opt for open LET KIDS HELP
ive minutes,” suggests Jamie Novak, bins for toys and CREATE THE LABELS
a professional organizer with ofices in games rather FOR BINS OR
northern New Jersey and Los Angeles. than lidded
DRAWERS.
You can even make a game out of containers, and
household chores by creating a chore card use hooks instead
deck, says Kathy Jenkins, a professional of hangers for coats and backpacks. (Be sure
organizer and to install hooks at a kid-friendly height.) Place
founder of hampers in kids’ bedrooms or wherever they’ll
YOU CAN EVEN Come to Order be changing clothes, so they’ll be more likely
MAKE A GAME in Richmond, to use them.
OUT OF Virginia. Each Most important, be sure to label all storage
card should containers. “If you take the time to organize a
HOUSEHOLD
have a task space but don’t use labels, it will never stay
CHORES BY
that takes that way because the rest of the family will not
CREATING A 15 minutes remember where things belong,” Berry says.
CHORE CARD or less; ask If kids can’t yet read, you can make picture
DECK. everyone to labels that show various categories, such as
pull one card in dolls or trains. Let kids help create the labels
the afternoon or for bins or drawers, or choose the hooks for
evening to see what task they are responsible their coats or backpacks. “When the child is
for that night. The best part: “The joker is a involved with the creation of the system, he or
‘get out of it’ card that everyone hopes to get,” she is more likely to feel ownership and use
Jenkins says. If they pull the joker card, they’re the system,” Novak says.
off the hook for the night.
BE REALISTIC MOTIVATIONAL HELP
The best-case scenario is that your family These apps, online tools, and timers
will agree that there are beneits to a more can help get your whole family excited
organized household and will happily pitch about helping out around the house—
in and help. However, if you meet resistance, and help them stick with it.
try to avoid bullying your family (or at least
TIME TIMER
your spouse) into compliance. “I really believe
This product, available as a stand-alone timer, a
in self-determination and getting people to watch, or an app, can help your child stay focused
change their behavior because they want to,” on a certain chore (like cleaning their room) for a
says Andrew Mellen, a professional organizer set amount of time. A red disk shows how much
in New York City. “You have the chance to time remains and slowly disappears as time counts
change your behavior and hope that through down. It allows kids to visualize how much time
they have left without getting transfixed by the
their power of observation, they see that you
digital countdown of a stopwatch. timetimer.com
are happier and things are running more
smoothly for you.” Be honest with yourself MY JOB CHART
about the people you live with, Mellen Available online or as an iPad and iPhone app, this
suggests, so you avoid growing resentful. If digital job chart allows parents to assign specific
tasks to each child. As kids do their chores, they
you can’t get buy-in from the family about a
earn points that can be used to save, share (donate
new organizational strategy, maybe you can to a selected charity), or spend. The integrated
compromise on working together to clean amazon.com store makes it possible for parents
the home’s common areas and allow family to order their kid’s chosen reward with just a few
members to clean up (or not) their private clicks. myjobchart.com
spaces as they wish.
CHOREMONSTER
If you can’t get full buy-in from your family
Kids will be begging to do their chores when they
or you’re still feeling overwhelmed, look into try out this free app. (That’s the company’s tagline,
services that can help you check some items but in our experience, it really is true.) Parents select
off your to-do list. “In some circumstances, certain tasks for each child, specify how often each
it makes sense to get outside help,” says chore should be done, and designate a point value
for each completed task. You can set up your own
Elizabeth Grace Saunders, founder of Real
rewards for each child based on a certain point
Life E, a Michigan-based time coaching and
value. Fun add-on features like a carnival spinner

training company. “This could include hiring and messages kids can send to their parents
people to help clean your home, run errands, through the app make finishing chores a little more
plan events, or deliver groceries.” After all, fun. choremonster.com
a smart household manager knows how to
motivate her family to get things done—and
when to call for backup.
BHG.COM/SOGO 9
label smarts
One type of label does not fit all situations.
Get ready to choose the best for your project.
WRITER Sarah Wolf PHOTOGRAPHER Jacob Fox PRODUCER Brian Kramer
adhesive
Sticky labels grab onto
nonporous surfaces, 1 2
which means most aren’t
repositionable.
1. FREEZER LABELS stay
sticky even in high humidity
and low temperatures.
GOOD FOR: Items headed
into cold storage.
2. TEMPORARY LABELS have
a light adhesive similar to
3
sticky notes. They are easy to
move or remove. GOOD FOR:
Marking piles while sorting; 4
containers whose contents
change regularly.
3. NAME TAGS are generous
in size and often have colorful
borders. GOOD FOR: Kids’
rooms and large storage tubs. 5
4. CLEAR LABELS discreetly
mark containers. Often sold Make your mark
in sheets for home printing. with a good-
GOOD FOR: Solid (not
transparent) containers. 6 quality, fine-tip
permanent
5. WHITE PAPER LABELS marker. Black
come in dozens of shapes, is a must-have,
sizes, and textures (address PRINT YOUR OWN! Find customizable file folder but a few other
label templates at BHG.com/CuteLabels. colors are fun to
and price tag sizes are
keep on hand.
shown here). They’re
versatile, cheap, and
available in sheets for home
printing. GOOD FOR: Just
about anything.
6. TAB LABELS are sized to
fit on file folder tabs, but
they’re useful for other
tasks. GOOD FOR: Folders,
drawers, slots, and narrow
compartments.
8
7
tags
This staple of retailers
is also handy to use as a
household organizer.
7. CARDSTOCK TAGS stand

up to heavy use but are
inexpensive enough to
replace often. Many come
with reinforced paper rings
and strings tied on. GOOD
FOR: Baskets, bins, and other
handled containers.
8. KEY TAGS are reinforced
with metal. Many come with
metal rings for attaching
to containers. GOOD FOR:
Storage bins in the office
and garage. 9
9. PRICE TAGS are usually
made of lightweight
cardstock and are available
in large quantities. GOOD
10
FOR: Small bins or baskets.
10. GIFT TAGS are decorated
labels. Look for versions that
let you write on the same
side as the printed design. Any paper shape can
GOOD FOR: Kids’ baskets become a tag. Just
and bins; dressing up punch a hole near one
plain containers. 11 end (we like a ¼-inch
punch), and reinforce
11. WOODEN TAGS are the hole with an
expensive and require a adhesive paper ring
permanent marker, paint, (available at office
or wood-burning tool to supply stores).
customize. GOOD FOR: Long-
term labels, such as person-

specific bins in an entry.
11
Write on labels
with chalk
sticks, or try
chalk pencils
and markers for
greater control.
They erase with
a wipe from a
damp cloth.
rewritable
Change these reusable
labels as often as you care to.
12. ADHESIVE-BACK
POUCHES hold slips of
paper. GOOD FOR: Listing 12
the contents of storage tubs.
13. CHALKBOARD LABELS
13
come in dozens of forms,
including adhesive rolls,
shown here. The look
can be fun, fancy, or
vintage, depending on the
14
handwriting. GOOD FOR:
Kitchen items and kids’ stuff.
14. SILICONE LABELS cling 15
to clean surfaces without
adhesive. The smooth
face is rewritable with
a dry-erase marker.
GOOD FOR: Kitchen
and bath labels; toy bins.
15. CERAMIC TAGS are
decorative and rewritable
with a dry-erase marker.
GOOD FOR: Sorting bins
17
in an entryway.
16. ERASABLE LABELS
combine a special marker
and eraser for the look of a
permanent label without the
commitment. GOOD FOR:
18
Containers with contents
that change often.
17. DRY-ERASE LABELS
are smooth and easy to 16
write on—and just as easy
to erase. GOOD FOR:
Temporary labels.
18. METAL LABEL HOLDERS

are pretty and permanent,
but the scraps of paper they
protect are easy to change.
GOOD FOR: Bookshelves and
drawer fronts.
12
Adhesives
come in varying
degrees of
23
lettering stickiness. A
high-tack glue
Penmanship isn’t a strength? stick will hold
Try these solutions to create poster board,
good-looking words. for instance, but
not chipboard.
19. VINYL STICKERS are Heavier
available in all sorts of materials need
fonts and sizes. For gel or tacky
consistency, stick with one
size and font and apply atop
glue.
24
light, straight pencil lines.
GOOD FOR: Solid (not clear)
containers that you don’t
25
handle often. (Most letters
will slide over time.)
20. STENCILS create
consistent letters and
numbers. Metal stencils
offer crisp edges; cardboard
and plastic are cheaper and
more flexible. GOOD FOR:
19
Marking cardboard and
paper boxes.
21. DIE-CUT LETTERS
label
pack a big style punch.
Plan to adhere with 20 makers
Devices range from basic
appropriate glue or
fasteners. GOOD FOR: 21 to all the bells and whistles.
Containers on display.
23. LABELMANAGER 160
22. FOAM & SPECIALTY lets you type, edit, and print
LETTERS offer raised and labels with a few taps. This
textured effects, which handheld labeler is light
are fun in moderation. enough to take anywhere.
GOOD FOR: Containers on $40; dymo.com
display that don’t get much
handling. (These letters 24. ORGANIZER XPRESS
usually aren’t cleanable.) produces old-school
embossed tape labels,
one character at a time.
$15; dymo.com
25. PT-D210 LABEL MAKER
is bursting with options,
including four widths,
14 fonts, 600 symbols,
and dozens of templates.
It can even print two
22 lines of text on the same

label. Powered by an AC
adapter or batteries,
$40; brother-usa.com
take charge
of your tech
With so much information coming your way from
so many sources, how do you organize it all—and
keep it that way? Read on for expert advice on
managing calendars, ending paper pileups, and safely
sharing files on every device your family owns.
WRITER Sarah Wolf PHOTOGRAPHER Jacob Fox
14
WHETHER YOU USE A PAPER
CALENDAR OR A DIGITAL ONE
DOESN’T REALLY MATTER—
BOTH HAVE ADVANTAGES.
USE THE ONE YOU’LL
STICK WITH.
It’s been said that the TAKE CHARGE

average smartphone OF YOUR TIME
contains more computing
Generally speaking, tackling
power than what was
your schedule is the highest
available to the Apollo
priority because “if you can
moon-landing mission.
manage your time, you can
You’re undoubtedly carrying
manage everything else,”
a potent little gadget in your
says Helene Segura, a time
pocket or purse. If it could
management consultant with
ostensibly put people on the
LivingOrder San Antonio.
moon, surely it can make
Segura recommends
your household run like
wading in with a small
clockwork, no?
calendar project: Make sure
If you’re like most people,
you have everything for
you still need help in three
tomorrow—just tomorrow—
key areas: managing your
written (or typed) on your
schedules, your paperwork,
calendar. Ask yourself:
and your digital iles. Here’s
• Do you know all locations
how to use your phone and
and times for meetings and
other devices to develop
events?
smart solutions that are
• Do you have all supporting
suited to the interconnected
materials?
way in which we live.
• Have you set digital
reminders for all events?
If you’re missing info for an
item, track it down today. After
you tame tomorrow, do the
same thing for two days from
now, then for the whole week.
“Eventually you’ll stop feeling
like you’re dog-paddling,”
Segura says. “You can begin
feeling like you’re in control of
one aspect of your life.”
DON’T QUIT AFTER
TWO DAYS OF TRYING
A NEW CALENDAR APP.
COMMIT TO TRYING IT FOR
TWO WEEKS, AND THEN
DECIDE IF YOU LIKE THE
NEW METHOD.
TEST-DRIVING
AN APP
An app is helpful only
if it suits your style.
Before you download
some hot new app, run
through these steps.
Figure out what

you want.
What task have you
not been able to do
successfully? What are
you hoping to achieve
with the new app? If • Items to scan—and
you can’t answer these PREVENT
questions (or the app PAPER PILEUPS eventually store digitally in
isn’t suited for solving the cloud.
After you take command
your problems), you don’t • Items to ile—in a ile
of your schedule, dive into
need it. cabinet or ire-safe box, or
your pile of papers (you
on a storage device like an
Research your options. know the ones creeping
external hard drive.
Identify up to three over your desk or kitchen
options and then read • Stuff to shred—if it contains
counter). Because most people
two or three reviews identifying information.
are still “hybrids”—that is,
on each from reliable • Stuff to recycle—junk or
you manage both paper
sources, such as PCWorld, papers you no longer need.
CNET, and Mashable. and digital iles—establish
After you categorize and deal
Remember that every receptacles for both types of
app will have ravers and with each new document from
documents. “You must process
haters. Do the dislikes today, move on to the papers
every bit of information that
even apply to you? that came in yesterday, then
came in today,” Segura
Identify your first and last week, and on and on until
second choices. recommends, both paper-
you catch up.
based and electronic.
Try one. “Carve out time every day
Sort items into these piles:
Download only your first of the week to deal with the
• Things to put on your
choice—not your top stuff that’s left behind,” Segura
calendar—because the
two at the same time. recommends. “You can make
Use the app for two document requires action on
progress little by little—and
weeks. If you love it (85 your part.
with your system in place,
percent happy), don’t
bother downloading the you’ll be able to deal with the
other. If you don’t love it, newest (and most important)
download the second for matters on an ongoing basis.”
a two-week tryout.
ESSENTIAL APPS For wiping personal information of a For sharing schedules For making deposits
FOR EVERYDAY device before disposing of or donating it: and other relevant and transferring
ORGANIZATION • KillDisk (killdisk.com; free) information with money:
Helene Segura, of • Eraser (eraser.heidi.ie; free) your family: • Your bank’s app
LivingOrder San • Gmail for e-mail, (usually free)
Antonio, can’t live For managing a household’s Google Calendar
without these apps. worth of online passwords: for schedules, and For capturing
• Roboform (roboform.com; free) Google Drive thoughts or reminders
• LastPass (lastpass.com, free; or get for documents on the go:
the Premium version, which syncs (google.com; free) • Voice Recorder
across all devices, for $12 a year) (tapmedia.co.uk; free)
DELETE OR UNINSTALL APPS
YOU NO LONGER USE. THE
ICONS JUST CLUTTER YOUR
PHONE OR TABLET.
After your iles are

MANAGE transferred to the cloud, move
ELECTRONIC FILES
them off your devices to free
For digital documents, as memory and to prevent loss
well as those paper iles you if the blue screen of death
choose to scan, consider overtakes a gadget. It’s also
storage in the cloud for unnecessary to keep paper
access from all your devices. duplicates of everything.
That may sound mysterious, After you scan and upload
but don’t be intimidated: something, shred or recycle
Uploading iles to the cloud the hard copy. (You should
merely means paying for always keep legal documents
electronic storage on a server with original signatures.)
somewhere else. (It’s a lot like Something else to
renting a storage unit for off- remember about digital iles:
season clothes and Christmas As new technology is ushered
decorations.) in, you’ll want to transfer
Sort iles in the cloud whatever you’ve stored on
by category. Segura slots older tech (CDs and DVDs) to
them into personal and new types (flash drives or the
business, and then again cloud) before it’s too expensive
into these groups: proof of (or too late). The formats of
ID, proof of ownership of your iles (whether PDFs,
major purchases, proof of Word docs, or whatever) also
insurance coverage, medical matter: Consider how hard
history, daily documents it is, for instance, to watch
(such as business templates, a movie on Betamax or
recipes, or schedules), LaserDisc these days. Plan to
photos, and memories. See revisit your digital documents
“Essential Apps for Everyday every couple of years to
Organization,” below, for ensure you can access them.
Segura’s suggestions of her
favorite storage apps.
For navigating For backing up a For storing iles in the cloud while keeping For listening to
city streets: device’s digital iles a physical copy available on your devices, your favorite music
• Google Maps automatically: even without an Internet connection: or talk shows:
(itunes.com and • Carbonite • DropBox (free) and DropBox Pro • iHeart Radio (news
play.google.com; free) (carbonite.com; $5/ ($9.99/month or $99/year; dropbox.com) .iheart.com/apps; free)
month or $59.99/year) • Evernote (free) and Evernote Premium
For setting a timer • Mozy (mozy.com; ($49.99/year; evernote.com) For keeping up with
to do a task: MozyHome starts at companies and services
• Stopwatch & Timer $5.99/month) For scanning paper documents: you use regularly:
(stopwatch-timer • Crashplan • CamScanner (camscanner.com; free; or the • Apps for hotels, airlines,
.en.softonic.com; free) (code42.com; $5/ Premium version offers 10 GB of cloud space shops (usually free)
month each user) for $49.99/year)
17
two ways to declutter
These top methods of organization can help you increase efficiency
and conquer your most cluttered spaces—once and for all.
WRITER Sarah Wolf PHOTOGRAPHER Jacob Fox PRODUCER Brian Kramer
Looks can be deceiving.

