Organize Me Now! Discover 8 genius organizing tips plus enter to win my new fave organizing tool!
When I first started on my clutter free journey, I imagined my life would be so far removed from “stuff” that I would never need any type of storage again. (I also dreamed I’d win one of those makeover shows and someone would come to my house, organize me so much that my home would look like a minimalist lives there — and I would never have to organize again. I have a rich fantasy life.)
Yeah, that’s not exactly how things worked out.
While I work hard on living a clutter free life, I am not a minimalist. I’m more of a maximalist. I like to have Christmas decorations dripping from my tree in the winter, camping equipment for the summer (with a few glamping items thrown in – campfire coffee maker is a necessity), gardening equipment for the spring, and home improvement stuff year round. I also love to cook, but I have a tiny kitchen, so many of my favorite appliances, tools and dishes have homes outside of the kitchen area.
Those things, plus other stuff I love, require storage.
If you’re like me, but your storage is taking over your life, and you constantly look around and want to scream “Organize me now!”, just know that it is possible to be organized and clutter free.
Even with my deep love of stuff, living in a 1300-square-foot house, and running a business from home (with a ton of inventory), I have never used a storage unit except when moving, and when I was a single mom living with my parents. (By the way, if you”re living with a storage unit — and that ugly monthly payment — your first goal should be to either eliminate that unit completely, or scale down to a smaller unit as quickly as possible. This post will help with that.)
But even if we don’t have a storage unit, most of us need to have some kind of storage system in our homes, whether it’s a tiny closet or an area in our garage or basement. And our goal must be to keep that area as contained and organized as possible.
Confession time: my storage area has been the most out of control place in my house. Because it was in the garage, I haven’t given it the Clutter Free love it desperately needed. That ends today. All I’m doing today is applying the same Clutter Free principles to storage that I’ve applied to the rest of the house.
BEFORE
When Your Stuff is Screaming “Organize Me!”
Don’t try THIS at home:
The worst thing you could do is to start packing up random cardboard boxes, labeling them “STUFF” with the intention of “dealing with it later” (when does “later” ever seem like a good time?) and just keep piling boxes up.
Do try THIS at home:
Here are my best organizing tips to creating clutter-free storage you can actually use.
Determine Your Storage Space
It’s important to determine what space you will use first, and then decide what you will keep and what you won’t. If the “storage” area has three shelves that hold two storage containers each, you know your maximum storage is six containers. That will help you be selective in what you keep and what you toss (as opposed to most people who just keep buying more storage containers and looking for places to stash them.)
Choose Sturdy Shelving
Piling your stuff not only looks chaotic, it makes accessing what you need a true challenge. If you’ve ever wondered whether the item you were looking for was under the pile of clothes in the corner or in the cardboard box behind the lawnmower, you need a better plan.
Purchase some great, sturdy shelving to make your storage so much easier to use and access.
Buy the Right Storage Containers
Cardboard boxes are not your friends when it comes to storage. I like a lidded clear bin so you can see the contents. Be sure to measure your shelving before you invest in a bunch of bins. There is nothing more deflating than filling up all those containers, only to discover they don’t fit on the shelves. (Ask me how I know. Go on…)
Declutter
It’s vital to ask yourself the 3 Clutter Free questions as you declutter:
- Do I love it?
- Do I use it?
- Would I buy it again?
If you can’t answer “yes” to any of those three questions, it’s time to get rid of that item. You must be ruthless. The more stuff you have, the harder it is to manage, keep track of, and store. Your goal is to keep your storage contained and small. Declutter along the way so you can stop being overwhelmed all the time by your stuff.
Group Like Items
Make your storage make sense. As much as possible, group like items together. There is nothing I love more than going to one box and finding all my spring decorating stuff in one place rather than having to dig through a half a dozen boxes to make it happen.
Make Your Stuff Accessible
Make it easy to get to the stuff you need. If you have storage boxes with long-term projects (like putting together grandma’s photo albums) those can go into less accessible spots (attic, bottom row of shelving), while boxes you want to access on a regular basis (“Gardening Supplies”) can be placed up front.
Make Your Stuff Findable
You have to have a system for not only putting things away, but finding them again. In my head, as I’m packing stuff away, I’m always asking the question, “How will I find this again?”
My new favorite trick is using Duck Pack and Track.
We have this corner of the garage I have basically been ignoring for a couple of years. It had too much stuff. I was overwhelmed. And it was easier to just pretend it didn’t exist (until I had to find my summer clothes from last year and would have the tiniest mental breakdown…) This is what Duck Pack and Track did for me. My corner of despair went from this…
to this…
Guys, this stuff is magical. Truly. Everyone I’ve shown it to has oohed and ahhed over it. It just makes sense.
