Are you feeling like you’re overflowing the square footage in your Des Moines home? Perhaps you simply need to organize the chaos. Here are some tips to help tackle the clutter and create space you never realized you had:

Throw Away and Donate

The first step to creating an organized and clutter free home is to purge any items you no longer want or need. Go room by room and look at your belongings. Create three piles: a “keep” area, a “throw away” area, and a “donation” area. If you haven’t worn it or used it in the last year and it’s still in relatively good condition, donate it. Discard any expired items in your pantry or bathroom cabinets. Going through all your belongings room by room will make you realize just how much you don’t need anymore.

Utilize Wall Space

Wall space is not merely for decorating – by lifting things off of the ground or out of the cabinets, you increase the amount of usable space in your home. This tip can work in many areas ranging from the garage to the kitchen. For example, pots and pans can take up the majority of your cabinet space in your kitchen, but you can hang these from hooks on the wall and you will then have free real estate in your cabinets. Can’t park your car in the garage because of the clutter?  Hang it all up by installing bike racks and getting hooks for rakes, garden tools, cords, and ladders. This not only organizes your utility items but also allows you space to park your car.  Are your counters in the bathroom filled with junk? Hang your blow dryer and curling iron, install shelving for your products, and enjoy a clutter free counter.

Organize the Drawers

The junk drawer is something we all probably have – and it’s probably the least organized area of homes. Do you find that all of your drawers follow in the same suit? Invest in some drawer dividers; whether they’re handmade or purchased from a storage supply vendor, they’ll absolutely help to keep you organized. Use them in the kitchen to separate your utensils, put them in the bathroom to separate your toiletries, and use them in your dresser to organize your clothes.

Storage

Storage space is a great asset to any home, but it should be used wisely. Use the less accessible storage spaces to store items that you may only use once or twice a year, like holiday decorations. For items you use on a daily basis, store them at eye level or on accessible shelves. Bulky winter clothes can be stored in vacuum packs under the bed during the spring and summer months. Utilize your space and determine how often the items to be stored will be used, as this will help you store them in an organized fashion.

Create a System

It’s much easier to let things pile up than it is to get out the ladder and fish out the boxes where those items truly belong.  Alleviate the hassle by creating filing systems that are easily accessible. Create space for a file cabinet and organize and label your files so that when you need to put away a document, you can easily access the file for it. Organize children's toys in baskets that can be stored on shelving that they can reach. Label storage bins that aren’t accessed often so you know what is in them prior to opening them. Not only will this get rid of the clutter, but it will save you time and energy in the long run.

Keeping your home organized is easy once you do these initial tips. Ideally, it’s best to look at your home as a visitor may see it. What are some of your organizational habits?