This desk, left, may look
neat and tidy, but it
RE makes frequently used
O
BEF items difficult to access.
2
PROBLEM Wall cabinets
1 3 are a decent spot for
storing magazines, but a
cardboard bin (1) makes
retrieving items at the
bottom difficult. A clock
4 4 (2) is used daily, but it’s
placed too high to see
easily while seated. A
letter tray and document
envelopes (3) put time-
sensitive bills out of sight.
Unlabeled binders and
5 containers (4) give no hint
of their contents.
8
PROBLEM On the wall,
6 a single-week calendar
7 (5) isn’t as useful as
a monthly calendar,
which is currently buried
under notebooks on
the desktop. Magnetic
containers (6) of oft-used
supplies are hard to open.
PROBLEM A decorative
container of tape and a
9 clothespin-style holder
(7) take up too much
desktop space. The
catchall tray and pencil
cup (8) are full of excess
10
supplies and items that
don’t belong here.
PROBLEM Archive
boxes (9) of mementos
and photos are rarely
needed but take up
prime real estate. A closed
file box (10) restricts
access to frequently used
documents.
METHOD #1 ABCD
Professional organizer Lorie Marrero introduced us to ABCD, a way of prioritizing both items
and their storage spots. Begin by sorting items into four groups: A items are used daily;
B items are used weekly or monthly; C items are used rarely or seasonally; and D items are
seldom or never used. Then identify storage locations for each level: A-level spots are at eye
level and in the open (your desktop, for example); B-level spots require minor effort to reach
(in a drawer or in a container); C-level spots are less accessible (high shelves); and D-level spots
are completely removed (a bookcase, a closet, or even another room).
With this new setup, the

work area is neat and
tidy—and everything is
TER
right where you need it.
AF
MAKE IT VISIBLE A
vertical sorter (11) lets
11 12 you quickly find B-level
magazines. A letter sorter
(12) stands up envelopes,
13
with unpaid bills in the
front. The clock (13) can
14 14
now be seen easily from
the desk chair. Labels
and clear containers (14)
indicate and show off
B-level contents.
16
PUT IT ON DISPLAY
15 The A-level calendar (15)
moves from desktop to
wall. A corkboard (16)
shows off important
17 notes that were once
grouped in the
decorative clothespin.
ADD SPACE A riser

(17) adds another level
for A-level items in an
A-level spot. Streamlined
A-level writing utensils are
corralled and sorted in a
divided pencil cup.
18
TIDY YOUR DESK
Lidless bins and file boxes
20 (18) allow easier access
to B-level supplies. A
shredder (19), because it’s
used regularly, assumes
a B-level spot. Stacked

boxes behind the
shredder (20) are fine for
19
C-level office supplies.
BHG.COM/SOGO 19
This desk drawer,
left, shows a good
first attempt at
RE
FO organization, but items
BE need to be edited and
made more accessible.
PROBLEM A one-
compartment tray (1)
holds a jumble of office
supplies. Even if the items
1 were sorted, there’s no
way they would ever stay
in place.
PROBLEM A full-size
stapler sits on the
2
desktop, which makes
this mini version (2)
redundant.
PROBLEM Lidded
canisters (3) add
unnecessary steps to
getting at frequently used
items like pushpins and
rubber bands.
PROBLEM Stacking
items underneath other
3 objects (4), especially in a
drawer, makes them hard
to spot and access.
PROBLEM This desk has

only two drawers, and
neither is the right home
4 5 for crafts supplies (5).
PROBLEM Without
labels, who knows where
any of these objects truly
belong?
”The SIMPLE method is all about acting and staying

positive rather than overthinking or worrying.”
—KATHY JENKINS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
METHOD #2 SIMPLE
Rather than making sporadic decisions about what to keep and where to store things,
the SIMPLE method from professional organizer Kathy Jenkins guides you through a
structured, six-step process. As a bonus, you can remember the steps with this handy
acronym: S—sort like with like; I—identify what to keep; M—make a home for it;
P—put it in containers; L—label it; and E—establish a routine.
Thanks to smart
containers and a more
efficient organizing
TER system, this drawer’s
AF contents are always
within easy reach.
SORT Colored pencils (6)

6 8 are separated from regular
pens and pencils, which
move to the desktop.
IDENTIFY KEEPERS
Only one pencil
sharpener and bottle of
correction fluid (7) remain.
Unnecessary multiples just
9
clutter small spaces.
MAKE A HOME A
designated spot (8)
positions frequently used
index cards for grab-and-go
ease. A rubber band keeps
the cards tidy and easy
to transport.
PUT IT IN CONTAINERS
Interlocking trays (9) let
you choose the perfect
compartment for every
object you store. A closed
case (10) corrals markers
that this user frequently
takes in her bag.
LABEL IT An adhesive label

(11) indicates the contents
of this opaque marker case.
7
ESTABLISH A SYSTEM
This user now evaluates the

contents and condition of
11 10 her desk drawers once a
month. She set a reminder
on her phone for the
same day every month to
reinforce her new habit.
RESOURCES BEGIN
ON PAGE 108.
BHG.COM/SOGO 21
optimized cubes
Inexpensive storage cubes become space-maximizing solutions
when you fill cubbies with the smartest containers and add-ons.
WRITER Laura Kristine Johnson PHOTOGRAPHERS Jacob Fox and Marty Baldwin PRODUCER Brian Kramer
LETTER SORTERS prop up

and separate important papers.
Smaller compartments collect
writing and office supplies.
Room Essentials Desktop
Organizer, $8; target.com
OR
LIDLESS BASKETS that are approximately 2 inches shorter

than the cube’s height let you easily add contents without
pulling out the container. Spot items quickly in see-through wire
bins, or opt for woven baskets to camouflage contents. Tie on
tags for quick labeling. Down to the Wire Cube Bin in White and
Strapping Cube Bin in White, $29 and $11; landofnod.com
22
LIDLESS BOXES can stand
tall and conceal reading
materials—or turn them on
their sides and stack them to
OR
introduce modular storage for
small items. Navy Checka File
Box, $15; poppin.com; Room
Essentials CD/DVD Storage Box
in Teal, $6 each; target.com
OR
SOFT-SIDED CONTAINERS
corral clothing and accessories.
Be prepared to empty these
types of containers to locate
items at the bottom. A round
basket gathers small items
like scarves and gloves in a
moldable container. Fabric
bins with handles function as
cube drawers when expanded;
the bins can be collapsed and
tucked away in a closet when

not filled. Kneatly Knit Small
Storage Bin and Stripes Around
the Cube Bin in Dark Blue, $29
and $13; landofnod.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 23
CLEAR FILE BOXES keep your
attention on what’s inside and
cater to a color-coded filing
system. Handles add grab-and-
go ease when transporting
the box to your desk. Room
Essentials Clear Acrylic Table Top
File Box, $8; target.com
DOCUMENT BOXES are

ideal for stackable storage,
letting you fill cube space
vertically. These containers work
best for storing odd-shape
items or long-term projects
such as photos or clippings you
collect over time. Bigso Classic
Stockholm Office Storage
Boxes in White, $10 each;
containerstore.com more options
Take your cube game to the next level with these space-enhancing must-haves.
RESOURCES BEGIN ON PAGE 108.
OR OR
LAZY SUSANS bring STACKING BOXES BOOKENDS steady books,

goods stored at the back introduce vertical storage. magazines, or folded
of a cube to the front with Half boxes let you access garments to keep storage
the flick of your wrist. Linus two layers at once. Viola cubes tidy. Mod Bookends
Platform Turntable, $18; Drawer Organizers, $4 to $8 in White, $14 for pair;
containerstore.com each; containerstore.com containerstore.com
24
meet the pros
Meet the organizing experts who offer tips throughout the issue.
Jennifer Ford Berry

Jennifer Ford Berry is an organizational expert, best-
selling author, entrepreneur, and speaker. Her books,
including Organize Now! A Week-by-Week Guide to Simplify
Your Space & Your Life; Organize Now! Your Money, Business
& Career; Organize Now! 12 Month Home and Activity
Planner; and Organize Now! Think & Live Clutter-Free, have
sold over 450,000 copies worldwide. Jennifer has been
working as a professional organizer for 14 years. “When
Yvette Clay
Yvette Clay is the owner of
working with my clients, my goal is to ultimately help
LivingOrder Austin and is a
them feel happier in their lives,” Jennifer says.
proud member of The Clutter
JENNIFER FORD BERRY; BUFFALO, NEW YORK; ORGANIZE@
JENNIFERFORDBERRY.COM; JENNIFERFORDBERRY.COM Diet team, who provide online
organizing services to clients
worldwide. Yvette has always
Deborah Cabral had a gift for organization. From

coordinating family Christmas plays
Certified Professional Organizer and Productivity and
as a young girl to streamlining
Efficiency Coach Deborah J. Cabral launched her
clutter in relatives’ kitchens, closets,
company, The DeClutter Coach, in 2010. Growing
and garages, she just has the
demand has led to the creation of DC Efficiency
knack for creating spaces that
Consulting, Organization Motivation!, and Organized
are streamlined, less cluttered,
in 60 Seconds—all subsidiary companies under
and more efficient.
Cabral Enterprises, LLC, a certified women-owned
After leaving Dell in 2001, she
business enterprise. As a member of the National
started her own business and
Association of Professional Organizers and the Institute
then joined the LivingOrder team
for Challenging Disorganization, Cabral lends her
in 2005. Founded in 2000, the
knowledge of professional productivity, efficiency,
company consists of efficiency and
time management, and organization to residential and
productivity experts who provide
corporate clients through one-on-one consultations,
organizing services to help clients
community workshops, corporate training programs,
organize their time, information,
a weekly national television show and news segment,
and belongings. LivingOrder works
a monthly column, magazine articles, and TV and
with residential, small business, and
radio interviews. Cabral is a wife, mother of three, and
corporate clients.
community volunteer. The recipient of the 2012 U.S.
Clay is a member of the National
Small Business Administration’s Excellence in Small
Association of Professional
Business Award and the 2013 Key4Women Achieve
Organizers (NAPO) and is
Award, Cabral also authored Declutter Your Life Now!
Founding President of the local
A Motivational Guide to Tackle the Clutter in All Aspects
NAPO-Austin Chapter.
of Your Life.
YVETTE CLAY, CPO, LIVINGORDER AUSTIN;
DEBORAH J. CABRAL, CPO, THE DECLUTTER COACH; NEW 512/301-2426; YVETTE@LIVINGORDER
HARTFORD, NEW YORK; DEB@DECLUTTERCOACHDEB.COM; .COM; LIVINGORDER.COM
DECLUTTERCOACHDEB.COM
BHG.COM/SOGO 25
Lorie Marrero
Certified Professional Organizer Lorie Marrero is the
best-selling author of The Clutter Diet: The Skinny on
Organizing Your Home and Taking Control of Your Life
and The Home Office Handbook. She is also the creator
of ClutterDiet.com, an innovative program allowing
anyone to get expert help at an affordable price. Her
Kathy Jenkins organizing books and products are sold online and in
Since 2005, Certified Professional stores nationwide. Lorie is a spokesperson for Goodwill
Organizer and Certified Family Industries International, and she is a sought-after
Manager Coach, and Professional expert for national media. She also has served as a
Organizer Coach, Kathy Jenkins and spokesperson for many other companies, including
her team have been helping busy Staples, Brother, and Microsoft, and she lives happily
families and small business owners in Austin, Texas.
simplify and come to order in every LORIE MARRERO, CPO, CLUTTER DIET, INC.; 866/915-3438;
INFO@CLUTTERDIET.COM; CLUTTERDIET.COM
aspect of their lives, not just with
their stuff. Working one-on-one with
clients in their homes and offices, Andrew Mellen
they help organize spaces, create
Andrew Mellen is an organizational expert and the
effective systems, and assist with
best-selling author of Unstuff Your Life! Often called
time management that results in
“The Most Organized Man in America,” Mellen speaks
a more efficient, productive, and
internationally on organizing, sustainability, and
happy life. Kathy often speaks about
simplifying your life everywhere from Dwell on Design
organizing. Her advice has been
to TED. Mellen maintains a private practice working
published in books and magazines
with Fortune 50 companies, award-winning filmmakers
such as Better Homes and Gardens,
and authors, as well as overwhelmed parents, kids, and
Woman’s World, Good Housekeeping,
older adults. Corporate clients include the Metropolitan
Real Simple, Secrets of Getting
Museum of Art, Goldman Sachs, American Express,
Organized, Organize!, Richmond
Genentech, and the U.S. Departments of Education
Times-Dispatch, and many more.
and Homeland Security. Mellen is a columnist for
She also has been featured on CBS6,
Real Simple and has appeared in Time Magazine, The
Raising Great Men Radio Show, and
New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, O The Oprah
the SMEAD Blogcast.
Magazine, This Old House, The Nate Berkus Show, Martha
As a working mother of two
Stewart Living Today, Ladies’ Home Journal, Woman’s Day,
school-age boys, she meets
Family Circle, HGTV, and NPR, among many others.
with the challenges of staying
ANDREW MELLEN, ANDREW MELLEN, INC.; NEW YORK CITY;
organized every day. It is because ANDREW@ANDREWMELLEN.COM; ANDREWMELLEN.COM
of this personal perspective that
she is able to relate to her clients
and help them achieve the
level of organization and family Jamie Novak
management that they desire. When not on the road presenting humorous and
KATHY JENKINS, CPO, COME TO helpful organizing workshops, Jamie Novak is searching
ORDER; RICHMOND, VIRGINIA; for a cure for her addiction to clipping recipes she
KATHY@COMETOORDERVA.COM;
COMETOORDERVA.COM never prepares. She is the author of multiple best-
selling books, including the newly released Keep This
Toss That. Jamie can help you decide what to keep and
what to toss in your own home.
JAMIE NOVAK; LOS ANGELES AND NORTHERN NEW JERSEY;
JAMIE@JAMIENOVAK.COM; JAMIENOVAK.COM
26
Barbara Reich Elizabeth Helene Segura
Barbara Reich is the Founder and Grace Saunders Do you want to wake up 10 years
Managing Partner of Resourceful Elizabeth Grace Saunders is the from now and lament, “I wish I’d
Consultants, LLC, a firm that founder and CEO of Real Life E, lived a little more instead of working
specializes in the organization of a time coaching and training around the clock?” Helene Segura
people, their lives, and physical company that empowers individuals doesn’t want to either. That’s why
spaces. Equal parts affable and type who feel guilty, overwhelmed, and she tells her time what to do—and
A personality, Barbara’s tough-love frustrated to feel peaceful, teaches busy professionals how to
approach yields real results and confident, and accomplished. do the same by slaying lost time.
lasting change for clients ranging She is an expert on achieving The author of two Amazon
from high-powered CEOs to busy more success with less stress. Real best-selling books, Helene has been
mothers. Reich earned a Bachelor Life E also increases employee the featured productivity expert in
of Arts degree in Psychology from productivity, satisfaction, and work/ more than 100 media interviews.
the University of Pennsylvania and a life balance through coaching and During her time management
Masters in Business Administration training programs. keynotes and workshops, she shares
from New York University. Reich Saunders has written two books: her mind-bending framework
began her career at Pricewaterhouse The 3 Secrets to Effective Time for decreasing interruptions,
Coopers, LLP, and then worked as Investment: How to Achieve More distractions, and procrastination so
a consultant at The Hay Group. A Success with Less Stress and companies can spend more time
native of North Miami Beach, she How to Invest Your Time Like Money. generating revenue.
formed Resourceful Consultants, Elizabeth also contributes to On weekends, Helene can be
LLC, in 1999. She and her husband, blogs such as Lifehacker, Harvard found experimenting with recipes
Jeff Reich, live in Manhattan with Business Review, Forbes, and the or sneaking adult beverages onto
their 15-year-old twins. Barbara has 99U on productivity for creative the lawn bowling court. Her third
appeared on the Today Show, Inside professionals. She has appeared on book, The Inefficiency Assassin: 30
Edition, Fox News, and New York 1, CBS, ABC, NBC, and Fox. Time Management Tactics for Working
and she has been featured in The ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS, FOUNDER
Smarter, Not Longer will be published
New York Times, New York Post, Real AND CEO, REAL-LIFE E; ESAUNDERS@ in April 2016.
REALLIFEE.COM; REALLIFEE.COM
Simple, InStyle, People StyleWatch, HELENE SEGURA, M.A. ED., CPO,
LIVINGORDER SAN ANTONIO;
Family Circle, Better Homes and 210/892-4990; HELENESEGURA.COM
Gardens, AARP The Magazine, and O
The Oprah Magazine, among other
publications. She is also the author
of Secrets of an Organized Mom,
winner of the Mom’s Choice Award.
BARBARA REICH, RESOURCEFUL