This video explains it all (watch it – I promise it will change your life…)
Now I know where all my stuff is at all times. When I’m looking for my blue winter coat in the fall because we’re taking a cruise to Alaska, I can find it quickly by just asking my phone and the app will tell me what box it’s in and where the box is.
Genius.
You can find Duck Pack and Track at Walmart. (We are currently Pack and Track obsessed and “Tracking” our whole house.)
Keep Reducing Your Storage
Finally, remember that your goal is to keep only what you use, love, and would buy again.
Therefore, keep curating your stuff, even after you’ve created storage for it all. Any time you can get rid of a storage box because you’ve condensed your storage enough to do so — that’s a day to celebrate.
So how do you decide what to keep in storage?
One of the questions I ask myself when I’m going through my storage is, “Would I pay to store or move this item?”
If the answer is no, and I don’t plan on using the item anytime soon, then “organize me” becomes “donate me” and out it goes.
And here’s how the garage looks now:
AFTER
One of the side benefits to getting my garage organized (besides being able to find things on the regular) is that now I actually don’t dread going into my garage.
That, my friends, is the best advantage to living Clutter Free.
Organize Me Now Giveaway (This giveaway is now closed…)
Is your stuff screaming,”Organize Me Now”?
Enter for a chance to win the Ultimate Duck Pack and Track by leaving a comment below about what area of your home you desperately need to get organized. We will be choosing one grand prize winner this week!
Thank you to Duck Pack and Track for sponsoring this post. Please see our disclosure policy for any questions.
You make a good point when you mention how you should make your things more accessible. My wife and I want to store some of our things in a storage unit. We’ll make sure to make them easy to access.
I need to get my craft materials and books organized. I have a room that I use for craft storage, bookshelves, and work supplies, and it is a disaster area!
Definitely the garage. I’m in the process of going through boxes and setting things aside to donate or throw out and then organizing the rest. This system looks great! Love the book & the podcast 🙂
I am doing Clitter Free now, did 2 closets and 3 kitchen cabinets in the last 2 days! We have a teeny house and I am determined to have it organized, cozy and have everything I NEED! Right now…the shed would be the biggest area of concern. No garage, a husband who is the boss but won’t hire a handyman…and so, it’s a slow process. HELP ME!!!
***CLUTTER FREE*** OMGGGGGGG
My goal for the past ten years has been to be organized! But…my mother-in-law died and my husband got lots of family stuff; then my uncle died and I inherited my Grandma’s memorabilia and antiques. Soon after my mother sold her home and moved in with me (she died last year). I have lots many items that I can’t seen to take care of.
So much stuff…don’t know where to start.
Wow!!! What A brilliant way to keep track of storage. We moved a year ago and haven’t touched the dreaded basement storage area yet…this would help so much.
I love this idea so much! I would say my whole house needs it but the basement needs it the most. I actually avoid going down there as it’s so cluttered and gives me so much anxiety!! Help!! lol Thank you! 🙂
Oh gosh… I would say the master bedroom desperately needs help. Clothes like to spill out of the dresser and the closets. It’s where I keep my yarn stash. My husband has a lot of military gear that needs to be organized. My kids bring their toys and books in, it’s where I keep my handheld games. There’s a little bit of everything in there and it’s not the restful sanctuary it should be!
This is amazing! We’ve had a rough few years as my husband and I have both lost loved ones who were very dear to us. We let things get a bit out of control and we’ve recently decided it was time to take back control of the chaos. I’m definitely going to pick up the Pack and Track kit so we can utilize it this week on his days off. Our kids will love the tech aspect of it and it may be just what we need to get everyone on board.
Duck pack and track looks awesome! I’m a school teacher and always have a time figuring out where something is located for a particular lesson. I can’t wait to reorganize and try this!
The garage is definitely in need of organization but at this point I just want to get things out of my upstairs that I use-but not on a regular basis and be able to find them once I’m done decluttering! I want to do it “right” this time! The garage is for “later” when my husband gets on board and I plan on using this in there too!
Thank you for being so real! We are in desperate need of getting the garage organized. We recently moved to the mountains and my husband has our two car garage and a shed filled. His packing system is just what you said, fill cardboard boxes with “stuff.” We can’t lay our hands on anything specific without opening every box in the garage. The rest of his system is piles, not even in boxes, no rhyme or reason, just a huge piles. We are in desperate need of help!
We’ve moved into our house 5 years ago and am still not able to conquer the garage with storage space above it organized. Can’t seem to group items together and can never find my holiday decorations in time for that holiday so I end up buying new decorations 🙁 Looking at my garage one would think it’s organized but it’s a mess in reality because I can never find things that I want. Help please! Thank you!!!
We need an overhaul of our garage. We need a usable space for life and fun to happen in that room.
Our crawl space needs a makeover…as well as the storage shelves that lead into the crawl space.
