How to Organize Your Living Room

Organize Your Home in 40 Days – Week 3

Living rooms are often one of the most cluttered areas in the house. If you have children, at some point during the day there are probably toys strewn about the room, odds and ends shoved haphazardly between sofa cushions, and books and magazines scattered across the floor. If you don't have children, you might struggle with endless paper piles or unwieldy stacks of DVDs instead.

We get it. It's difficult to create a calm, perfectly tidy environment. But your home doesn't have to look like the cover of Better Homes and Gardens to be a more functional, organized, and cheerful place. And once you get organized, the easier it will be to stay organized, as well as more productive and healthy in other areas of your life. That's why for week three of the Simplify Challenge, we're challenging you to get rid of your excess living room clutter! If you're not able to tackle all the tasks we've outlined by yourself, don't worry. Just contact us to get some help from one of our awesome professional organizers!

Organize Your Living Room Surfaces

Let's get started on living room using the same strategical steps we used for week one and two –

PURGE, CLEAN, ORGANIZE, and MAINTAIN. First, we'll focus on living room surfaces, especially the entry table, coffee table, end tables, and sofa tables. These areas have a tendency to get pretty cluttered. Here's how to change that:

PURGE - Grab a couple of bags for trash and recycling, as well as several boxes in which you can put items you want to donate, sell, store, or move to another area of your home. Start sorting items, getting rid of as much as you can. Ask yourself if the item is functional. If it's not, do you enjoy its decorative qualities enough to look at it every day? Donate items you know you'll never use again, such as old magazines and books. Let someone else enjoy them instead!


CLEAN – Now that all the surfaces are clear, dust them off and clean them if necessary.


ORGANIZE - Put back only your favorite decorative pieces and functional items. Also sort through assorted electronic accessories. Consider repurposing a basket you have around the house to hold items like remote controls. Also, make sure to take action on all of the items you put into boxes so they don't take up space and create more clutter. When you're all done, enjoy the clean simplicity of the space!


MAINTAIN - Having a place for every item in the living room, and putting these items back in their designated spaces daily, is key to keeping your surfaces clear and clutter-free.

How to Organize Your Kitchen Cabinets

Cooking can be fun and easy if your kitchen cabinets are organized! When cabinet shelves are de-cluttered, it's easy to find the pots and pans you need, making your time in the kitchen more productive and enjoyable.

PURGE - Go through each cabinet and pull out items you no longer need. Place them in a box to donate or sell.
CLEAN - Take everything off the shelves so you can wipe them down with a clean washcloth.
ORGANIZE - Categorize items by function before putting them back on the shelf. Place glasses between the dishwasher and the sink. Put pots and pans near the stove. This will create a more efficient, organized kitchen.
MAINTAIN - As soon as the dishes are clean, put them away in their proper spots. It might take a little extra time, but will help you maintain the hard work you've done.

After you've finally met your organizing goals in this often cluttered area, put your feet up and take a break before next week's tough-to-tackle project – The living room! And remember, if you feel overwhelmed with any tasks, please contact us to assist you. We're always ready to help.

Also, don't forget to post photos of your newly clean kitchen on Twitter using the hashtag #SimplifyIn40Days, and on our Facebook page.

Until next week, happy organizing!

How to Organize Your Kitchen Drawers

Are you tired of rummaging through your drawers? Usually certain items don't belong there, creating clutter and causing frustration. Cut back on the time and emotional energy it takes for you to find something by cleaning out your kitchen drawers.

PURGE – Clear out any items that don't belong in the kitchen drawers. Limit yourself to one junk drawer, and don't let the rest become a go-to place to put disorganized clutter that's on your countertop. Also, remove any items that you no longer use and place them in a box to be donated or sold.
CLEAN – After you've removed all the items from your drawers, wipe them out with a clean washcloth.
ORGANIZE – Categorize items by function before putting them back in drawers. Place cooking utensils near the stove, dish towels near the sink, and flatware between the dishwasher and table. Some drawers may need dividers or containers to streamline functionality and efficiency.
MAINTAIN - Make sure to always put back items in their correct space as soon as you're done using and cleaning them, and straighten them from time to time so they don't become jumbled and disorganized.

How to Organize Your Kitchen Countertops

Often one the first places clutter accumulates is the kitchen countertops, making the environment feel chaotic and unmanageable. Reclaim your space simply by organizing and finding new homes for items you rarely use. 

PURGE – Grab a trash can and recycling bin. You may also want to find some boxes in which you can drop items that don't belong in the kitchen, items you want to donate, and assorted papers you find. Start sorting items into these boxes until the countertops are clear from clutter.
CLEAN – When your countertops are clutter-free, wipe them down with a clean washcloth.
ORGANIZE - Keep only what you use frequently on the counter surfaces – The rest can go in one of your designated boxes. Items that you use infrequently can be stored in the cabinets or another storage area in your home, like a shelf in the garage. If papers tend to accumulate on your countertop, set up a nearby mail processing center that includes a shredder, recycling bin, and filing system. Clearly label your files into actionable items such as "to do," "to file," "to call," "offers to consider," etc. This filing system will most likely save you a lot of time, and lessen your late bills and feelings of frustration.
MAINTAIN - The key to taming the paper tiger is to make sure you deal with it daily before it gets overwhelming – Three papers are always easier to deal with than thirty. Make it a habit to keep your surfaces clear and clean on a daily basis.