CONSULTANTS; NEW YORK CITY; B.REICH@
RESOURCEFULCONSULTANTS.COM;
RESOURCEFULCONSULTANTS.COM
BHG.COM/SOGO 27
entry
+ living
Organize your home’s entryway so you’ll always have what
you need before rushing out the door. Declutter your
living areas to reclaim a place for relaxation.
p. 30 p. 32 p. 42
Take a look at smart Create a handy Learn how to maximize
ways to stylishly corral communications center space in your entry
toys and games in your to help you keep track closet with clever
busy family room. of everyone’s schedule. storage strategies.
28 FOR RESOURCES FOR THIS SECTION, SEE PAGE 108.

simple
solution
Use color coding to
quickly identify sets of
keys and avoid mix-ups
Writer Hannah Bruneman Producer Brian Kramer Photographer Marty Baldwin
on the way out the door.

Let each family member
choose a color, and paint
several coats of nail
polish on the top of each
key in their chosen hue.
entry + living
DO THIS, NOT THAT
organize family gear

Straighten your family room—and give it an upscale look—
with storage strategies that conceal electronics, games, and toys.
DON’T choose a coffee table with limited storage.
DO
trade out a standard coffee

table for a flip-top ottoman
that can store blankets,
throws, and extra pillows
near the sofa.
DO
place a large tray on top

of the ottoman to corral
reading material and hold
drinks when needed.
DON’T use built-in cabinets only for decorative items. DON’T fill cabinets with clutter.
DO
employ decorative bins

and baskets to group
toys and games. Opt for
containers without lids for
items that are used often.
DO
stick with a simple color

scheme when choosing
storage containers to
create a sophisticated and
cohesive look for your
living space.
ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
CONCEAL CORD CLUTTER To hide unruly

cords near media equipment, bind electronic
cables with a twist tie or rubber band and
tape them to the back of the device, suggests
professional organizer Jennifer Ford Berry.
DON’T waste space on extra seating or a second lamp you never use.
DO
add organizers to the

top of your console table
to create a handy drop
zone for phones, writing
utensils, or daily mail.
DO
place large baskets under

the console table to make
use of otherwise wasted
space. Give each person
his or her own labeled
basket to ensure items are
organized and easy to find.
DON’T put decorative items up high where they’ll be difficult to dust.

Writer Renee Freemon Mulvihill Producer Donna Talley Photographer John Bessler
DO
store out-of-season
or infrequently used
items near the ceiling to
maximize storage space.
DO
choose a media cabinet

with doors and drawers
that can hide the TV
and other electronic
equipment when they’re
not in use.
BHG.COM/SOGO 31
”Have at least one
family meeting per
week to discuss
who is doing what
and when. By
communicating
face-to-face,
you can prevent
things from falling
through the cracks.”
—HELENE SEGURA, TIME
MANAGEMENT CONSULTANT
entry + living
QUICK & EASY SOLUTIONS
GOAL :
keep your family
on schedule
Set up a functional family command center to
manage everyone’s activities and appointments.
USE CLIPBOARD
ORGANIZERS to help you stay
on top of items on your to-do
list, opposite. Paint the bottom
of each clipboard a different
color to sort bills, invitations,
and shopping lists.
ADD A DESK to the kitchen

or near the family’s main entry
where you can store school
schedules and important
papers in one handy spot,
right. Use a large desktop
calendar to keep track of the
family schedule rather than a
dry-erase board, recommends
time management consultant
Helene Segura. “If you use a
dry-erase calendar and you
have an event next month, you
can’t write it on your calendar
until that month,” she says.
SET PRIORITIES for your

personal life and work life
to help you avoid getting
involved in too many activities.
Display your priorities where great idea
you can see them every day,
Manage your life on the go with Cozi,

suggests Segura. If someone a free app that lets you keep track of
asks you to do something, ask everyone’s schedule, create and share
yourself if it will help you reach shopping lists, and store recipes so you
can devise a meal plan for the week. The
your goals.
whole family can access and update the
calendar, so no one will miss an important
event again. cozi.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 33
”Keep a microfiber towel by the door to wipe
off paws and fur. This can be stored folded
until needed or on a hook for easy access.”
—KATHY JENKINS, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
entry + living
GOAL :
tidy up pet gear
Keep all of Fido’s supplies within reach of the door, so you’ll
always be ready to take him out—whatever the weather.
INSTALL HOOKS near the FILL A DRAWER inside USE THE BACK OF A DOOR
door, opposite, for leashes, a mudroom bench, below, to store pet care essentials
collars, and harnesses. Store with all the gear you’ll need by repurposing an over-the-
dog treats on a nearby shelf in when walking your dog, door shoe organizer, Novak
clear, airtight containers. Place such as leashes, gloves, hats, suggests. Hang it inside an
a boot tray on the floor for wet and umbrellas. Shop for an entry closet, and use the
shoes, leashes, and dog coats adjustable divider to insert into pockets to stash leashes, litter
to decrease the mess on sloppy the drawer to help keep small bags, a lint roller, a flashlight
days, suggests professional items organized and/or sort for nighttime walks, and phone
organizer Jamie Novak. items for each family member. numbers for the vet clinic.
great idea
Storage for pet gear can
be functional, portable,
and stylish too, thanks to
the Bamboo Pet Supply
Caddy ($39.99) available
at Great Useful Stuff.
Separate compartments
hold all your pet
cleaning and grooming
supplies, toys, and
treats. Outside pockets
feature chalkboard
labels to help you
organize (and reorganize)
items as needed.
BHG.COM/SOGO 35
NEATNIK TRICKS! Clever storage features can help you bring
order to even the smallest entryway. BHG.com/Entryway
entry + living
GOAL :
create a drop zone
Install cubbies and hooks near the door to organize
all the stuff your family needs when leaving the house.
VARY THE SIZE of cubbies KEEP KIDS IN MIND when GIVE EACH PERSON
to fit all the gear you’ll need on planning storage. Install hooks a bin to more easily maintain
your way out the door, such for coats and backpacks, and order. “If you have a small
as umbrellas, gloves, hats, set up a spot for uniforms and cubby or basket per person,
and shoes. Install a standard sports gear. Remove the doors you don’t have to sort through
storage unit, or create your on a media cabinet to create a everyone’s scarves to find
own version out of vintage kid-friendly landing spot for all yours,” says time management
crates, opposite. the gear, below. consultant Helene Segura.
great idea
Always forgetting your
keys or phone? Use the
Grab n’ Go ($19.99) to
keep all of your must-
have items in one spot.
Available in White or
Smoke, it features six
compartments with
four charger port USE CODE
openings and FREESHIP
stick-on labels. FOR FREE
SHIPPING!
Side bins keep
pens handy.
finderenterprises.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 37
”Think about how you consume media.
If you are streaming most of your stuff,
how many DVDs do you need to hold
onto? How many are you likely to
actually put into your DVD player?”
—ANDREW MELLEN, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
entry + living
GOAL :
tame media
& electronics
Conquer the disorder of movies, CDs, and
games with easily accessible storage ideas.
GROUP LIKE WITH LIKE
when organizing media,
suggests professional
organizer Andrew Mellen.
Separate DVDs from CDs,
and consider grouping DVDs
by genre or separating kids
movies from more grown-up
content. Keep media and
games corralled in separate
boxes or bins inside a cabinet
with doors, opposite.
EMPLOY COLORFUL
BOXES and magazine holders
to organize photo books and
electronics manuals, right,
behind glass doors. Place
remote controls in an open
basket or bin so you’ll always
know where to find them.
CONTROL CORD CHAOS

by putting extra cables into
a bin. Separate AV cables
from computer cables from
component cables, Mellen
says. To distinguish between
phone chargers, Mellen great idea
suggests labeling each
person’s charger with a your devices. The Smart Charging Station

different color dot or a label ($89.99) holds up to three cell phones,
made with a label maker. a tablet, and a laptop. The Power Hub in
the back has five USB ports and two AC
power outlets. Cables hide in the bottom
compartment. greatusefulstuff.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 39
”I recommend
purchasing
document
storage boxes
(one color for
each of your
children). Each
document box
should hold two
to three years
of sentimental
items, including
artwork.”
—BARBARA REICH,
PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZER
entry + living
GOAL :
display kids’ art
Preserve your children’s best work—and
get rid of the rest without feeling guilty.
CREATIVELY DISPLAY MAKE A CUSTOM POSTER PURGE REGULARLY to

select pieces of children’s by scanning your child’s keep clutter at bay. “Be
artwork in a custom grid built artwork, importing images into thoughtful when considering
from molding, opposite. Or an image-editing program, what you or your child will
simply use a bulletin board to and shrinking them to fit into a want in the future,” Reich says.
serve as an easy-to-change gridded layout, below. Or use “Anything that speaks to who
art display, says professional the Artkive app (artkiveapp your child is at a particular age
organizer Barbara Reich. .com) to create custom books. is worth keeping.”
great idea
No need to pound nails
into your wall for artwork.
With GoodHangups
for Kids Art ($14.99),
removable and reusable

MagnaStickers are
the magnetic base for
colorful magnet hangers
for an instant gallery.
goodhangups.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 41
entry + living
REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY
hang time
By rethinking the function
of this entryway closet, a
BE
FO
RE
family rediscovers valuable
storage space.
PROBLEMS
• The rod-and-shelf setup couldn’t hold
the family’s and guests’ 20-plus coats
• Kids couldn’t reach coats without help
• An overstufed hanging rod limited access
to garments • Out-of-season items took up
too much space
SOLUTION Professional organizer

Deborah Cabral of The DeClutter Coach (see bio
in “Meet the Pros,” page 25) asked homeowners
Christy and Tony to “think outside the box” to
gain a more open and flexible storage space at
their home’s entryway. “I suggested they remove
the hanging bar to make way for coatracks (with
hooks) installed on three walls of the closet, at
two different heights,” Cabral says. “With their
many hooks, coatracks work very well on a daily
basis for a busy family. It is quicker and easier
because they have everything they need right at
their ingertips.”
Before the coatracks could be installed,
though, Cabral had the couple clear out
the closet and think hard about what really
belonged inside. “Get rid of items that are
ripped, broken, stained, or no longer needed,”

“Set a limit on the number
Cabral says. “Only pieces that will be used
of items each family member
can store in your entry closet most often—coats, hats, gloves, umbrellas, and
to avoid a cluttered look or shoes—belong here.”
difficulty accessing its items. To ensure the small closet remains easy to
The entry closet should not be
use and maintain, Cabral suggested that Christy
a catchall for rarely used items.”
—DEBORAH CABRAL,
and Tony limit items to just two in-season coats
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER and two pairs of shoes per person. Off-season
42
THIS PHOTO
With its inefficient
hanging rod traded for
rows of wall hooks, this
front closet now holds
twice as much seasonal
gear. Access to the
upper shelf is easier as
well. A pair of slim wire
magazine baskets—one
for the boys, one for
the girls—hangs along
the back wall, stashing
sunglasses, bug sprays,
and other items needed
before heading outdoors.
Floral metallic wallpaper,
a white-painted shoe
rack, and a striped
indoor-outdoor rug
contribute a bright,
airy feeling.
SPECIAL THANKS
York Wallcoverings and Dash & Albert
entry + living
clothing and extra shoes are now stored in painted the rack white to match the wall rails
closets in each child’s room. Items in the coat and brighten the floor area. Labels on the rack’s
closet will be changed out each season. front edge assign spots for everyone’s footwear.
To set up the new closet, the couple removed At the top of the closet, woven bins store items
the clothes rod and positioned the shelf higher based on the weather—rain, sun, and snow. A
on the wall to make way for two rows of new motion-sensor ceiling light aids visibility.
coatracks built from wood 1×6s. The lowest The closet’s new setup pleases parents
rung allows their youngest sons Tucker, 4, and and kids alike. “I can’t believe how much bigger
Hudson, 2, easy access to their things. the closet seems. It feels like a walk-in closet,”
Replacing the existing shoe rack with a Christy says.
shorter version helped the couple gain a few
additional inches of wall space above. Christy RESOURCES BEGIN ON PAGE 108.
1 2
3
4
ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
Easy-to-read labels help
items find their designated
places. Use a label maker
to bring order to your
spaces in a snap.
QUICK STICK Turn paper

into clear-coated stickers to
label shelves or bins using
1 Rows of hooks inside the closet ensure everything is easy to grab—and replace. a Xyron sticker maker, $13;
An over-the-door coat hook provides hanging space for guests when needed. xyron.com.
2 Labels loop over the front edge of the shoe rack, giving everyone their own space
for footwear. 3 Bins on the top shelf organize hats, gloves, and rain gear. Handles
make the bins safe and easy to pull off the shelf during the morning dash. 4 Mesh
metal wall pockets clearly display their contents. 5 Tall hooks with two crooks double
available hanging space. 6 Gallon-size food-storage bags personalized by washi tape
and embossed labels neatly sort folded rain ponchos.
.
5 6
PUNCH IT The Dymo 12965
Handheld Label Maker presses
out old-school embossed
labels, $11; amazon.com.
Writer and Producer Meredith Ladik Photographer Marty Baldwin
ALPHABET ID Stick
adhesive letters onto painted
wood craft triangles. Tie to
bins with parachute cord.
BHG.COM/SOGO 45
kitchen
+ pantry
Smart storage in the cooking zone helps keep
tools and ingredients where you need them—
so you can get dinner on the table fast.
p. 48 p. 50 p. 56
Find clever strategies Discover smart ideas See how to update
to help you store more for organizing food your kitchen to keep
in a pantry closet or storage containers— everything right at
kitchen cabinet. and their lids. your fingertips.