This sounds like a great storage system and is just what I need. I started labeling boxes a year or so ago and would start a master list. This is just even better–I can take pics and keep detailed labels. Can’t wait to get started with the Ultimate Duck Pack and Track! I’d love to try it out! The garage is by far the area to start on although other areas need it, too. Think the husband will see that this system can work for both of us! Thanks for more good ideas!
Spare bedroom, it has ALL the stuff from my late parents home. All the way to the ceiling!!
The garage that has never seen a vehicle. No wait, the dining room that has never seen anyone dining. Hang on, the closet…there’s 5. Take your pick.
I really need this system.
My laundry room is a mess since my parents died and I inherited a lot of stuff. It has been overwhelming so it would be wonderful to have a system that would work for me to get it organized.
My worst room right now is my office. It has become the catch all room where stuff sits til I get around to it!! I could shut the door and forget about it for days except the dog’s crate is in there and I have to let her out! My second worst is the closets upstairs that has mostly unneeded stuff. I need help!
Several rooms in my house need decluttering but will start with the closets.
This looks like an awesome system. My bedroom is disaster zone. I share my bed with zone one. Organize me surely would be a blessing.
oh my, we have a garage that is so not working for us! We move items into our crawl space out of season. Even the lawn mower. We have bikes, wood for the fireplace, “portable ramp” for my wheelchair using friends and lots of bird seed for our backyard friends. Help!! Lots of stuff, no orderly way to use/store…..we have decluttered when I led a group before the book came out. THANK UOU for all you do!! Blessings, Chris
It’s a toss up between my garage and my office. I just can’t get a hold on it!
We inherited too much stuff from four estates. I’m a paraplegic and overwhelmed. We are hoping to move soon and need to decide what is worth taking. The Duck Pack and Track sounds ideal.
We have a lot of stuff to go through and organize and toss. This includes my Mom’s stuff that we have stored in boxes in our house and storage unit. Mom passed away this past Nov. It is emotionally hard to go through it, so it is taking a long time to do. I was my Mom’s main caregiver. Miss you, Mom!
We need to organized a lot of stuff. The pack and track will be especially helpful with my mom’s stuff. She passed away in Nov 2017 and we have boxes of items and papers that we need to go through. It is going very slow since it is quite emotional for me. I was her main caregiver. Miss you, Mom!
We don’t have easy access to the attic, so nothing is in there. So where do we put everything (games, crafts, papers, costumes, scrapbooking supplies, etc)? The garage. My garage is no longer a garage, but divided between my oldest daughter’s bedroom and my craft/storage room. Both halves need help with organization. My daughter is an artist and into cosplay and costume design and so there is an abundance of items to organize there, not to mention all the boxes of paperwork in there as I’m a paper hound and saved too many items from my 4 kids’ childhood.
My room definitely needs the most help.
We have a garage/barn in our backyard…and your story sounds very much like me..Thanksgivong /Christmas.
PATRIOTIC boxes that say 2017..do not buy more…Look out, Dollar Tree! Here I come..Work myself into a frenzy when time to change seasons, etc..HELP! SURE WOUKD LIKE TO WIN!
My studio has become a dumping ground for everything which doesn’t fit anywhere else. No longer a place to create or spend time alone with the Creator. Thanks for your openness about the challenges you face, Kathi. It has helped me to believe I am valuable even though imperfect, and worth creating a space for myself.
Overwhelmed with too much stuff in my entire house.
I need this! As we are starting a flooring project and have to empty out 3 bedrooms, I’m finding my packrat tendencies.
The front entryway, especially the closet, needs a lot of help and attention.
My garage and shed need organizing.
My GARAGE!! Or as I call it Cardboard Bix Neverland. Where all empty cardboard boxes go to live forever and never grow up.
My basement storage area/office needs some help. Lots of piles & generally too much stuff.
Every room needs help
My garage needs this
I LOVE this! I need to do this for my garage!
Our home office! My husband now works from home full time, and it’s not exactly a comfortable space for him…as it houses, um, “collections” as well as my desk, many books, and a closet overflowing with “valuables.”
Thank you Katie for sharing, so great to see yes there is a way,,.. we had to move and heya. now still boxes den of living room..and need go through. plus paper work all over.. having a had time.. and to get going, really need help.
Oh mercy. Does my entire house qualify? With 5 kids… I guess I’d start with the office.
Seriously need help organizing my craft room! So much stuff that has no home. HELP~
Love the three questions to ask! I get overwhelmed so easily so hopefully using those questions will simplify things and enable me to move forward in the decluttering process! Thanks so much for what you do! You and your team are so encouraging, and I have a spark of hope that I can, one step at a time, finally create a home environment that is organized, functional, welcoming and encouraging for my family and friends! We have only once in 20 years of marriage ever had friends over for a meal because our home is such a mess – a mess that has increased year after year! I feel so badly! Only our older child (17) has ever had a friend over to eat! It was only once and it was so embarrassing! We need to be in community with others but I am allowing all our STUFF to keep us from doing so! I really hope I can make progress to bless my family! The whole house needs a major overhaul! Every time I have tried to declutter in the past I have never gotten very far. I need to keep trying and not give up! If you have taken the time to read all of this and are a women of prayer, please pray for us. Thank you so much!
