Feel more organized with little effort

Even avid organizers have nights when they just want to fling their shoes off, drop the mail, and leave them where they land. I even have a closet in my home where I kind of just, stash things. I’m always looking for organizational solutions that are easy not only to implement, but also to maintain. Here are a few common home problems and some solutions that require minimal time and effort.

I have clothing clutter around the house.
Having a beautifully set up laundry sorting station in the laundry room seems like a great idea. However, how often are you in the laundry room each day? Put your laundry hamper in the place you are most likely to undress. If you undress in the bedroom, put a hamper in your closet or near your bedside. If you get more comfortable the second you get into the house, put a hamper in the coat closet or disguise one in the living room. The more convenient the location of the hamper, the more likely the clothes will actually make it there.

Modern weave storage hamper - $99.00 from West Elm
Crazy linen hamper - $89.95 from CB2

I have piles of dirty laundry to wash and clean laundry to fold/put away.
This is a harder one to believe and even harder to implement. But you must trust me on this one. Whenever you find yourself with 10 extra minutes of time, start a load of laundry. I’ve found that doing smaller loads of laundry more frequently has eliminated any laundry related stress. Not only are my hampers never overflowing, my clothes are always clean and ready. The smaller the load, the less time it takes to fold, hang, and iron. This chore becomes a quick, easy-to-complete task every few days instead of a daunting one for the weekend. Plus, modern washers have a setting for small loads, so don’t worry about the wasting water.

My closet looks like a mess.
The easiest way to make a closet look more organized is to replace all mismatched hangers with matching ones. Wood hangers will add a lot or try white plastic hangers from Target. They work just as well and provide the same effect. If you are feeling extra motivated, organize your clothing by occasion and color so clothes are easy to find.

images from containerstore.com

I have piles of mail all over my counter, table, desk, etc...
If you don’t want to file your mail each day, purchase a paper organizer. Place it near the trash can or shredder and promise to go through the mail before you do anything else. Immediately throw away or shred unwanted mail and place your keeper mail in two categories: mail you need to attend to (bills, invitations, etc.) and mail that needs to be filed. Then, once you have more time, file away your mail in your filing cabinet (which is nicely labeled and organized, I hope).

Semikolon paper tray - $26.00 from See Jane Work
Lacquer office set - $79.99 from West Elm

My cabinets are full of random stuff, but stuff I need to keep.
Purchase some inexpensive baskets or bins from Target or IKEA to wrangle in all that loose stuff. The simple act of taking things and putting them into a container will make the cabinet feel more organized. Keep things separated by function: cleaning supplies in one basket and pet stuff in another.

Tote with eyelet handles - $9.99 from Target
Branas basket - $7.99 from IKEA

My bedroom always feels messy.
Make your bed each morning. It seems annoying and silly since you are just going to mess it up again, but making your bed will make you feel more organized and more relaxed. It should only take 2-3 minutes to make your bed. If it takes longer, you may have too much bedding. Think about removing some of those decorative pillows or replacing your 3 blankets with a down comforter. If you let your pets sleep with you, run a lint roller over your pillow and sheets to keep linens fresh between washes. Coming home from a long day to a clean, made bed will be worth it.

image from westelm.com