simple solution Avoid clutter in your pantry by using inexpensive shoebox-size

bins to group products. Organize by product type, or gather all the ingredients for a single meal.
kitchen + pantry
DO THIS, NOT THAT
power up your pantry

Store food more efficiently with simple tricks and inexpensive
products that help you tidy a kitchen closet or pantry cabinet.
DON’T stack large canned items on top of other canned items.
DO
sort cans by type

and size, then arrange
in rows on risers. Yes, risers
consume some storage
volume, but they also
increase the quality of
the remaining space.
DO
position tall items

in the back row of the riser,
with shorter items in front.
The shortest items can sit
directly on the shelf if it’s
deep enough.
DON’T leave bags on the floor. DON’T collect recycling in hard-to-open containers.
DO
store pet food in a lidded

container that seals
airtight—and be sure to
include a scoop to make
feedings easy.
DO
replace lidded waste cans

with stacking bins that
help you sort recyclables
immediately. The smaller
size of these bins forces
you to take items to a
larger container on a
regular basis.
TECH TRICKS TO
TIDY UP QUICK
RESTOCK WITH EASE Keep track of your

pantry’s inventory with the Grocery IQ app. Just
scan an item’s bar code and add it to a sharable
grocery list on your smartphone or tablet. You
can print or e-mail coupons too. groceryiq.com
DON’T toss snack bags on a shelf willy-nilly. DON’T keep snacks in bulky packaging.
DO
divide snacks into

categories that make
sense for your family, such
as “Salty” and “Sweet” or
“Kids” and “Adults.” Take
snack bars or single-
serving snack bags out of
their original boxes and
store them in open bins or
baskets, which are easy to
access and carry.
DO
use a single type of clip

to close all packaging.
DON’T shelve bottles several layers deep.

Writer Brian Kramer Producer Meredith Ladik Photographer Adam Albright
DO
stock a lazy Susan with

bottles and other round
containers. To improve
stability, place the tallest
and skinniest bottles in the
center and surround them
with shorter containers.
DO
line a lazy Susan (and

any storage add-on with
moving platforms) with a
rubber or silicone sheet to
minimize slippage.
BHG.COM/SOGO 49
”When deciding how to store your food storage
containers, remember that nesting them saves space
and matching them saves time. If you prefer to nest
them, use a bin to keep all the lids together by size.”
—YVETTE CLAY, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
kitchen + pantry
GOAL :
end food
storage chaos
Easily find containers—and matching lids—with these
smart storage strategies for kitchen cabinets and drawers.
PLACE A CORNER SHELF CREATE DIVIDERS using a ADD A HANGING BASKET

inside a kitchen cabinet, rail and bracket system found under a cabinet shelf, below
opposite, to help sort lids by at most hardware stores, below right, to create a handy place
size or container type. Add left. Instead of mounting the for lids near their matching
a label to each shelf to system on a wall, install it on containers. Look for brands
designate its function and the drawer bottom to serve that mark containers and lids
ensure lids get put back where as a budget-friendly and with single letters or numbers
they belong. customizable organizer. to make matching easier.
great idea
Add the Drawer
StoraStack Organizer,
($14.99) to a cabinet
drawer for instant aid. The
customizable tray holds
up to 12 food storage
containers and matching
lids. containerstore.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 51
”When you add new
items to your refrigerator,
put the new in back of
the old so you’ll use up
the oldest items first.”
—JAMIE NOVAK,
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
kitchen + pantry
GOAL :
maintain a
fresh fridge
Follow these tips to preserve food and ensure you
can easily find snacks and leftovers before they spoil.
DESIGNATE A SPOT for BE FOOD-SAFE to avoid GROUP LIKE ITEMS.
everything, and label shelves cross-contamination. Store raw Use long bins to corral
and bins, opposite. Keep meat, fish, and poultry (even if yogurts, sandwich fixings,
leftovers front and center, packaged) on a rimmed plate or condiments. “I use Fridge
and note the date they were or tray to catch potential liquid Binz in my refrigerator,”
made. “I use painters tape messes. Novak suggests storing professional organizer
and a permanent marker,” pro these items on the lowest shelf Deborah Cabral says. “You just
organizer Jamie Novak says. in the refrigerator to prevent pull out the bin, and you don’t
“The tape stays put on cold any messes from dripping have to worry about things
surfaces and peels off easily.” down to a lower shelf. getting lost in the back.”
great idea
Do your fruits and
vegetables go bad before
you can eat them? OXO’s
GreenSaver Produce
Keepers ($14.99–$24.99)
feature carbon filters
to absorb ethylene,
the gas that speeds up
the ripening process;
an elevated basket to
improve airflow and
prevent rotting; and an
adjustable vent so you
can store different types
of produce at optimal
BHG.COM/SOGO 53
kitchen + pantry
GOAL :
make meals faster
Bring sanity to weeknight dinners with customized
meal plans and easy-to-reach ingredients.
ORGANIZE YOUR PANTRY
so food and supplies will MAKE IT AT HOME! Print our labels to create your
be easy to grab during the own custom menu planner. BHG.com/MenuLabels
dinnertime rush. Store spices
and often-used ingredients
near the cooking zone, maybe
in a shallow pantry, opposite, to
save steps while cooking.
CREATE A WEEKLY MEAL

PLAN so you can shop ahead
and have what you need
on hand. Our system, right,
features potential dinner
items on a magnetic board;
items can be moved to the
calendar as you plan. To ease
the busy dinnertime hour, do
prep work in the morning.
“In your calendar, put down
what needs to be done in
the morning to make the
evening less stressful,” time
management coach Elizabeth
Grace Saunders says.
KEEP INGREDIENTS
TOGETHER as you stock
your refrigerator. “You can great idea
have bins in your fridge with
Need inspiration for dinner? Search

ingredients for different meals, BigOven’s recipe database to plan your
so you can pull out your weekly meals, then create a grocery list
Monday bin or your Tuesday you can take with you on your phone. If
you’re stumped about what to make for
bin,” says time management
dinner, you can search for recipes based
consultant Helene Segura. on what’s in your fridge. bigoven.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 55
kitchen + pantry
in the zone
Evaluating how they cook
allows a young couple to
BE
FO
reconfigure their kitchen
RE
storage for greater efficiency.
PROBLEMS
• Cookware and utensils were diicult
to ind and access • Duplicate kitchen
equipment crowded drawers and cabinets
• Items were stored wherever they it and
not where they were used
SOLUTION Prioritize! Professional

organizer Yvette Clay of LivingOrder Austin
(see bio in “Meet the Pros,” page 25) coached
homeowners Kelly and Tim to sort the contents
of their kitchen in A-B-C-D order. According to
her plan, A items are used daily and should be
in the handiest spots. B items are used often,
maybe once a week. C items are seasonal
objects that are rarely used, such as large
serving platters. D items are never used and
should be removed.
“It’s not enough to look through items and say
‘keep or toss,’ ” Clay says. “You need to evaluate
how products are used, and then decide where
to store them based on the frequency of use.”
She also suggests grouping items by task. For
example, store cookware and utensils together
near a prep space or cooktop; keep dishes,

“Storage near the cooktop is drinking glasses, and flatware close to the
prime real estate for items you dishwasher, sink, or dining area.
use every day. Don’t waste prime The homeowners used to keep all of their
storage space on things you only
use once a year.” pots and pans in an awkward corner cabinet
YVETTE CLAY, near the range. To access everyday cookware,
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER the couple would have to get down on their
knees to reach items in the back corner. Clay
56
THIS PHOTO Homeowners Kelly and Tim don’t have much prep space near the range, so the island countertop serves as their
main prep station. Frequently used cookware and mixing bowls are housed below. A slim cabinet near the range holds plastic
food containers. Its proximity to the range makes it easy to box up leftovers, and its narrow size prevents the collection from
growing too large. Under the sink, a lazy Susan improves accessibility, and a bin corrals large cleaning supply bottles.
kitchen + pantry
suggested making the island a prep station. The pantry. That gave Kelly and Tim both drawers
island’s lower cabinets are now outitted with on the island for the retained utensils.
pullout shelves so it’s easy to access pans in the Another element of Clay’s organizational
back of the cabinet. plan was to take advantage of wasted space. “I
The other issue they had to tackle was always recommend that homeowners use plate
weeding through the utensils. “One of our risers to store more dishware above their plates.
challenges was self-inflicted,” Kelly says. “We There’s usually a lot of wasted vertical space in
had multiples of a lot of things. We both lived on those cabinets,” Clay says. This simple addition
our own before we got married, and afterward allows these homeowners to store—and easily
we didn’t really pare down our cooking access—their entire wedding china collection in
equipment. We had more whisks than we could a single cabinet. “Visibility is key,” Clay says. “If
have possibly ever used at one time!” Clay’s you can’t see it, you won’t use it.”
solution was to move the contents of a junk
drawer to a more modest-size drawer near the RESOURCES BEGIN ON PAGE 108.
2
1
RE
O
BEF
SPECIAL THANKS
Bed Bath & Beyond, Chic Shelf Paper,
The Container Store, Dash & Albert,
KMN Home, and Rev-A-Shelf
RE
FO
BE
3 4
1 Spices are organized by size and frequency of use. Small plastic spice containers are
stored horizontally in shallow drawers. Bins with handles hold larger spice containers.
Seasonings not often needed are kept on the top shelf. 2 Adding pullout shelves to
the island’s large open cabinet makes it easier to access pots and pans stored in the
back and provides a designated spot to store lids. 3 The homeowners moved the most
frequently used utensils to the island drawer closest to the range. A drawer liner with
modular dividers can be set to hold any configuration of utensils. 4 Clear storage trays
corral B-level utensils, such as slicers and peelers, in the island’s second drawer.
5 Plate risers expand surface area for dishware inside kitchen cabinets.
5
ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
BOX IT UP Get a reality check on what you really

Writer Megan Boettcher Producer Meredith Ladik Photographer Marty Baldwin
use by placing all utensils in a cardboard box.

When you use an item, put it back into a drawer.
Items that are still in the box a week later should
be stored in a low-priority area—or purged!
SORT THROUGH COOKWARE Make more

room in your cabinets by culling broken or rarely
used cookware. Get rid of pans with flaking

nonstick coatings, pots with missing lids, and
pans with wobbly handles. Donate any pots
and pans you rarely use.
BHG.COM/SOGO 59
bedroom
+ closet
Edit clothing to streamline your closet and make the
most of storage space. Reorganize kids’ rooms to
manage clutter and simplify morning routines.
p. 62 p. 68 p. 72
Use smart storage Devise strategies to Learn how to
systems to help your help your kids quickly reorganize your closet
small reach-in closet find their stuff and get to keep everything
live large. out the door in time. within easy reach.

simple
solution
Repurpose office
supplies as closet
organizers for clothing
and accessories. Turn
a magazine holder on
its side to store floppy
purses and handbags. It
can also hold rolled-up
T-shirts to free up space
in dresser drawers.
bedroom + closet
DO THIS, NOT THAT
clean your closet

Gain extra space in your reach-in closet with these clever
and efficient ideas for clothes, shoes, and accessories.
DON’T use mismatched or wire hangers.
DO
use high-quality matching

hangers that create a
seamless look and avoid
leaving shoulder dents in
your clothing.
DO
wrap the neck of hangers

with washi tape to
help organize clothes.
Use different colors for
sleeveless, short-sleeve,
and long-sleeve shirts, or
simply distinguish hangers
based on season.
DON’T hang bags from haphazard wire hangers. DON’T block access to other items.
DO
hang purses and

other accessories from
decorative hooks or
cabinet knobs installed on
the closet wall.
DO
stagger the height

of hooks or knobs to
make room for longer
accessories or other items
stored below.
TECH TRICKS TO
TIDY UP QUICK
MAKE MONEY ON CLUTTER Do you have

like-new designer clothing, shoes, or bags you no
longer wear? Ship or drop of items to eBay Valet,
which will sell them for you (for a percentage of
the sale price). sellforme.ebay.com
DON’T let shoes pile up on the floor. DON’T use too-small shoe racks.
DO
install floating shelves that

are wide enough for shoes
and boots—leaving extra
space to accommodate
new purchases. Slip
quilted inserts into boots
to keep them standing tall.
DO
store workout gear in a

single basket (or wood
crate on wheels, as shown)
so you can quickly hit the
gym when it fits into
your schedule.
DON’T let stacks of clothing get unmanageable.

