5-Step Home Organisation Method: Proven Rules & Techniques
At Homefulness, our goal is never only to organise. We endeavour to create long lasting organisation systems that can be easily maintained, and adapted where necessary when circumstances and lifestyles change.
We strongly believe that the key to successful, manageable and long lasting home organisation is having a consistent and reliable step by step method that can be applied to every area of the home, be it the wardrobe or the pantry.
Keep reading to discover the strategic set of organisation rules and methods that the Homefulness team use in every home we work in!
Step 1: Remove Contents
To begin, you need to fully empty the spaces you are organising. Whether it’s a hanging rail, kitchen cupboard, office shelves, or hallway cupboard, you need to remove everything. Being able to see the full inventory of the space you are organising is vital to enable you to make a fully informed decision about what stays and what goes.
Plus, starting with a blank canvas is the best way to ensure that your new organising system can be optimised for your space and your needs. Whilst the space is empty, take the opportunity to give it a clean, wiping down all surfaces.
Step 2: Categorise & Sort
For each space that you organise, you will need to identify categories specific to your inventory in that space and sort through your items accordingly. You should make as many categories as you need, grouping items in the same category together so that you can see how many of each item you have and where you have duplicates or gaps.
During this step you will gain a good understanding of what you own and what you have accumulated in a space and set yourself up nicely for the next step in the process.
Step 3: Discard, Donate & Sell
With all items removed from the space you are organising and sorted into categories, it is now time to decide what to discard, donate or sell. This step, which is sometimes referred to as ‘purging’ is usually where the emotional and mental barriers to organising are triggered.
As you undertake this step, asking yourself the right questions can really help you make the right choice when considering whether to part with an item.
For any item you are unsure whether to keep or not, ask yourself the following questions:
Is it broken beyond repair?
Would I buy it if I didn’t already own it?
Do I use it?
Do I have duplicates?
Does it belong to me? (If borrowed, return it!)
Is it expired?
Am I saving it for someone else?
Do I have the space for it in my current home?
If it hadn’t been brought to my attention, would I have even missed it?
Once you have made a decision on which items to part with, you then need to sort through these items and decide whether to discard, donate or sell them. For each item, decide which of the following categories it best fits in.
Discard:
Rubbish
Damaged items that cannot be repaired
Empty boxes
Expired products
Donate:
Any items in good condition that you no longer have use for e.g. kitchen equipment, clothing, kid’s toys, electronics, books, unopened toiletries
Unnecessary duplicate items
Sell:
Any items of value that you don’t wish to donate
Step 4: Create Organisation Systems
After you have worked through what you are going to keep and what you will discard, donate or sell, you will have a good idea of how many items you actually need to store.
Within the space you are organising, take some time to determine where to place each zone and figure out what kind of organisation system (a system created to separate and hold categories of items) is going to work best for both the space and the items that will be stored there.
Getting this right is going to make it much easier to maintain your organisation in the months and years to come.
Adding containers will ensure that every item in your space has a specific home that can be easily maintained on a day to day basis.
Just remember, when choosing organising products, always be sure to maximise the storage space you have available. The key is to match products with both the measurements of your space and your aesthetic style.
At Homefulness we’re renowned for our sense of style & aesthetic and pride ourselves on our design-centric approach to home organising. We believe the key to achieving a functional and stylish home is through containing, labelling, and placing. When organising your home, the following styling tips may come in useful:
Colour coordinate items
Use containers that match your home’s style and aesthetic
Add labels that match your home’s style and aesthetic
Use matching coat hangers
Aim to keep surfaces as clear as possible
Step 5: Maintain
When well thought out organisation systems are in place in your home, it should be simple to maintain them, but it will require a bit of commitment! Get into the habit of consciously placing each item back in the same place you took it from.
We know this sounds simple, but it’s something that can be overlooked in the rush of daily life. Neglecting to do this can quickly set you on the slippery slope back to disorganisation. It’s also useful to try and stick to the ‘one in one out’ rule.
By continuously adding to your possessions without cleansing along the way, you can easily end up back at square one… and we don’t want that! If that rule seems too rigid, make sure that each new item has a dedicated space/spot in your home. If space is too tight, it’s probably time to say goodbye to something…
Inspired To Organise Your Home?
We hope you are inspired to get organising in your home with our proven step-by-step organisation method!
For tips, tricks and some more home organisation inspo, be sure to check out our Instagram and TikTok pages and if you haven’t already, sign up for our monthly newsletter.
Plus for more in-depth guidance on organising your wardrobe, pantry and home office, be sure to check out our how-to guides.
