Are you tired of a cluttered, messy home? If so, I'm going to show you how to organize your home room by room. I'll also be covering the following 'organize my house checklist' that you certainly do not want to miss, including:

• How to create a home organization plan
• Which room to organize first
• How to start organizing a messy home
• How to keep a home organized
• Much more

And I'm going to start with creating a home organization plan that will help everything get started.

How Do You Organize All Rooms in Your House - Create a Home Organization Plan

If you plan to organize your home room by room, you need a plan. A few points in your plan that you should have in place include:

• Which rooms are most important to organize?
• How much time will you allow to de-clutter the home?
• What will you do with all of the items you no longer want?

You want to go through each room in your house, one by one, and you’ll find that many rooms have greater importance than others. Perhaps no one spends time in the dining room, and there are very few items that you’ll need to organize.

Additionally, you may have rooms in your home that no one really uses.

Guest bedrooms, for example, may not be a top priority because you rarely step foot in them. Keep all of this in mind and then create a plan that includes:

• Timeline for the de-cluttering + 20% (it will take longer than you think)
• List of rooms, ordered by priority
• Plan for how you’ll dispose of items you do not want

For example, you may find that you have a bunch of clothes that you need to get rid of or you want to organize a pantry. In the ideal world, you won’t have any items that you want to discard. However, we tend to accumulate a lot of items rather fast and will need to get rid of items to organize the space.

Spend time thinking about how you’ll get rid of items. A few ideas include:

• Turning some items into storage containers to help with organization
• Donating as many items as you can
• Calling a junk removal company
• Bringing the items to the dump yourself

It can be quite overwhelming to go through all of these steps, but the tip below will help you stay motivated.

Tip on Motivation

Most people lose motivation when trying to organize their space because they pick the biggest room to tackle first. You can organize your largest room first if you know that you’ll have the motivation to do it.

However, if you think that you’re going to lose steam and do not want to continue, try:

• Organizing a small space first for an early “win” and boost in motivation
• Switch between large and small rooms to remain motivated
• Split the process into multiple days if necessary

If you do this, you’ll have a much easier time during the actual organization process because you’ll feel a sense of accomplishment. Spending hours organizing one room can feel defeating and like you’re making no progress.

Once you’re satisfied with your plan, you can then work on your list and begin organizing your space room by room.

PS. I’ve outlined the most important rooms in the home below. If you don’t see the room that you plan on organizing on the list below, don’t worry. You can use whichever room you wish.

How To Organize Your Home Room by Room

I'm going to outline the process that I recommend any time someone asks us how to organize a home room by room.

But be sure to use these guides below as a starting point and add in any of your cleaning tricks and tips to help you get everything organized.

Bathrooms

There’s something refreshing about walking into an organized bathroom. Items scattered on the countertops can make the bathroom feel small and cramped. Instead, let’s help it become a place of organization by following the steps below:

1. Open your medicine cabinet, if you have one, and remove everything in it. You'll want to look through every item and discard the ones that you do not want. Creating space in the medicine cabinet will allow you to store other items that you find in the bathroom. Putting the most important items upfront and at eye level works best because it’s much easier to find everything.
2. Now, you’ll want to open up all of the drawers in the bathroom. Go through each, discarding items you no longer want and even go as far as assigning drawers for certain items. For example, maybe the top drawer will hold your personal hygiene items while the second has spare towels. Ideally, the top drawer should have all of the items that you use most often.
3. Next, follow the same steps in point number two for your cabinets. When you discard items that you no longer use or want and dedicate space for a purpose, it will help you get organized much faster.

You’ll also want to spend time going through the items in your shower or tub and organizing them, too. Small storage compartments and baskets that hang on cabinet doors can help you organize the space like a pro.

The basket fits on the door and is hidden in the cabinet. Using a hanging basket allows me to maximize the space and make it more functional. Storage containers and even bins can help you make sense of your bathroom.

Drawer dividers are another option here, and they can help you keep items in your drawers neat and organized.

Of course, there are a lot of DIY tips that you can follow that will help you make storage space out of items that you already have, such as a random box that you can throw out but can hold all of your perfume or cologne neatly.

Bedrooms

A bedroom deserves to be an oasis and space that you can escape to at the end of the day. Waking up in a messy and unorganized bedroom is a recipe for disaster. Instead, you want to start every day by making your bed.

Seriously.