Writer Renee Freemon Mulvihill Producer Katie Leporte Photographer Adam Albright
DO
use baskets or bins to

store out-of-season items
on a top shelf. Use inserts,
if needed, to organize
small items.
DO
attach labels to bins to

reinforce your organization
strategy. These tags are
made by attaching washi
tape to cardstock, then
using a die-cut punch to
produce a fun shape.
BHG.COM/SOGO 63
bedroom + closet
GOAL :
edit your clothing
Retain only what you love (and wear), and organize
items wisely to make the most of limited closet space.
PURGE CLOTHES
REGULARLY—preferably every
season, but at least once a
year. “We really wear only
about 20 percent of what we
own. The other 80 percent
is taking up valuable space
in our closets,” professional
organizer Yvette Clay says.
CREATE A LOOK BOOK

showing various outfits that
can be put together with the
clothes in your closet (see
closet door, opposite) to speed
up decision making on busy
weekday mornings. Snap
photos of your closet with
your smartphone and refer
to them when shopping to
avoid buying duplicate items,
professional organizer Andrew
Mellen suggests.
MAXIMIZE A SMALL
CLOSET with a mix of hanging
and shelving space, right.
Organize clothes by categories
(short sleeve, long sleeve, etc.) great idea
and/or by color. Put items you
Feeling squeezed? Upgrade your

use most often front and center. closet in less than an hour with the
“If you can’t see and access it, ClosetMaid Closet Maximizer ($89.98).
you may as well not own it,” The storage solution simply clips to your
existing wood or wire rod, giving you
Clay says.
two levels of hanging space and handy
shelves for sweaters, bags, and shoes.
homedepot.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 65
”If you want shoes to last longer, keep them in
clear boxes in your closet. I stack my shoeboxes
and rotate them based on the season.”
—DEBORAH CABRAL, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
bedroom + closet
GOAL :
care for shoes
Keep your footwear in good condition with these
smart ideas for shoes and shoe care essentials.
STORE SHOES IN STYLE FILL PLASTIC BOXES with BE CREATIVE when putting
inside a dresserlike storage shoe-care essentials, below, together your shoe care kits.
unit with flip-down bins, and store them in your master Think beyond wax and polish.
opposite. Organize your closet or on a shelf in the linen Place sachets of baking soda
footwear collection by shoe closet. If you have space, make inside shoes to remove odors;
type, and label drawers so you a kit for each type of shoe, such use white vinegar to remove
can quickly locate the pair you as leather, suede, and canvas. salt stains. “A good trick for
want. If space is limited, store Stock your kits with rubber white sneakers is to use a Mr.
off-season shoes on a high gloves and old newspaper so Clean eraser,” professional
shelf in the closet or under the you can get right to work; use organizer Jennifer Ford Berry
bed in lidded boxes to protect the box lid and newspaper to says. “I can’t live without some
them from dust. protect your work area. of those on hand!”
great idea
Stop trying to fit your
boots into standard shoe
racks—there’s a better
way to store them. The
space-savvy Boot Butler
Boot Rack ($69.99) hangs
from your closet rod and
holds up to five pairs.
bootbutler.com
SHOE CARE MADE EASY! Download our shoe-care

guide for handy tips and tricks. BHG.com/ShoeTips
BHG.COM/SOGO 67
”Do as much as
possible the night
before. Something
that’s no big deal
to discover the
night before can
cause major drama
the next morning.”
—ELIZABETH GRACE
SAUNDERS, TIME
MANAGEMENT COACH
bedroom + closet
GOAL :
get kids ready
in the morning
Help kids dress in a snap with these clever
strategies for streamlining morning routines.
PLAN FOR THE WEEK by USE PICTURES to identify HANG A PEG RAIL outside
choosing outfits for each day what clothes go where to make the closet to hold clothes for the
on Sunday night. Place the items easy for kids to find (even next day, below right. Include
outfits in a hanging sweater if they can’t yet read). Adhesive a bag with shoes, socks, and
organizer that has each picture labels, below left, accessories so everything will
compartment labeled (or clearly identify the contents be in one spot and easy to
painted) with a different day of of fabric bins in this door- grab. Also pack backpacks and
the week, opposite. free closet. lunches the night before.
great idea
kids focused on their
morning routine? The
lets you set up tasks for

your kids and lets them
earn coins and stars

based on how well they
complete each task. Fun
graphics and sounds
promise to get kids’
attention. itunes.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 69
”For a study space,
I recommend good
lighting, a flat writing
surface, and minimal
clutter so kids can
concentrate.”
—JENNIFER FORD BERRY,
bedroom + closet
GOAL :
create a study space
End fights about homework by setting up a
dedicated work area suited to your child’s personality.
HANG ORGANIZERS above
a desk, opposite, to create an
efficient study area. (These are
screwed to a painted plywood
board.) Display only the school
supplies you use regularly,
and store the rest elsewhere
to minimize distractions and
clutter, professional organizer
Jennifer Ford Berry suggests.
FOLLOW YOUR CHILD’S

LEAD and design a work space
that suits their personality,
whether that’s a traditional
desk or an informal station with
an exercise ball for a seat to
ease fidgeting, right. Teenagers
might prefer to use a lap
desk on the sofa, professional
organizer Kathy Jenkins says.
HELP WITH HOMEWORK

by setting up a system to keep
track of school papers. Teach
your children to put all their
homework in the front pockets
of their school binder, Jenkins
suggests. Or set up a folder great idea
that’s just for homework and
This mom-designed Homework

put papers that should be left Organizer ($25.99) can help your child
at home in the left side and keep track of important papers and due
papers that need to be signed dates. Featuring a large dry erase pocket
for a monthly calendar, as well as smaller
and returned on the right side.
pockets for folders and school supplies,
the hanging organizer fits a standard
door frame. organizeit.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 71
bedroom + closet
within
easy reach
Smart space planning and
pretty organizers ensure that
BE
FO
everything is easily accessible
RE
in this spacious walk-in closet.
PROBLEMS
• Unruly, unsteady stacks of clothing piled
up on shelves • The couple lacked drawer
space for storing socks, undergarments, and
other small items • More storage space was
needed for the husband’s footwear
SOLUTION Professional organizer Lorie

Marrero of The Clutter Diet (see bio in “Meet the
Pros,” page 25) worked with the homeowners—
Amy and Jake—to designate speciic areas in
the walk-in closet for each person’s garments.
“The closet already had good bones, so we
were able to easily and inexpensively add in
organizers and ready-to-assemble furnishings
to create dividing lines and to boost its function,”
Marrero says.
Jake retained one wall of hanging space
for his apparel but reorganized it for greater
eficiency. Marrero suggested he discard his
worn-out, inadequate shoe organizers and take
out a low hanging rod to make room for a new
set of shoe cubbies beneath his trousers and
short-sleeve shirts. She added a lineup of small,
open boxes atop the shoe cubbies to serve as

“When organizing a closet, easy-to-see depots for belts and watches. With
visibility and frequency of use are this setup, Jake’s outit choices are all stationed in
key. Make sure you can see all of one spot for quick, easy dressing.
your choices to create an outfit,
and make it easy to grab those On the wall opposite Jake’s wardrobe, Amy
items you use most.” concentrated her dresses, skirts, and slacks. A
—LORIE MARRERO, pair of double-hung bars on a short, adjoining
wall showcases her jackets, blazers, and tops.
72
ABOVE Double-hung rods maximize hanging space, while a multibulb ceiling fixture targets light to various areas of the closet.
A column of shallow shelves organizes shoes for easy visibility and accessibility. Tall clip-on shelf dividers keep stacks of folded
sweaters on the top shelf neat and tidy, while lidded boxes keep prescription medicines dry, secure, and dust-free.
bedroom + closet
A separate niche built from shallow bookcases

displays Amy’s heels and flats, adding a
boutique feel to the closet.
To steady toppling piles of folded clothing
on the wraparound shelves, Marrero
recommended slip-on wire dividers. Totes for
swimwear and other seasonal items are stowed
on upper shelves beside lidded boxes that hold
Jake’s medications. A folding stepladder tucked
nearby provides easy access.
For items that once resided in bathroom
vanity drawers—jewelry, undergarments, socks, 1
and ties—Marrero advised adding a pair of
tall dressers to the closet. Rather than identical
pieces, Marrero chose one wide unit and one 1 A hook next to one of the dressers holds clothing
slim unit, so that drawers can be tailored to ready to be taken to the dry cleaner. 2 Cardboard
the size of stored items. Hooks on both sides of boxes are a stylish yet affordable way to divide
the dressers stage each day’s outit and hold drawers and group small garments by color or
use. 3 An ironing board and spray starches are
clothing that Amy and Jake need to deliver to
stashed in a slim, louvered-door cabinet; the hook
the dry cleaner. allows Amy to assemble outfits the night before
Garment-care tools are also stashed in the work. 4 With one shoe stored per cubby, stacked
closet to ensure clothing remains in top shape. organizers ensure that shoes will stay in good
An iron, a pressing board, spray starches, and a shape. 5 Clear plastic shoeboxes with easy-to-
read labels organize polishes and other tools for
sewing kit slip inside a tall, slim cabinet behind
burnishing shoes and purses.
a louvered door. Clear shoeboxes stocked with .
shoe polishes and bufing cloths tuck into open
shelves below. “I love having all my garment-
care supplies handy and in one place,” Amy 2
says. “Nothing goes into the closet unless it’s
been ironed or cleaned.”
A cheerful lilac color palette used for wall
paint and accessories brightens the dressing
space. New overhead lighting and a lamp on a
dresser also help to brighten the scene, making
it easy to ind pieces—and to discern between
Jake’s black and navy-blue slacks. “People who
look at the closet always comment on how well-
lit the space is, despite there being no windows,”
Amy says.
SPECIAL THANKS
Blik, Chic Shelf Paper, ClosetMaid, The Container
Store, Dash & Albert, IKEA, Jo-Ann Stores, Krylon,
Liberty Hardware, My Overlays, and Rifle Paper Co.
74
3
4
Writer and Producer Meredith Ladik Photographer Jay Wilde Before Photographer Dean Schoeppner
5
TECH TRICKS TO
TIDY UP QUICK
BYE-BYE, WINTER GEAR When the weather

warms up, a new service can transport bins of
your winter clothing and gear to a secure storage
facility. MakeSpace then creates a visual catalog
of your stuf, so you can have anything returned
with just a few clicks. makespace.com
bath +
laundry
Streamline your morning routine with bathroom
storage that increases convenience. Learn tricks
to speed up cleaning and laundry-day chores.

p. 78 p. 86 p. 88
Maximize space in your Keep everything right Make the most of your
bathroom vanity and where you need it laundry room with
medicine cabinet with with tips for storing storage that extends
savvy storage. cleaning supplies. from floor to ceiling.

simple solution Add color-coded loops to designate a towel for each family
member. Each ribbon is reinforced with a button and an x-stitch to prevent tears in the fabric.
bath + laundry
DO THIS, NOT THAT
tidy your vanity

Clean up your bathroom cabinets with seamless
storage products that make the most of available space.
DON’T just throw makeup and accessories in a vanity drawer.
DO
insert clear acrylic

containers into drawers
to sort supplies and ensure
items are easy to find.
DO
sort items by general

categories, such as
cosmetics, nail polishes,
and hair bands.
DON’T let stacks of towels become unruly and fall over.
DO
fold towels in half

lengthwise and then in
thirds. You’ll end up with
tight, thick bundles that
will stack well on shelves.
DO
give each member of

the household their own
FOLD IT RIGHT! Watch our color of towel to avoid
video to learn the best way to confusion. Bonus: This
fold towels for smart stacking. makes it easy to tell who is
BHG.com/FoldTowel leaving their towel on the
bathroom floor.
78
ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
CORRAL SMALL ITEMS Travel-size shampoos

and lotions are hard to resist—but they can
quickly clutter the vanity area. Gather all
your small bottles and place them in a bin,
professional organizer Deborah Cabral suggests.
DON’T store medicines you rarely use in the medicine cabinet.
DO
use medicine cabinet

space for everyday
grooming items, such as
facial products, shaving
tools, dental care tools,
and contact lens solution.
DO
store toothbrushes and

toothpaste in clear plastic
tumblers. Label each
for a specific person to
avoid confusion.
Writer Renee Freemon Mulvihill Designer Deborah Cabral Producer Meredith Ladik Photographer Jay Wilde
DON’T let the area under the sink get out of control.
SPECIAL
DO THANKS
All+Modern,
organize items below Atlas
the sink in stackable Homewares,
bins that can fit Chic Shelf
around existing Paper, The
plumbing pipes. Container
Store, Garnet
DO Hill, Kohler,
KraftMaid
label bins for soap, Cabinetry,
cleaning wipes, first Lamps Plus, The
aid essentials, and Land of Nod,
grooming products Lowe’s, Minted,
for each person who Pehr Designs,
shares the bath. and Wayfair
BHG.COM/SOGO
”If there are any products
in the bathroom that
you don’t use, let them
go. More isn’t more if it’s
slowing you down.”
—ANDREW MELLEN,
bath + laundry
GOAL :
get ready faster
Keep grooming essentials within easy
reach to speed up your morning routine.
INSERT CLEAR BINS into MAKE AN EYE-CARE KIT KEEP EVERYDAY ITEMS
vanity drawers, opposite, to out of a jumbo ice cube tray, within easy reach on the vanity
help you find items quickly. below. Use the handy caddy to top, and store lesser-used items
Group cosmetics by category, organize contacts by eye and in cabinets and drawers to
such as eyes, lips, and face. prescription, so you can find minimize clutter. “The easier it
But be careful not to overload what you need even on bleary- is to reach for something, the
drawers. “If you can’t see eyed mornings. Store extra easier it will be to use,” Mellen
everything easily, you have too cases and eye drops in your says. Save the vanity top for
much stuff,” says professional kit, and tuck it into an easy-to- the items you use (and put
organizer Andrew Mellen. reach vanity drawer. away) on a daily basis.
great idea
Keep all your must-have
makeup items stored in a
transparent Clarity Pouch
($32–$36), and you’ll
be organized at home
and on the go. Hang
the pouch (available in
small and large) in your
bathroom to use in the
morning, then tuck the
pouch into your purse so
you can easily freshen up
for an event after work.
onetruffle.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 81
”Medicine cabinets are prime
real estate. They should hold
items you use every day.”
—DEBORAH CABRAL,
bath + laundry
GOAL :
maximize your
medicine cabinet
Ensure products you use daily are easy to
find and grab with these clever organizing ideas.
USE THE BACK OF THE GROUP ITEMS for hair, ADD RISERS inside your
DOOR for storage. Mount a skin, and teeth so you can medicine cabinet, below right,
magnetic memo board to the quickly grab what you need. so you can stack small items.
cabinet door, opposite, and Gather small items into “Risers enable you to store
hang small containers for nail containers, below left, so they twice as much in the same
supplies. Opt for narrow items don’t fall out of the medicine amount of space,” Novak says.
that still allow you to close the cabinet, suggests professional Adjust shelves to create space
door completely. organizer Jamie Novak. for different-sized items.
great idea
The 12-inch Med High
Organizer by InterDesign
($23.40) allows you to
add an extra level of
storage to your medicine
cabinet and includes
side bins for small items.

wayfair.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 83
”Before putting dry cleaning in a laundry basket, use stickers to
mark stains. This saves time when you drop it off at the dry cleaner.”
—BARBARA REICH, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
bath + laundry
GOAL :
speed up laundry day
Use these handy tricks to save time
and increase efficiency in the laundry room.
ADD A COUNTERTOP MAKE USE OF VERTICAL STOP SORTING SOCKS.
above front-load washers and SPACE by putting the side “Use a different small,
dryers, opposite, for folding of your washer or dryer to washable mesh bag for
laundry. Store detergents and work, below. Attach magnetic each person’s socks,” says
supplies in wall cabinets. baskets, clips, and hooks to professional organizer Barbara
Consider using handled keep stain-fighting tools, dryer Reich. “More important, buy
canvas tote bags to add a sheets, and mending supplies all of the same brand and
pop of color and to transport handy. Use clips to display care type of sock. Throw away any
washed and folded clothes to instructions, and install a rack unmatched socks after one
the appropriate room. for paper towels. additional round of laundry.”
great idea
Stuck with a small
laundry room? No
problem. The Bonita
Small Wonderdry Wall
Mounted Drying Rack
($31.99) extends from
the wall to offer drying
space when you need it,
and folds back toward
the wall when you don’t.
GET OUR FREE
You can hook hangers on
STAIN CARE TIPS
Find stain-treating
tricks to print, cut out,
and hang on a clip ring
for easy referral in
your laundry room.
BHG.com/TreatStains
BHG.COM/SOGO 85
”The best way to make cleaning easier
and faster is to do it more consistently.
Have a daily, weekly, and monthly plan.”
—YVETTE CLAY, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
bath + laundry
GOAL :
clean more quickly
Enjoy less mess with less stress by keeping
cleaning supplies organized and accessible.
TUCK CLEANING SPRAYS
and brushes into the pockets
of an over-the-door shoe
organizer, opposite, and hang
it in the laundry room, in a
linen closet, or wherever you’ll
be using the supplies.
OUTFIT A CLOSET with all

your cleaning supplies, right,
so you’ll always know where
to find everything. Set up a
shelf for each type of cleaning
gear, such as cleaners, paper
products, and ironing gear.
Make lower shelves half the
width of upper shelves to carve
out a handy spot for your
vacuum cleaner.
SET UP A CLEANING
CADDY so you can easily move
supplies from room to room.
Consider storing a caddy
on each level of your home.
“It’s very handy if you have a
cleaning caddy underneath
each sink, because it takes
away the excuse of not great idea
wanting to walk across the Disinfecting wipes help you easily clean up
house,” time management messes—and kill cold and flu viruses too.
consultant Helene Segura says. These Kitchen Surface Sanitizing Wipes
($5.99) are safe to use on food contact
surfaces since they don’t leave behind any
harsh chemical residue. Multi-Purpose and
Scrubbing Household Disinfecting Wipes
are also available. grimeboss.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 87
bath + laundry
top to
bottom
Searching high (and low)
paid off in this pass-through
BE
FO
RE
laundry room, transforming it
into a multiuse storage area.
PROBLEMS
• Large washer and dryer stole valuable
space in the small room • Bifold doors
disrupted the busy passageway to the
garage • Space for coats and other gear
was limited near the family’s main entrance
SOLUTION Professional organizer Kathy

