Is your clutter starting to clutter your mind?
I’ve been there. That feeling of being surrounded by stuff with nowhere to put it. It’s draining. A messy home can make your head feel just as messy. When I was deep in my struggle with bad habits, my environment often reflected my inner chaos. Piles of clothes, a disorganized kitchen, things just stuffed into closets. It was a visual reminder of feeling stuck.
Taking control of my space was a small but powerful step in taking control of my life. It helped me think more clearly and build the discipline I needed to lose over 110 pounds and create a healthier routine. It's not about having a perfect home. It's about creating a peaceful, orderly space that serves you and your family. A space where you can rest, connect, and focus on what truly matters. So let's talk about some simple ways to make that happen.
Your Home is Your Sanctuary
Before we jump into the hacks, I want to share a shift in perspective that helped me. I started seeing my home not just as a place to live but as a gift to be managed. Taking care of it, keeping it in order, became an act of gratitude and stewardship. It’s about creating a peaceful sanctuary, a place that recharges you instead of draining you.
An organized home brings a sense of calm that allows you to focus better on your work, your family, and your faith. With a clear space, you get a clearer mind. It’s about creating order from chaos, which frees us up for bigger things.
20 Simple Hacks to Conquer Clutter
Ready to reclaim your space? You don’t need a huge budget or a complete overhaul. These are simple tricks I’ve used to make a big difference with minimal effort.
- Go Vertical. Use your wall space. Shelves above doorways or tall, narrow bookcases can store a lot without taking up precious floor space.
- Use Door Backs. The back of a door is prime real estate. Hang an over-the-door shoe organizer for shoes, cleaning supplies, or pantry items.
- Tension Rods for the Win. Place a tension rod under your sink to hang spray bottles. This frees up the entire cabinet floor for other items.
- Think Inside the Box. Use shoeboxes or small baskets as dividers inside your drawers. No more jumbled messes of socks or utensils.
- File Your Clothes. Instead of stacking clothes in a drawer, "file" them vertically from front to back. You can see everything at a glance and it saves a surprising amount of space.
- Magnetic Strips Aren't Just for Knives. Use them in the bathroom for bobby pins and tweezers or in the garage for small tools.
- Repurpose Old Containers. Glass jars from sauces or jams are perfect for storing nuts, seeds, or craft supplies. They look nice and cost nothing.
- Create a "One-In, One-Out" Rule. When you buy something new like a shirt or a mug, get rid of an old one. This simple rule stops clutter from accumulating again.
- Use Bed Risers. Lifting your bed a few extra inches creates a ton of under-bed storage space for out-of-season clothes or extra linens in flat bins.
- Divide Your Pantry. Use magazine holders to store canned goods on their side. You can also use them to neatly file away water bottles or long pasta boxes.
- Get a Lazy Susan. They are amazing in deep corner cabinets or the refrigerator. No more reaching into the dark back for that one forgotten jar of pickles.
- Hang Your Pots and Pans. A simple pot rack can free up an entire kitchen cabinet. It also makes grabbing the right pan much easier when you’re cooking.
- Create a Charging Station. Designate one drawer or a small basket as a central charging station for all your electronics. This finally corrals the cord chaos.
- Use Clear Containers. When you can see what’s inside a box, you’re more likely to use it and put it back in the right place. This was a game-changer for my pantry. When I was battling binge eating, I moved healthy snacks into clear containers at eye level and put temptations out of sight. It made making a good choice the easy choice.
- The 10-Minute Tidy. Set a timer for 10 minutes every evening and have everyone in the family help put things back where they belong. It’s amazing what you can accomplish together.
- Think Seasonally. Store out-of-season clothing and holiday decorations in bins in less accessible places like the attic, a high closet shelf, or the garage.
- Empty Your Pockets. Have a small bowl or tray near the front door for keys, wallets, and pocket change. This one simple habit stops clutter from spreading onto the kitchen counter.
- Use Your Suitcase. Don't let your luggage sit empty between trips. Use it to store extra blankets, pillows, or bulky seasonal sweaters.
- Create Zones. Designate specific zones for specific activities. A reading corner, a craft area, a workspace. This helps keep items contained to their intended area.
- The One-Touch Rule. Try to handle things only once. When you get the mail, sort it immediately over the recycling bin instead of putting it on the counter to deal with later. When you take off your coat, hang it up right away.
Start Small, Build Momentum
Looking at that list might feel overwhelming. Don't try to do it all at once. That’s a recipe for burnout. Remember how I lost over 110 pounds? It wasn’t by changing everything overnight. It was by celebrating small wins. I started by just walking. Then I focused on one meal. The same principle applies here.
Pick one. Just one hack from this list.
Maybe it's putting a tension rod under your sink this weekend. Maybe it's filing the clothes in your t-shirt drawer tonight. Do that one thing. Feel the small victory. That small win will give you the energy and motivation to tackle the next small area. Progress, not perfection, is the goal.
An organized home isn't about impressing anyone. It’s about creating an environment of peace and order for you and your loved ones. It’s about being a good steward of what you’ve been given. It reduces stress, saves time, and gives you the mental space to focus on what truly matters in life.
So, what’s the one corner of your home that needs a little attention? What’s one small step you can take today to bring a little more order into your life? Start there. You’ve got this.