How to Organize Your Refrigerator

Just like the pantry, an organized refrigerator lends itself to healthy eating habits. So, it's time to get rid of those lingering holiday leftovers and make room for healthy, fresh food.

PURGE – Get rid of expired leftovers, food that you won't or shouldn't eat, and old condiments. After you're done, make a list of healthy items to purchase on your next grocery trip.
CLEAN – Get rid of sticky spills and stains. Remove everything from the shelves and put it on the countertop. Then scrub the empty shelves until they sparkle.
ORGANIZE - Put items back by category – Place leftovers that are still good on the top shelf, drinks on the next shelf, and dressings and condiments on the side shelves. You get the idea!
MAINTAIN – Take stock of what's in your refrigerator before each trip to the grocery store. Throw out old items that you'll never use. It'll help you decide what you need to purchase, and create space in which you can put your groceries when you get home.

Organize Your Home in 40 Days – Week 2

It's week two of the Simplify Challenge, a 40 day detox program designed to rid your life of excess clutter! We hope you're enjoying your clean garage after reading last week's blog post. If you weren't able to get it all done, don't worry! Simply contact us to get assistance from one of our professional organizers – We're always happy to help!

This week, we're challenging you to tackle your kitchen clutter. The kitchen is one of the most important areas of the home, as it's often the hub of activity. Household members also tend to drop whatever they're carrying here after a long day. As a result, surfaces become cluttered and dirty, creating a chaotic, disorganized environment. But it doesn't have to be like this! Here are a few ways to transform this important space into a tranquil area in which your family can enjoy preparing and sharing meals together:

Organize Your Pantry

Now that the holidays and their sweet and salty treats are behind us, it's time to start eating healthy again. Unsurprisingly, an organized pantry goes hand-in-hand with healthy eating habits. So here's how to get back on track and stick to those resolutions just by cleaning out your cupboard:

PURGE - Get rid of any expired food, or food that you won't or shouldn't eat. Donate items that are still within their expiration date to your local food bank.
ORGANIZE - Place similar items together. For example: Put cereal with rice and pasta, place oils, vinegars, dressings, and sauces together, and group healthy snack items on the same shelf.
MAINTAIN – The most important action you can take to keep your pantry organized is to put items away in their designated spots as soon as you get home from grocery shopping. You can also label containers and shelves so you don't forget where the items should be grouped.

Get Organized in 2017 with the Simplify Challenge!

Happy New Year! This is the time of year that we begin to reflect on the past year and plan for the new year ahead. What are your goals for the upcoming months? Some of the most popular include eating less and exercising more, spending less and saving more … and of course, getting organized!

The truth is that most resolutions are forgotten before January is over. However, this year we want to help you accomplish all of your goals. 

That's why we invite you to join us in the Simplify Challenge, a 40-day detox program to rid your life of excess clutter so that you can spend more time living life to the fullest. As with any challenge, this won't be easy, but we promise to provide you with the tools and support to be successful by providing you with a step-by-step guide to organizing your entire home. We'll send you one email per week, each of which will focus on a different area of your home. Don't worry if you fall behind schedule or become overwhelmed – Simply contact us to get help from one of our professional organizers to guarantee your success.

To kick things off, we're going spend this first week focusing on cleaning up one of the most forgotten areas of your home – The garage. But before you get started on that, make sure to:

• PUT YOUR DECORATIONS AWAY- If you haven't already done so, put away all holiday decorations so that you're ready to start organizing. As you find items you no longer love and enjoy in your decorations, donate them instead of wasting space storing them yet another year.

• PURCHASE SUPPLIES - It's hard to know what you'll need until you get into the project, but it's always helpful to purchase some general organizing containers in a variety of sizes so that you have what you need on hand. Make sure to keep your receipt so you can return what you don't use.

• GET SUPPORT - Follow us on social media to find others following this program. That way, you can give each other encouragement and support! You can post photos and comment on our Facebook page, and on Twitter using the hashtag #SimplifyIn40Days.

Once you've taken care of these preliminary steps, you're ready to start de-cluttering and organizing your garage! Here are a few steps to help you tackle this cumbersome task:

• PURGE - Pull anything you no longer need out onto the driveway. These items can be sold or donated. If they're too large to carry to the donation center, call Salvation Army or a donation center in your area that offers pick up services.

• ORGANIZE - Now that you've pared everything down to the essentials, it's time to organize. It's best to pick up everything off of the floor, so you may want to install some shelves, hooks or other helpful organizing tools. Put items into categories such as sports, tools, auto, etc. Place small items like nails and screws in labeled containers with individual compartments. Holiday decorations can also be stored in plastic tubs that are clearly labeled. As you sort through items, continue purging items you no longer need.

• MAINTAIN - Always make sure items get put back in their designated spot after you use them.

After you've finally met your organizing goals in this difficult area, pull in your car and enjoy your now-spacious garage! Also, as you're working this week, don't forget to take a break. You'll need to keep your energy up for next week's tough to tackle project – The kitchen! And remember, if you feel overwhelmed with any tasks, please contact us to assist you. We're always ready to help.

Don't forget to post photos of your clean garage on Twitter using the hashtag #SimplifyIn40Days, and on our Facebook page.

Until next week, happy organizing!