Jenkins of Come to Order (see bio in “Meet the
Pros,” page 25), helped homeowners Kelly
and Ryan turn one of the busiest areas in their
house into a space that functions eficiently and
expands available storage near the family’s
main entrance. The small laundry room—or
more accurately a closet in the hallway
between the garage and kitchen—needed
to act as both a laundry room and a mini
mudroom for them and their two daughters.
To create more usable space, Jenkins traded
out the side-by-side washer and dryer for a
stackable combination that left half the closet
available for family storage.
New built-ins that reach from floor to ceiling
utilize every inch of the closet—adding plentiful
”Function has to go along with storage for laundry essentials and kids’ coats
form. If a project isn’t aesthetically and shoes. Some space near the ceiling is quite
pleasing, people will abandon it. high, so Kelly keeps a foldable step stool nearby
I look at [a homeowner’s] needs to make the area easier to access.
and then make it beautiful and
easy to maintain.” “I’m OK with using a stool,” Kelly says.
—KATHY JENKINS, “I pushed for the floor-to-the-ceiling storage
because I wanted to use every inch.” Besides,
THIS PHOTO
A full-size stackable
washer and dryer
make the most of the
small space, allowing
for extra storage for
laundry supplies and
dirty clothes. When not
in use, the appliances
hide behind a sleek,
sliding barn-style door.
Overhead, adjustable
shelves—wide enough
for a standard laundry
basket—take advantage
of space all the way to
the ceiling. Lesser-used
items find a home at the
highest levels.
89
bath + laundry
she says with a laugh, “Why marry a tall man

if you can’t put him to work?”
The drop zone portion of the closet features
low cubbies to hold shoes, upper cubbies for
dirty clothes and seasonal accessories, and a
sitting area to pull on boots and coats. Hooks
are hung at varying heights to make it easy
for the girls to hang up their own things as
they grow and take on more responsibility. By
hanging hooks on both the back wall and side
wall, the family maximizes the use of the small
mudroom closet.
The thin space between the cubbies and
the stackable washer and dryer contains
the element that Kelly considers the biggest
aha moment of the entire redo—a vertical
pullout cabinet that was originally designed
for kitchen use. In the early planning stages,
that small area was cast off as dead space, but
Jenkins didn’t want it to go to waste.
“Kelly needed a place to put laundry
detergent,” Jenkins says. “Putting it overhead
would have been cumbersome. Laundry
detergent would’ve ended up on the bench in
the drop zone or on the floor. I wanted her to
1 be able to conceal all that less attractive stuff.”
Although the space is incredibly
hardworking, it’s stylish, too—thanks to
2 3 durable floral wallpaper teamed with colorful
hooks. A single barn-style door can slide to
conceal either side of the closet, so it doesn’t
interfere with the high-trafic walkway.
“This space used to frustrate me at
least twice a day. Now I am amazed at the
organization this tiny room has given us,”
Kelly says. “I love how we maximized every
single inch for usable storage.”
SPECIAL THANKS
Graham & Brown, Rev-A-Shelf,
and Shades of Light
1 Clear jars stored on a narrow pullout make it easy to find laundry
essentials. 2 An otherwise wasted space becomes an ideal cubby
for notebooks and oversize school supplies. 3 Individual cubbies
make shoes easy to find under the built-in bench. 4 Die-cut iron-
on labels turn retail laundry bins into customized storage space.
4
ONE-
HOUR
CLUTTER
CURE
PUT EMPTY WALL
SPACE TO WORK
Need more storage in
Writer and Producer Molly Reid Sinnett Photographer Jay Wilde
your small laundry room?

Look to the walls: Add
shelves above a washer
and dryer for detergent
storage, or hooks to
hold hangers of just-
washed clothes. Consider
adding a bulletin board
where you can pin up
instructions for washing
speciic items.
91
work +
hobby space
Keep supplies and papers in order—whether they are
for work or play—with easy organizing tips you can
put to use in the office, garage, and crafts room.
p. 94 p. 100 p. 104
Learn smart strategies Categorize sports Introduce creative and
for ending paper equipment so it’s easy stylish ways to store
pileups and tracking to grab before practice your family’s arts and
important dates. or a big game. crafts supplies.

MAKE YOUR OWN! Print our free calendar
template on kraft paper. BHG.com/Calendar
simple solution Make a DIY family calendar with a clipboard and a printable
template. Wrap a thick rubber band around the base to hold papers and a pencil in place.
work + hobby space
DO THIS, NOT THAT
end paper clutter

Gain control over incoming household mail and papers by
using clever organizers that keep your desktop free for work.
DON’T fill a bulletin board with overlapping schedules and invitations.
DO
assign each family

member a wall pocket
where papers can be
stored until they are
responded to, returned
to school, or filed.
DO
slip school schedules

into clear vinyl document
sleeves so they can be
easily accessed. Use tabs
to help you quickly flip to
specific documents.
DON’T use the floor as storage space. DON’T let reading material become clutter.
DO
use vertical dividers to

organize magazines and
papers you use weekly.
Stash essential office
supplies in small stacking
bins near your active files.
DO
create a convenient filing

space for lesser-used
documents. Ideally, this
will be within easy reach,
so you are more likely to
file papers regularly.
ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
SMARTER FILING Create a lexicon for

your iling system and print it out, suggests
professional organizer Andrew Mellen. That way
everyone will know whether to look for “auto” or
“car” and won’t waste time searching.
DON’T store files on valuable desktop space. DON’T overstuff file folders.
DO
set up file boxes to

organize papers you use
monthly. Store the file
boxes on a shallow table
or bookcase to keep your
desktop clutter free.
DO
use four different colors

of hanging file folders to
help you easily distinguish
between financial,
insurance, personal, and
household documents.
DON’T tolerate a wall calendar with limited space for notes.

Writer Renee Freemon Mulvihill Producer Brian Kramer Photographer Adam Albright
DO
switch to a combination
dry erase/corkboard
that allows you to see
your weekly schedule
at a glance and keep
invitations and tickets
for that week at

your fingertips.
DO
hang up mini bins to

keep track of easy-to-lose
papers, such as tickets, gift
certificates, and coupons.
BHG.COM/SOGO 95
”As soon as an important paper comes
in, try to file it immediately. That will
reduce the clutter and the frustration
when you can’t find something.”
—ELIZABETH GRACE SAUNDERS, TIME MANAGEMENT COACH
work + hobby space
GOAL :
organize your files
Keep better track of all your paper and
digital files with these easy-to-use strategies.
TACKLE YOUR IN-BOX FILE IMPORTANT SAVE DIGITAL FILES in
regularly and move papers DOCUMENTS in one central folders and subfolders that
to wall-hung bins, opposite, filing cabinet or drawer, below. will make everything easy to
that designate whether an Use categories that make find. Resist the urge to delay
item needs to be acted on now sense to you. “Simple is the dealing with digital files,
or later. Create a bin labeled guiding principle here,” says Mellen says. When you open
“Pending” for items you aren’t professional organizer Andrew an important document, name
quite sure what to do with— Mellen. Include files for each it and save immediately into
you’ll get them out of your child, so you can keep track of the appropriate folder—or you
in-box but keep them visible. school schedules and papers. may not be able to find it later.
great idea
If you’re running a
business from your
home, Shoeboxed can
help you organize the
papers that are cluttering
your desk. Use this free
app to scan business
cards and receipts, then
let the Shoeboxed team
extract the important
data and categorize
receipts in a searchable
database. A variety of
plans are available for
CREATE AN ACTION PLAN! Learn smart strategies for

sorting and filing documents. BHG.com/OrganizeFiles
BHG.COM/SOGO 97
”Ladders,
garden tools,
screwdrivers,
pliers, and
hammers
can be hung
from hooks or
wall-mounted
storage
systems.”
—KATHY JENKINS,
PROFESSIONAL
ORGANIZER
work + hobby space
GOAL :
park your car in
the garage again
Employ wall and ceiling space to make more room in the
garage for your gear and tools—and your vehicles, too.
CREATE STORAGE ZONES LOOK TO THE CEILING CHOOSE CLEAR BINS
based on specific activities, to find additional storage that allow you to see what’s
such as sports, gardening, space and keep the floor free inside. Use them for holiday
camping, and biking, opposite. for vehicles. Install ceiling- decorations, cleaning supplies,
Opt for wall-mounted storage mounted brackets, below, to or yard gear, such as potting
systems with easy-to-adjust stash ladders or extra lumber soil, birdseed, or mulch. Attach
channel strips to create in the usually wasted space a colored piece of paper
versatile storage that can be above the garage door. Add inside the tub to label the
altered as your needs change. bracket-mounted shelves high contents, suggests professional
Use pegboard to hang tools on the wall to hold large bins of organizer Kathy Jenkins. That
where you need them. infrequently used items. way labels won’t get torn off.
great idea
Wrap and store electrical
cords neatly—in less
space—with Speedy-
Wrap from UT Wire
($4.99–$10.99). Available
in two sizes, the wrap is
like a snap bracelet for
cords and cables with a
magnetic locking system
to keep cords in place
and free of tangles.
ut-wire.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 99
”Each child should have a bin for each sport or activity. Color-coded and labeled
bins are the best way to keep things organized and (no pun intended) uniform.”
—BARBARA REICH, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
work + hobby space
GOAL :
stash your
sports equipment
Corral your sports gear and keep everything
organized and ready for the next practice or game.
SET UP A LARGE TOTE
in the entry or mudroom for
each child, opposite, so they’ll
have what they need for sports
practice after school. Make
up a checklist for each sport,
so the kids can review the list
and ensure nothing is missing
as they head out the door,
suggests time management
consultant Helene Segura.
MOVE GEAR OUTSIDE

where it will be used. Add a
built-in bench to the porch,
right, that doubles as storage
space for baseball bats, balls,
and other sports gear. Store
smelly uniforms in the garage,
and put a dryer sheet in bags
to help control odor.
KEEP EVERYTHING
TOGETHER when organizing
sports equipment. For example,
store an entire uniform in one
spot, rather than keeping the
soccer jersey with everyday
shirts and the soccer shorts great idea
in the shorts drawer, says
professional organizer Barbara Rack ($38.99) on a wall in your garage or

Reich. “This means there’s
only one place to look for the and easily accessible. It features three
shelves for balls, helmets, shoes, and
uniform,” Reich says.
other gear; adjustable hooks for coats or
uniforms; and special hooks on the sides
BHG.COM/SOGO 101
”A lot of people would love to have a crafts room in their house, but they don’t
have enough space. So I like to create crafts spaces—it could be half of a closet.”
—DEBORAH CABRAL, PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER
work + hobby space
GOAL :
get crafty
without the clutter
Establish a convenient spot for crafts supplies
where creativity can flourish without the mess.
TRANSFORM A HUTCH INVENT A SPOT for kids’ REPURPOSE ITEMS for
into an arts and crafts station, creativity by installing shallow storing crafts supplies. Use
opposite. Cubbies hold open shelves enhanced with rolls baby food jars or magnetic
wooden bins for storing of hanging paper on an spice containers to gather
paper, paints, clay, and other unused wall, below. When small items such as beads and
supplies. Glass containers on space is limited, use a rolling buttons, Clay says. Employ
upper shelves show off colorful storage cart for art supplies five-tier pants hangers as
embellishments. Matching and just roll it out when you storage for fabric, suggests
labels help keep order in this need it, suggests professional professional organizer
busy family area. organizer Yvette Clay. Deborah Cabral.
great idea
Color-code your crafts
supplies with the
Colorwave Smart Store
System ($3.99–$18.99)
and keep items at your
fingertips. Choose the
size tote you need,
and then select inserts
and trays to help you
organize the items inside.
They’re easy to carry from
a closet to a work area
and can be used for toys
and office supplies, too.
containerstore.com
BHG.COM/SOGO 103
work + hobby space
crafty
cures
Creative storage strategies
clear off available countertop
BE
FO
RE
and take a family crafts room
from chaotic to calm.
PROBLEMS
• Too much stuf was piled up on work
surfaces, making it diicult to work or ind
items • The kids couldn’t reach books and
crafts supplies on their own • Mom’s sewing
table was overtaken by kids’ artwork
SOLUTION Professional organizer Kathy

Jenkins of Come to Order (see bio in “Meet the
Pros,” page 25) kick-started the reorganization
by asking homeowners Rachael and Scott and
their two children to sort supplies into broad
categories—art supplies, paper, fabric, and
sewing notions. “The irst question to ask is
whether each item is still usable,” Jenkins says of
the sorting process. “Is the paint or glue dried up,
are the crayons broken, is the fabric scrap too
small? If the answer is yes, get rid of them.”
The next step in the sorting process is to
determine if the family still uses the supplies and
how much of each item is really needed. “We
did a lot of cleaning out and downsizing, getting
rid of things we haven’t used in years,” Rachael
says. The result was a more manageable
“Keep about 20 collection of arts and crafts supplies that the

percent of your space family could begin to organize.
free to allow room
for future growth.” With the sorting done, Jenkins turned her
—KATHY JENKINS, attention to designing speciic zones that
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZER separate kid and adult activities and create
accessible storage for every item. A new
shelving system above the desk, for example,
104
THIS PHOTO The once haphazard sewing station is now neat and organized, thanks to a
mix of glass jars, wire baskets, and closed boxes. All containers are easily accessible and no
longer clutter the sewing table surface. Colorful wallpaper adds style to a formerly drab area.
work + hobby space
REAL-LIFE CASE STUDY ONE-HOUR
CLUTTER CURE
keeps sewing supplies close to the sewing MAKE IT ACCESSIBLE Empty the most easy-
machine and provides a convenient place for to-reach spaces in your crafts room and then
Rachael to stash paints that she doesn’t want ill those shelves and drawers with items you
the kids to use without her supervision. Desktop use frequently. Set up the space so it’s easy and
organizers help keep the work surface clean convenient to put things away.
and orderly.
In a corner near the sewing niche, a storage BRIGHTEN YOUR SPACE Hang art or wallpaper
cabinet stylishly corrals art supplies for the kids. to pretty up your crafts area. When you feel
Deep drawers hold crayons and Play-Doh while happy about your work space, you’re more likely
shallow shelves store inished artwork, as well to keep it organized.
as drawing and construction paper. A grid of
clipboards gets the children’s art off the table
and on the wall in an ever-changing display desk/sewing table free for Rachael.
that personalizes the crafts room. To ensure the crafts space is an enjoyable
Rachael’s fabric stash—formerly stored in work area, Rachael and Scott traded dark beige
the basement—is now neatly organized by walls for a lighter gray hue and added a vibrant
color and stored in clear plastic containers on wallpaper to the back of the sewing niche for a
high shelves on the wall adjacent to the sewing dash of fun color and pattern. Thanks to smart
station. Shelves below the fabric storage area storage ideas and inviting decor, this crafts
allow the kids to access toys, books, and puzzles area is inally a space where the family enjoys
without any assistance. In the center of the room, working together.
a multifunctional coffee table offers a space for
the children to create art projects—leaving the RESOURCES BEGIN ON PAGE 108.
1 2
SPECIAL THANKS The Container Store,