And when you go to organize the space, you’ll want to start using the following list:

1. Make your bed. This small win will help you remain motivated to continue organizing the space. 
2. Next, walk over to each nightstand that you have, open the drawer(s) and go through all of the items inside. Discard or donate any items that you do not want.
3. If you have items on your nightstand, be sure to find a place for all non-essential items to go. You can also keep some items on the nightstand, and it’s quite common to keep your glasses or contacts on the nightstand, or a book. Grab any pens or papers that you have and place them to the side, too. In fact, remove these items from your nightstand, too.
4. Now, go through your dressers in the same way that you went through your nightstand and continue with the remaining furniture in the bedroom.
5. Take the time to go through all of your clothes and put the items that you no longer wear in one pile and make a pile of clothes that are in such a poor condition that they can no longer be used.
6. Fold up any items you want to keep and put all like items in the same drawer. For example, you may have a drawer for workout pants, another for socks and so on.
7. Finally, find a place for all of the small items, pens and paper that you had in your drawers. Of course, discard anything that you have no reason to keep.

One of the worst things that you can do when organizing a bedroom is to shove clothes back into random drawers and not spend the time folding them. The goal is to be able to find items after you organize them, and this means putting them away in their proper drawers and potentially hanging them in the closet, too.

Closets

While you try to organize your home room by room, you’ll come across a lot of closets. Every home organization plan should include what to do with closets because this is the space where we cram items into, slam the door shut and hope nothing falls out.

However, you want to also organize your closet(s).

The steps we find most helpful for dealing with closets and getting them organized are:

1. Remove everything in the closet and discard anything you don’t need anymore.
2. Put items that do not belong in the closet to the side.
3. Add in any storage or organizer items you can, such as a shoe rack or a top shelf to hold items.
4. Begin putting your items back. In a bedroom closet, this may mean hanging up your clothes. However, a coat closet may need to have coats hung up, shoes put in the right place and so on.

In every room with a closet, look through the space and follow the steps above. A clean, decluttered closet will open up an immense amount of space in your home.

Dining Room

Most dining rooms are easy to organize because there aren’t many items in these spaces. However, if you have tall China cabinets or similar items, you’ll need to organize these areas. A few steps that I recommend here are:

1. Remove any unnecessary items from the furniture. Of course, you can keep any decorative items or pictures that you have out in the space.
2. Remove any mail, papers or other items from the table unless they’re 100% necessary. You want to make this a comfortable space to come and eat at, and it’s hard when mail is staring back at you while you eat.
3. Go through all of the drawers or cabinets in the room, removing items you don’t want and creating a sense of organization when placing items back in these furniture pieces.

Be sure to put all of the chairs in the dining room back in place neatly so that when you enter the room the next time, you feel relaxed and calm.

Entryways

When you enter your home, how does it make you feel? If you’re tripping over shoes when you enter because they’re not in the proper place, it’s time to organize. A few quick tips to make entryways more organized are:

1. Invest in a shoe rack that will be placed next to the entryway and allow you to put shoes in them instead of in the middle of the floor.
2. Coat racks can help make the space more organized.
3. Add a space for keys so that they’re easily accessible when leaving and can be hung up or put in a drawer.

Otherwise, there’s not too much to do in these spaces. If you do have random items sitting around, discard them or purchase furniture to put them in. For example, you can buy a chest or a bench that has storage space.

Benches are a nice touch because they act as a functional space where you can sit down and take off your shoes. They may also provide storage space for random items you have near the entryway.

Foyers or Mudroom

You may or may not have a mudroom or foyer. However, if you do, you can make the space feel more organized by following the steps for entryways. These steps will include:

1. Looking through any of the items you have in these spaces, including desks, side tables or other storage solutions.
2. Toss out any items that do not make sense to keep in these spaces.
3. Reorganize the space using storage solutions and be sure to remain cognizant of height. You want to be able to reach all of your items with ease rather than having to hop on a stool or climb up a step ladder.
4. Add space for keys. You might keep car keys in this space or keys to the shed or similar spaces.

Once you’re done with the mudroom, the next space to organize is your kitchen.

Kitchen

The kitchen is the heart of the home, and most people use it for more than just cooking and eating. It may be where the kids do their homework, or you do your own remote work. Because the kitchen has so many uses, it can be a challenge to de-clutter and organize.