HomeGoods, and The Organizing Store
4
3
1 Labeled white cardboard boxes stacked on shelves separate crafts supplies by category. Ribbons stay untangled when
contained in a box; paints are stored upside-down to show off their colors. 2 A raised shelf expands available storage
space on the work surface. 3 Wall-hung clipboards use vertical space to display kids’ artwork. A storage cabinet conceals
art supplies. 4 Inside the crafts cabinet, clearly labeled shallow shelves store each child’s finished works. Bottom shelves
hold paper supplies. 5 Adjustable shelves above the sewing table can be reconfigured as needed. 6 Clear plastic
bins corral Play-Doh and crayons and can be easily transported to a work surface in the center of the room.
7 Organized by color in clear boxes, fabric swatches are easy to find and are within easy reach of the sewing niche.
Writer Nancy Richman Milligan Producer Kate Malo Photographer Marty Baldwin
5 6 7 SECRETS OF GETTING ORGANIZED
BHG.COM/SOGO 107
buying guide
resources
For help organizing your home, contact these retailers and
professionals for more information about their products and services.
On the Cover Shelf Paper; chicshelfpaper purchased without labels, small black
Notebook, kitchen utensils, soccer ball, .com. Interlocking trays in drawer— bins on top shelf Pandan bins, lidded
shirt—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; Madesmart Housewares; baskets on top of cabinet Havana Boxes,
target.com. madesmart.com. black photo box on bottom shelf—
The Container Store; 800/786-7315;
Two Ways to Declutter Optimized Cubes containerstore.com. Chalkboard labels
PAGE 18 PAGES 22–24 for storage trunks—Wisteria; 800/767-
Wall paint Radiant Lilac SW0074—The White cardboard letter sorter, aqua 5490; wisteria.com. Woven storage
Sherwin-Williams Co.; 800/474-3794; fabric-covered CD and media bins, trunks above media center purchased
sherwin-williams.com [P]. Flooring acrylic file box—Target Stores; without labels—Pottery Barn; 800/922-
COREtec Plus Tiles in Weathered 800/800-8800; target.com. White wire 5507; potterybarn.com.
Concrete 50LVT1803—USFloors, LLC; baskets, white woven plastic strap
800/404-2675; usfloorsllc.com. Wall basket, woven rope basket, fabric bin Entry + Living Quick & Easy Solutions
hutch/shelf SOHO White Floating with rope handle—The Land of Nod; PAGE 32
Hutch by Prepac—Overstock.com; 800/933-9904; landofnod.com. Blue Project designer: Erica Hernandez, Crash
800/843-2446; overstock.com. Desk and gridded media boxes—Poppin; Notes; crashnotes.blogspot.com.
South Shore Smart Basics Work Desk— 855/498-3942; poppin.com. Document Acrylic paint—Delta Technical Coatings;
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; walmart.com. boxes, turntable, frosted plastic drawer 800/423-4135; deltacrafts
Chair Vågsberg/Sporren Swivel chair in trays, metal bookends—The Container .com [P]. Chalkboard paint—The Valspar
White—IKEA; ikea-usa.com. Blue binders, Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore.com. Corp.; 800/845-9061; valspar.com [P].
weekly calendar one-week dry-erase Stickers—BasicGrey; basicgrey.com.
board with cork, corkboard square— ENTRY + LIVING PAGE 33
Office Depot; 800/685-8800; officedepot Organize Family Gear Cabinetry custom design—Mary Jo
.com. Aqua cardboard bin, purple letter PAGES 30–31 Fiorella, ASID, Castro Valley, California;
file with handle at right of chair— Built-in cabinetry—Zanetti Millwork, 510/317-7300; fiorelladesign.com.
Staples; 800/378-2753; staples.com. Middle Grove, New York; 518/587-1363; Fabrication of cabinetry—Amberwood
Silver archive boxes—The Container e-mail: zanettimillwork@gmail Products, Inc., San Jose; 408/938-
Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore.com. .com. Drapery Yorkshire Onyx in 1600; amberwoodproducts.com. Desk
White letter trays, purple notebook— Black—Country Curtains; 800/456-0321; chair Delta side chair—Crate & Barrel;
Poppin; 855/498-3942; poppin.com. countrycurtains.com. Storage ottoman, crateandbarrel.com. Orange box, mail
Magnetic memo board, tins—Three large woven baskets with handles and sorter, pen holder—The Container
By Three; threebythree.com. labels purchased without lettering, Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore.com.
PAGE 19 tray on console, coral basket on media PAGE 34
Aqua cardboard vertical sorter, desk center—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; Legs for mudroom bench Small leg FL4,
calendar hanging on wall—Staples; target.com. Press-on lettering for coat hooks Button coat hook CH23-
800/378-2753; staples.com. White lattice baskets, for media storage drawers, 1—Doug Mockett + Co., Inc.; 800/523-
letter sorter, paper shredder—Office and for trunks above media center— 1269; mockett.com. Baskets in bench
Depot; 800/685-8800; officedepot A.C. Moore Arts + Crafts; 888/226-6673; Sedona small tote—Crate & Barrel;
.com. Riser, white plastic bins, white acmoore.com. Customized labels on 800/967-6696; crateandbarrel.com. Mail
cardboard boxes—IKEA; ikea-usa.com. black-and-white bins—Red Door Home; caddy key rack with shelf in Stainless
Pencil cup—Umbra; 800/387-5122; reddoorhome.blogspot.com. Rug Side Steel 65183 by Blomus—Organize.com;
umbra.com. Mini drawers—Sterilite; Bar in Black—Dash & Albert Rug Co.; 800/600-9817; organize.com.
sterilite.com. White tray, blue and 800/557-7035; dashandalbert.com. Linen PAGE 35
gridded containers—Poppin; magazine boxes, beige-and-black Fabric for cushion—Romo Fabrics +

855/498-3942; poppin.com. lidded boxes on top of cabinets— Wallcoverings; romofabrics.com.
PAGE 21 HomeGoods; 800/614-4663; homegoods PAGE 36
Marker-and-pencil case in drawer— .com. Ivory canvas bins on top and Green paint Frolic SW6703, darker green
Staples; 800/378-2753; staples.com. bottom shelves Henley, black-and- paint Gecko SW6719—The Sherwin-
White tray in drawer—Poppin; 855/498- white-striped bins Rugby Stripe bins, Williams Co.; 800/474-3794;
3942; poppin.com. Liner in drawer—Chic
108
sherwin-williams.com [P]. ‘Woof’ canister, Rubbermaid Fast Track Pantry Kit with .com. Chrome pots and pans, shelves
wire baskets, vintage hooks—Rescued additional shelving and brackets, Base Cabinet Pullout 2-Tier wire basket
Junk; e-mail: rescuedjunk@me.com; white galvanized metal container 5WB2-1522-CR—Rev-A-Shelf; 800/626-
rescuedjunk.com. White mail organizer, for pet food—Lowe’s; lowes.com. 1126; rev-a-shelf.com. Utensils-drawer
yellow flower pillow, metal garden Clear canisters with white lids Good organizer DrawerDecor Deluxe 21-Piece
organizer, blue floor runner—Target Grips POP Containers, small and large starter kit in Lime—KMN; 888/276-
Stores; 800/800-8800; target.com. Two white turntables—OXO International; 5979; kmnhome.com. Knife drawer
coral baskets in bench—T.J. Maxx; 800/545-4411; oxo.com. Blue strapping organizer KnifeDock 17258028—
800/285-6299; tjmaxx.com. Scallop- bins, rug Zig Zag—The Land of Nod; Bed Bath & Beyond; 800/462-3966;
edge chalkboard—Kirkland’s, Inc.; 800/933-9904; landofnod.com. White bedbathandbeyond.com.
877/208-6668; kirklands.com. Fabric for expandable shelf riser, stacking angled
cushion—Stitch, Des Moines; 515/288- bins on floor—The Container Store; BEDROOM + CLOSET
0655; stitchdsm.com. 800/786-7315; containerstore.com. Clean Your Closet
PAGE 37 PAGES 62–63
No sourcing available. Kitchen + Pantry White hangers, out-of-season
PAGE 38 Quick & Easy Solutions clothing bins, quilted boot inserts—
Woven basket on shelf, white storage PAGE 50 The Container Store; 800/786-7315;
units inside shelf—Let’s Get Organized, Metal corner shelves Corner Kitchen containerstore.com. Washi tape for
Inc., Homewood, Alabama; 205/871- Cabinet Organizer—Seville Classics; organizing clothing on hangers Tulip—
0616; letsgetorganized.net. 800/323-5565; sevilleclassics.com. Cute Tape; cutetape.com. Yellow paint at
PAGE 39 PAGE 51 hanging tops Citrus SW6906, pink paint
No sourcing available. No sourcing available. Ice Plant SW6847, blue background
PAGE 40 PAGES 52–53 paint for stencil Blue Mosque SW6789—
Interior designer: Jenna Burger, SAS Refrigerator—GE Appliances; 800/626- The Sherwin-Williams Co.; 800/474-3794;
Interiors, Saratoga Springs, New York; 2000; geappliances.com. Container sherwin-williams.com [P]. Teal paint
jenna@sasinteriors.net; sasinteriors.net. labels Erasable Label Kit 454090— for stencil—Modern Masters, Inc.;
Fabrication of bookshelves, window The Container Store; 800/786-7315; 800/942-3166; modernmastersinc.com
seat, molding and frame above window containerstore.com. Beverage rack [P]. Ikat stencil—Cutting Edge Stencils,
seat—J+L Woodworking, Granville, New 267646—Improvements; 800/634-9484; Mahwah, New Jersey; 201/828-9146;
York; 518/642-9709; e-mail: jcwoodgo@ improvementscatalog.com. cuttingedgestencils.com. Storage closet
gmail.com. Bins under built-in seating PAGE 54 components ClosetMaid—through
Store by Numbers cube bins—The Land Kitchen designer: Chris Berry, ASID, Lowe’s; lowes.com. Floating white
of Nod; 800/933-9904; landofnod.com. BrooksBerry + Associates, Ltd., St. Louis; shelves—Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; walmart
PAGE 41 314/872-7720; brooksberry.com. .com. Wire baskets—Target Stores;
Large poster frame—Jo-Ann Stores; Interior designer: Susie Knopf, 800/800-8800; target.com. Canvas
888/739-4120; joann.com. Expressions Custom Furniture, storage bins—Lowe’s; lowes.com.
St. Louis; 314/567-6200;
Hang Time susiegknopf@aol.com. Bedroom + Closet
PAGES 42–45 PAGE 55 Quick & Easy Solutions
Professional organizer: Deborah No sourcing available. PAGE 64
Cabral, CPO, The DeClutter Coach; Armoires—IKEA; ikea-usa.com. Metal
decluttercoachdeb.com. In the Zone sliding drawers from the Elfa system—
Rug Trimaran Stripe indoor/outdoor rug PAGES 56–59 The Container Store; 800/786-7315;
in Platinum and Ivory—Dash & Albert Professional organizer: Yvette Clay, containerstore.com. White bins—Target
Rug Co.; 800/658-5035; dashandalbert CPO, LivingOrder Austin; 512/301‐2426; Stores; 800/800-8800; target.com.
.com. Hooks Blecka—IKEA; ikea-usa livingorder.com. PAGE 65
.com. Wallpaper Santa Maria WP2460 Floor runner Diamond Sprout indoor/ White hangers, tan rectangle bins
from the Small Prints Collection—York outdoor rug in white—Dash & Albert Hogla Bins in Natural, clear shoeboxes
Wallcoverings; 800/375-9675; yorkwall Rug Co.; 800/658-5035; dashandalbert Best Value Case of 20—The Container
.com. Baskets Medium Shimmer Stripe .com. Drawer liner Lime Tiles laminated Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore.com.
bin in Silver and Natural—PBteen; vinyl—Chic Shelf Paper; chicshelfpaper PAGES 66–67
866/472-3001; pbteen.com. Wire baskets .com. Elevated plate shelves Dinner Chair Slipcovered Hostess Chair in Spicer
Grid magazine storage bins—CB2; Plate Shelf in Chrome 10032848; white Green—Lee Industries; 800/892-7150;
800/606-6252; cb2.com. plastic storage baskets with handles leeindustries.com. Black desk Edland
small and large White Handled Storage Dressing table, shoe storage cabinet
KITCHEN + PANTRY Baskets 10061975 and 10061976; white Sandnes Shoe cabinet—IKEA; ikea-usa
Power Up Your Pantry steel lattice-design bin under sink .com. Translucent storage totes on
PAGES 48–49 large rectangular Charleston Bin in shelf Small Smart Store tote 1005177,
Back pantry wall paint Blue Botties White 10065038, small clear drawer inserts for totes Handled Tray Insert
A52-2—Olympic, a product of PPG organizing containers Linus Shallow 1005180, medium Smart Store Insert in
Architectural Finishes, Inc.; 800/426- Drawer Organizers Clear—The Container White 1005182, and small Smart Store
6306; olympic.com [P]. White shelving Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore Insert in White 1005181—The Container
BHG.COM/SOGO 109
Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore.com. mirror glass 602.180.15 and Malm by Broan—Wayfair; 877/929-3247;
Tan storage boxes with lids on shelf 6-drawer chest in White 102.145.57— wayfair.com. Shelf Gold Standard—The
Square Beige—Organize.com; 800/600- IKEA; ikea-usa.com. Decorative trim on Land of Nod; 800/933-9904; landofnod
9817; organize.com. White shoe decals chest drawer fronts Fiona 7-inch and .com. Hand towels Melon Cabana Stripe
for framed shoe artwork OMG Shoe Fiona FN715—O’verlays; myoverlays and Persimmon Cross Dots Napkins—
Decals in White, labels for shoe storage .com. Shelf liners Pastel Purple Subtle Pehr; pehrdesigns.com. Laminated vinyl
cabinet custom in Black—Dezign With A Stripe 9180 laminated vinyl drawer lining back of medicine cabinet and
Z; 877/693-3944; dezignwithaz.com. Rug liner—Chic Shelf Paper; chicshelfpaper drawers Star-Crossed Ivory laminated
5×7 Chic indoor/outdoor rug in Pistachio .com. Art prints of scissors, comb, and vinyl—Chic Shelf Paper; chicshelfpaper
and Cream XP8002-021-GR—Shades of brush—Rifle Paper Co., Winter Park, .com. Organizing bins Large 10052248
Light; 800/262-6612; shadesoflight.com. Florida; 407/622-7679; riflepaperco.com. and Medium 10052247 stacking bins in
Spherical chrome table lamp—West Knobs 1-1⁄4 inch Top Ring Round Knobs White, acrylic stacking drawer organizers
Elm; 866/428-6468; westelm.com. in Soft Brass finish P40052C-SBS-C, pulls 10060761, bottles 8-oz. Flip-Spout
PAGE 68 3 inch Decca Pull in Soft Brass finish translucent bottles 176050, boxes Four-
No sourcing available. P15094C-SBS-C—Liberty Hardware Section clear acrylic box 10050388—
PAGE 69 (TOP LEFT) Manufacturing Corp.; 800/542-3789; The Container Store; 800/786-7315;
Center cubbies with blue bins Itso in libertyhardware.com. Flourish hook containerstore.com. 3-inch Sticker
Navy—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; with scarf—Anthropologie; 800/309- Maker—Xyron; xyron.com.
target.com. Heat transfers for blue 2500; anthropologie.com. Tree branch
bins—Silhouette Cameo; 800/859-8243; hook with dresses—Urban Outfitters; Bath + Laundry
silhouetteamerica.com. Coat hook— 800/282-2200; urbanoutfitters.com. Quick & Easy Solutions
Home Depot USA, Inc.; homedepot Containers in drawer Bigso Pippi Drawer PAGE 80
.com. Hangers Huggable Hangers— Organizer in Purple 10060780, plum- Clear cosmetic containers Acrylic
Bed Bath & Beyond; 800/462-3966; and-white lidded boxes on top shelves Stackable Drawer Organizers—The
bedbathandbeyond.com. Adriana Boxes in Plum—The Container Container Store; 800/786-7315;
PAGE 69 (TOP RIGHT) Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore containerstore.com.
Peg hook—Lowe’s; lowes.com. Tote .com. Woven purple bins on top shelf PAGE 81
turquoise rope Kids’ Baby Boat tote— Lavender Strapping Cube Bin—The Land No sourcing available.
Hable Construction, Inc., New York City; of Nod; 800/933-9904; landofnod PAGES 82–83
817/422-5313; hableconstruction.com. .com. Hang tags on woven bins Gravel Cabinet—Restoration Hardware;
Child-size hangers Real Simple Slimline Hangtags with Peacock eyelet—Paper restorationhardware.com. Ceramic tile on
children’s hangers—Bed Bath & Beyond; Source; 888/727-3711; papersource wall Brine 2x8—Modwalls; modwalls
800/462-3966; bedbathandbeyond.com. .com. Accent rug—Quartz Stripe Woven .com. Plastic hairpin box, lidded
PAGE 70 cotton runner—Dash & Albert Rug Co.; plastic containers, plastic drinking
Planner on desk—Filofax; filofaxusa.com. 800/658-5035; dashandalbert.com. Shelf cup, plastic ivory and see-through
Wood block calendar—Target Stores; dividers Tall Heavy-Duty Shelf Dividers, magnetic pockets on door, magnetic
800/800-8800; target.com. Bulletin- sold in sets of two 142043— hooks—The Container Store; 800/786-
board frame—West Elm; 866/428-6468; Organize.com; 800/600-9817; organize 7315; containerstore.com. Small square
westelm.com. .com. Fabric for cat bed and cushion ceramic cups—Pearl River; pearlriver
PAGE 71 Sunbrella Gazebo Violet 12201612— .com. Suction hooks—Muji; muji.us.
Timer—Time Timer; 877/771-8463; Jo-Ann Stores; 888/739-4120; joann.com. Round ceramic cups with brushes,
timetimer.com. Wall shelf Modern small round ceramic cup, large square
wall shelf in White—Urban Outfitters; BATH + LAUNDRY ceramic cup—Fishs Eddy; fishseddy.com.
800/282-2200; urbanoutfitters.com. Tidy Your Vanity PAGE 84
Key hooks, condiment server used as PAGES 78–79 Washer and dryer Duet—Whirlpool;
organizer—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; Professional organizer: Deborah J. whirlpool.com. Cabinetry Maple in
target.com. Binder folders InPlace— Cabral, CPO, The Declutter Coach ; Dove White with West Pointe Mullion
OfficeMax; 877/633-4236; officemax decluttercoachdeb.com. Diamond-Shape Wood and Glass-Pane
.com. Corkboard—The Board Dudes; Wall paint Grayish SW6001, shelf paint Doors and Hardware Pulls 3085.SS—
boarddudes.com. Ardent Coral SW6874—The Sherwin- Kraftmaid; kraftmaid.com. Canvas bins
Williams Co.; 800/474-3794; Crunch Cans—The Container Store;
Within Easy Reach sherwin-williams.com [P]. Flooring 800/786-7315; containerstore
PAGES 72–75 Armstrong 12-foot Ivory Stone sheet .com. Rug Helmi in Turquoise by
Professional organizer: Lorie Marrero, vinyl with low-gloss finish 644856, Brita—Scandinavian Design Center;
CPO, Clutter Diet, Inc.; clutterdiet.com. model G8061401, vanity KraftMaid scandinaviandesigncenter.com.
Wall paint Obi Lilac SW6556, paint Momentum in Cotton finish VSB362134.2 Countertop Smoke Quarstone 6220-RI
for cube organizers African Violet with Paxton doors—Lowe’s; lowes with Radiance Finish—Formica; formica
SW6982—The Sherwin-Williams Co.; .com. Cabinet hardware U-Turn in .com. Wall paint Breaktime SW6463—
800/474-3794; sherwin-williams.com Champagne—Atlas Homewares; The Sherwin-Williams Co.;
[P]. 15-cube organizers—ClosetMaid; 800/799-6755; atlashomewares.com. sherwin-williams.com [P]. Stool
800/874-0008; closetmaid.com. Dressers Medicine cabinet Prairie 17.38x27.38- Svernick—IKEA; ikea-usa.com. White
Malm 6-drawer chest in White with inch recessed medicine cabinet BRN2070 boxes Basics Two-Drawer Paper Storage
110
in White 943145501, letter box on top target.com; meadorganizeher.com. PAGE 103
shelf in cupboard Basics Letter Box Wall paint Intense Teal SW6943—The Roller paper with shelves Up Against
in White 945145501, file box Basics Sherwin-Williams Co.; sherwin-williams The Wall bin paper holder, blue
Desktop File Box in White 954145501— .com [P]. Spray paint for metal mesh hanging wall baskets Down to the
Organize.com; organize.com. organizers Jade and Ivy Leaf in satin Wire hanging wall bin in Blue—
PAGE 85 finish—Krylon Products Group; krylon The Land of Nod; 800/933-9904;
Magnetic paper towel holder—The .com [P]; Leafy Rise and Everglade landofnod.com.
Container Store; 800/786-7315; Glen in Satin finish—The Valspar Corp.;
containerstore.com. valspar.com [P]. Corkboard squares, Crafty Cures
PAGE 86 glass dry-erase board—The Board PAGES 104–107
Shoe organizer Overdoor shoe bag— Dudes; boarddudes.com. Acrylic file Professional Organizer: Kathy
The Container Store; 800/786-7315; boxes DiVoga desktop file bin, wire Jenkins, CPO, Come to Order;
containerstore.com. mesh organizers—OfficeMax; cometoorderva.com.
PAGE 87 officemax.com. Clipboards—Amazon.com; amazon
Clear bins, cleaning caddy—Target; .com. Lidded glass jars, turquoise
target.com. White plastic bins—IKEA; Work + Hobby Quick & Easy Solutions clock—Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.;
ikea-usa.com. Woven basket, basket PAGE 96 walmart.com. Wire basket, riser,
holding vacuum attachments— Green inbox, patterned binders Green chair—The Organizing Store;
The Container Store; 800/786-7315; Room Co.—Target Stores; 800/800-8800; theorganizingstore.com. White lidded
containerstore.com. target.com. Solid binders, fabric- boxes with labels—IKEA; ikea-usa
covered boxes, magazine butlers— .com. Art in gold frame on shelf,
Top to Bottom The Container Store; 800/786-7315; lamp—HomeGoods; 800/614-4663;
PAGES 88–91 containerstore.com. Shredder Royal homegoods.com. Linen bulletin
Professional Organizer: Kathy PX70MX—A+R Global Design; 800/913- board, wastebasket—The Container
Jenkins, CPO, Come to Order; 0071; aplusrstore.com. Table lamp Store; 800/786-7315; containerstore
cometoorderva.com. Hector—Design Within Reach; 800/944- .com. Orange desktop organizer—
Contractor: Eric Engels, Just Right 2233; dwr.com. The Land of Nod; 800/933-9904;
Construction, Altoona, Iowa; 515/313- PAGE 97 landofnod.com. Shelving—Menards;
3078; jrcdm.com. Cabinetry custom—Nelson Hawbaker menards.com. Wallpaper Just Swell
Washer and dryer Duet—Whirlpool Building, Inc., Dallas Center, Iowa; blue regular scale by Heather
Corp.; 866/698-2538; whirlpool.com. 515/992-3267. Cabinet pulls by Hickory Dutton—Spoonflower; spoonflower
Narrow pullout shelving Filler pullout Hardware—through PullsDirect.com; .com. Clear hinged stackable boxes
organizer with wood adjustable shelves 800/470-1505; pullsdirect.com. in drawer—The Container Store;
432-TF45-6C—Rev-A-Shelf; 800/626- PAGE 98 800/786-7315; containerstore.com.
1126; rev-a-shelf.com. Wallpaper Flora Storage system—Gladiator Hardware—Menards; menards.com.
in Gray 32-445—Graham + Brown; GarageWorks; 866/342-4089; Curtains—The Land of Nod; 800/933-
grahambrown.com. Braided jute rug gladiatorgarageworks.com. Bike 9904; landofnod.com. Lamp, abacus—
XN13005 0308TQ in Turquoise—Shades rack—Delta Cycle Corp.; 800/474- T.J. Maxx; 800/285-6299; tjmaxx.com.
of Light; 800/262-6612; shadesoflight 6615; theartofstorage.com. Flooring Clear Storage Totes—The Organizing
.com. Blue wall hooks Single Cast TechFloor—Weather Tech; techfloor.com. Store; theorganizingstore.com.
Iron Hooks in Blue—Urban Outfitters; PAGE 99
800/282-2200; urbanoutfitters.com. No sourcing available. One More Idea
Rectangular baskets on shelf Fabric PAGE 100 PAGE 112
Rectangular basket in Grey; and round Canvas bags—L.L. Bean, Inc.; llbean Designer—Ronda Batchelor;
hamper at washer and dryer Fabric .com. Stacking cubbies Muuto—Design batchelorsway.com. Cabinet pulls
Round Basket in Grey, both from the Within Reach; dwr.com. Style Selections 64 mm Center-to-
Better Homes and Gardens® collection PAGE 101 Center Satin Nickel Arched Cabinet
and both purchased without labels— Bench paint Ashwood—Benjamin Pull 227349—Lowe’s; lowes.com.
Wal-Mart Stores, Inc.; walmart.com. Moore; 888/236-6667; benjaminmoore Magazine files and boxes with lids
Basket labels made with the CAMEO die- .com [P]. covered in wallpaper after purchase—
cutting machine—Silhouette America; PAGE 102 IKEA; ikea-usa.com. Binders—
801/983-8937; silhouetteamerica.com. All labels custom—Name Bubbles; russell+hazel; russellandhazel.com.
Clothespins, round tags—Michaels 866/797-6263; namebubbles.com. Wall
Stores, Inc.; michaels.com. Glass canister paint Gallery Buff, paint inside back of
with mint ceramic lid—World Market; shelves Fair Isle Blue, paint on rolling KEY
877/967-5362; worldmarket.com. doors Martini Olive—Benjamin Moore; [P] PAINT COLOR Because of
the magazine printing process,
888/236-6667; benjaminmoore.com
WORK + HOBBY SPACE [P]. Notebooks, clipboards—Mead; paint colors depicted on our
End Paper Clutter meadonline.com. Glass lidded jars on pages might vary slightly from
PAGES 94–95 shelves Montana Jars with red lid— manufacturers’ colors. Use paint
color names or numbers, when
Tan organizing file with white floral Anchor Hocking Co., 888/263-7195;
provided, as a starting point. To
design magnetic storage pockets— anchorhocking.com.
get the exact color you see in
available exclusively at Target Stores; the magazine, take the page to a
paint retailer for matching.
BHG.COM/SOGO 111
Secrets of Getting Organized™ (ISSN 1933-2696), 2016. Secrets of Getting Organized is published once a year in March by Meredith Corp., 1716 Locust St., Des Moines, IA 50309-3023. In Canada: Mailed under Publications Mail Sales Product Agreement No. 40069223.
one more idea
Canadian BN 12348 2887 RT. Better Homes and Gardens is a registered trademark in the United States, Canada, and Australia. Better Homes and Gardens marca registrada en México. © Meredith Corp. 2016. All rights reserved. Printed in the U.S.A.
See how a do-it-yourselfer transformed old,
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crown molding on top,
then painted everything
white. Colorful storage
boxes stylishly corral
magazines, manuals,
cards, and more, while a
pinboard made of cork
squares and an old frame
displays inspiration for
future projects.
RESOURCES BEGIN
ON PAGE 108.
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HOLD A FAMILY MEETING SET UP A ROUTINE

value. Fun add-on features like a carnival spinner

7. CARDSTOCK TAGS stand

term labels, such as person-

18. METAL LABEL HOLDERS

22 lines of text on the same

It’s been said that the TAKE CHARGE

Figure out what

After your iles are

Looks can be deceiving.

With this new setup, the

ADD SPACE A riser

a B-level spot. Stacked

PROBLEM This desk has

”The SIMPLE method is all about acting and staying

SORT Colored pencils (6)

LABEL IT An adhesive label

This user now evaluates the

LETTER SORTERS prop up

LIDLESS BASKETS that are approximately 2 inches shorter

tucked away in a closet when

DOCUMENT BOXES are

LAZY SUSANS bring STACKING BOXES BOOKENDS steady books,

Jennifer Ford Berry

Deborah Cabral had a gift for organization. From

BARBARA REICH, RESOURCEFUL

28 FOR RESOURCES FOR THIS SECTION, SEE PAGE 108.

on the way out the door.

organize family gear

trade out a standard coffee

place a large tray on top

employ decorative bins

stick with a simple color

CONCEAL CORD CLUTTER To hide unruly

add organizers to the

place large baskets under

DON’T put decorative items up high where they’ll be difficult to dust.

choose a media cabinet

ADD A DESK to the kitchen

SET PRIORITIES for your

Manage your life on the go with Cozi,

CONTROL CORD CHAOS

person’s charger with a your devices. The Smart Charging Station