Rather than focusing on one specific area of the kitchen, it may be more useful to focus on de-cluttering categories of items. Regardless of your approach, you’ll want to follow these steps.

1. Start by emptying out the space you’re focusing on.
2. Assess each item in that space, and determine whether you want to keep it, toss it or donate it.
3. Place any items you’re keeping back into their rightful places.
4. Start with the pantry and upper cabinets, and then work your way down to the lower cabinets.
5. De-clutter your countertops. Remove as many items as possible and put them into their rightful places.
6. Place any items from other rooms into an empty bin and bring them back to their proper storage place.

De-cluttering and organizing the kitchen will take some work, but it’s worth the effort to keep this central room tidy.

Living Room

Because the living room is one of the most used rooms in the house, it can be challenging to get it organized and keep it that way. This is especially true if other household members aren’t doing their part to keep things tidy.

In the living room, there are two important rules to remember:

• Declutter often.
• Implement permanent storage solutions for items that are used regularly, like books and magazines.

While challenging, it’s not impossible to organize your living room. Follow this list to start de-cluttering:

1. Start by going through bookcases, side tables and consoles. Toss out any items that aren’t used.
2. De-clutter your entertainment center and the coffee table next.
3. Put books where they belong. 
4. Go through any paper items that are lying around, like mail, and either toss them or put them in their proper places.
5. Organize remotes.
6. Fold any throw blankets you have in the living room and put them where they belong.
7. Go through your electronics – anything that’s not connected to your TV or sound system. Are you using these items? Do they still work?
8. Put gaming equipment and chargers back into their proper places.
9. Place any items that don’t belong in the living room into an empty bin. Place each item back in its rightful place.

Place any items that you want to donate into a designated donation pile. If you’re getting rid of any electronics, make sure that you dispose of them properly.

Playrooms

If you have kids and a designated playroom or play area, implementing organizational systems will help keep these spaces as tidy as possible. Teaching your kids to use these systems will also help instill healthy organizational habits early on.

Follow this list to get your playroom organized:

1. Go through your child’s toys and toss out anything that is broken or missing pieces.
2. Invite your children to select any toys that they no longer play with or have outgrown. Ask if they would like to donate these toys to other kids in need.
3. Use clear, open bins to keep toys organized. Clear bins make it easy for kids to see everything inside without having to dump everything out.
4. Designate certain bins for groups of items. For example, have one bin just for LEGOs.
5. Keep messy items, like arts and crafts supplies, up and out of reach, so you don’t wind up with big messes. 

Once you have organization systems in place, set rules for using them and reward your kids for keeping their playroom organized.

The playroom is one space you may need to revisit often to de-clutter. Make it a habit to go through things at least once a year to keep toy collections in check.

Which Room to Organize First? Organizing Your Home – Where to Start

If your goal is to organize your entire home, you may be wondering where you should start. The entire project can feel overwhelming. Where do you even begin?

There’s no right or wrong answer here. It ultimately comes down to your personal preference. Starting with the messiest or biggest room in the house may be more satisfying than starting with a smaller space. On the other hand, starting with an easy job may give you the motivation to keep going.

That said, here are some things to consider when trying to decide where to start on your organization journey.

Are Your Storage Spaces Clutter-Free?

Many people find that it’s helpful to start with storage spaces when organizing their homes. Why? Because these are the places where you’ll be putting items from other areas of your home as you go through the organization process.

You can’t put your groceries away if your refrigerator and pantry are stuffed to the gills, right? It’s the same idea with your storage spaces.

If you find that it’s necessary, invest in some organization tools, like bins and boxes, to keep items easy to access and organized. 

The Central Areas of the Home

We tend to spend a lot of time in communal spaces, like the living room and kitchen. These are great places to start because they’ll have an immediate and noticeable impact. For those who need to see results to stay motivated, these are the ideal areas to focus on first.

When reorganizing shared spaces, try to get everyone involved so that they know where to put items when they’re done using them. When everyone plays a role in the organization process, they’ll feel more inclined to stick to the new systems.

These are two great areas to start when organizing your home, but you may have a certain space that you are just dying to reorganize. If that’s the case, then start there. If you feel stressed out walking into your home office every day, then get started in this space. Getting it organized and implementing new systems to keep it organized will make you feel better and reduce some of the stress in your life.

Final Tips on How to Start Organizing a Messy House

Organizing a home is no easy task – especially if you have a big family. Here are some more helpful tips to help you start organizing your home.

Create a Routine or Schedule

Schedules and routines are your friends when tackling a big organization project, so create ones that work with your lifestyle. 

Maybe dedicate Saturday afternoons to organizing your home until you’ve gone through every room. Having a designated time and day for organization can make the process less stressful and ensure that you’re staying on track to reach your goal.

Make it Easier to Keep Trash Where It Belongs

If trash is being left in the kitchen and living room, make it easier for everyone to do their part and keep garbage where it belongs – in the bin. If everyone has to jump through hoops just to get to the trash can, they’ll be less inclined to use it.

So, instead of keeping your garbage bin locked in a cabinet or somewhere else that’s hard to reach, place it in a central location in the kitchen. If necessary, remove the lid. This way, there is no excuse for not putting trash in the bin.

Take Your Time – But Don’t Procrastinate

The goal is to organize your home room by room – not to create more unnecessary stress. Allow yourself to take your time when tackling a big organization project so that you can create systems that actually work for you and your lifestyle.

While it’s important not to rush through the process, it’s also important to make sure that you’re not procrastinating. Set a realistic timeline for your home organization project to stay on track without putting too much pressure on yourself and your family.

How to Keep Your Home Organized

Congratulations on getting your home organized! All of your hard work has paid off, but if you don’t want to wind up in the same mess again, you’ll need to maintain your results.

Here are some super-simple tips to help keep your home organized.

Train Yourself to Put Things Back in Their Place

Keeping a home organized is all about building habits. So, start training yourself to put things back into their rightful places. It’s easy to leave a book out on the table or your laundry on the chair until tomorrow. But after a while, these little things add up to a lot of clutter in your room – and more work for you later on.

Make it a rule to put things back into their places after you’ve used them. Commit to building this one simple habit, and you’ll find that it’s much easier to keep your home organized.

Spend 10 Minutes a Day Organizing Your Home

You don’t have to spend an hour each day cleaning and organizing your home. All you need is 10 minutes a day. Dedicate this time to sweeping through the house and picking up any odds and ends that aren’t in their rightful places.

Make your daily organization run a family activity. Ask the kids to pick up their toys, school supplies, shoes – whatever they may be – and put them where they belong. 

When everyone pitches in, you’ll find it’s a breeze to keep your home tidy and organized.

Think Before You Buy 

I'm all guilty of impulsive buying, but that doesn’t have to be your default behavior. Make a conscious effort to think about a purchase before you head to the register or click “buy now” online.

Ask yourself:

• Do I really need this?
• Is this something I will be using months or years from now?
• How will this benefit my life or make it easier?

Even if you have a perfectly reasonable and valid reason to buy something, hold off at least a day before making a purchase. If you still find yourself wanting or needing the item in a day or two, then you can be confident that it’s not just an impulse buy.

Try New Systems if Something Isn’t Working

If your current organization system just isn’t working anymore or is only making your life unnecessarily stressful, try something new. Sometimes, finding the right organizational system is a process of trial and error.

Declutter Your Counters Daily

Kitchen counters tend to accumulate a lot of junk. From mail to papers, schoolwork and other odds and ends, counters tend to be the catch-all for things around the house. Focusing on keeping them clean and clutter-free can go a long way in making your home feel tidier and more organized.

Make it a point to de-clutter your counters every day. 

• Put dishes away and load up the dishwasher.
• Go through your mail right away and either file it or toss it in the trash.
• Put odds and ends in a designated junk drawer so that they’re out of sight.

Create a To-Do List

We all have busy lives. It’s easy to forget about organizing your home when you have a million and one tasks to do every day. Creating a to-do list can help you keep on top of your organizing tasks and improve your time management.

Include all of your tasks for each day on your to-do list, and be sure to include bigger jobs as well – like reorganizing a closet or the kids’ playroom. 

Having a paper task list is helpful, but you can also use your phone and set alerts to cut back on your paper use.

Make Your Bed Every Morning

Here’s another simple way to help keep your home organized – make your bed every morning. A messy bed can make an entire room look messy, even if everything else is in its place.

Take a minute or two before you start your day to get your bed organized, and your entire space will immediately feel tidier.

Final Thoughts

If you follow our guide above, you’ll know how to organize your home room by room. Of course, you can take the time to clean your space, too. A clean, organized home is one that you’ll be happy to walk into every day.