I know of a basement, whose owner shall not be mentioned, that is a very scary place. It needs help!!!
My bedroom. I love this idea! Wish I had heard of it before packing up my daughter’s dorm room / apartment in May!
The garage! We moved in over 10 years ago, had the movers put boxes in the garage, and even though it’s had moments of some organization, it has NEVER been fully organized. Right now we can barely move in it and can’t even get our bikes out to ride them!
Paperwork through out the house.
I am fairly organized but my laundry/storage area could use some help. Also our garage is messy with my husband’s stuff.
My office is the junk room and of course the garage could use some help but we stil squeeze both cars in!
My oldest son got married in May and has moved out of the house. The problem is that he did not take all his stuff because of space in their new apartment. I need to pack it up and keep track of it for when he comes back to get it. Because his room is now available, his siblings have now decided to switch rooms. This has caused a need to declutter, store and label more stuff.
My garage storage needs to be organized better.
I need to organize my kids’ craft supplies. They are overtaking our dining room
Storage unit and garage! Like you, we love to celebrate every holiday with great joy (and the accessories that come with it). Yes…we are “that” house that puts up huge spiders, ghosts and inflatable pumpkins every Halloween, and a giant rabbit pushing a wheelbarrow full of carrots each Easter. Don’t even ask about Christmas! 😉 It makes our family of 5 happy, and it makes our neighbors smile, but we need help with organizing it all!
? The BASEMENT! ?
We only have bedroom closets and we don’t have a garage. Storage is tricky, we have a chaotic storage container
My closets and garage.
Those 3 questions are very helpful!
Garage!!!!!!!!
I need to organize EVERYTHING! We just moved, and have no closet storage OR basement. Mostly garage general storage and upstairs quilting space need organizing. Would be WONDERFUL to get those organized.
It’s hard to pick just one area, but the biggest nightmare is the basement! By the way, I love what you did with your garage storage area! It’s beautiful!!
Our entire house needs to be decluttered but the worst place is definitely our garage!!! I would love to win this package ?
Our pole barn, it needs help!
Starting new life without 40 year partner. Consolidating, organizing, moving 40 years of living into storage on July 21st. Need this badly! Thank you!
I Definitely need our garage to be organized. We don’t even know what we have anymore. We have made a path from the entrance to the garage from our home to the garage doors lol. We’ve been in this house for just 4 years now, and I feel that we have a lifetime of stuff in the garage lol.
Ummm how did you peek at my boxes. When we were packing up to move the boxes with “stuff from end tables” “kids papers are still in those boxes 3 years later. It’s “I’ll deal with it later” and this later has never come.
I desperately need to organize my basement. We have cleared out my in-law’s home and my ostent’s home, and much came home with me!
My bedroom needs organizing. I do not have closet space and use white closet bags for my clothes. I love the idea of the duck track as I have to keep so much in a shed close to my house and have such trouble trying to remember where things have been put.
Neat idea. Mainly, the bedrooms and basement need this.
We have our stuff storaged under our bed, in closet spaces, and in a storage unit at our renters space. Our stuff is somewhat organized but still a mess.
Garage no maybe attic as we always are playing hide and seek with decorations
Definitely my laundry/storage room. It looks like your before pics!
Definitely the garage!
This is brilliant! I could use this in sooo many places, particularly my attic, family room storage area and garage/shed!
I could definitely use this for my basement! We moved to our current house in large part due to this basement that we just knew we’d use to keep everything organized, while also giving our kids a place to play. Now the entire basement is just a mess of boxes (with who knows what inside) and discarded items piled up everywhere. I can’t find anything, nothing is organized, and the kids still have nowhere to play!!
I most need organized with my digital clutter but also my kids stuff.
Yep I have a problem. I am now living with my youngest son(15) , alone in our family home of 23 years. My husband left, my two oldest sons have left… none of which felt the need to take all “their stuff”… I am left with the stuff and the memories and I am completely over whelmed by a lifetime of stuff in a house that I despirately want to get my son and I out of for a clean start! I have ask all three of them to come back and help, by taking their things or throwing them away, themselves… as a mother is is very hard to throw your kids things away, even when they keep telling you they do not care and do not want their stuff… pictures, boys scout and Eagle Scout stuff, trophies, old uniforms, high school year books, US Marine memoriabilia.. his original “eagle globe and anchor” insignia…. Surely at some point they will want those things… they are in there early twenties right now… I have been trying to throw out, donate, sell, and yard sell for the past year… but the craziness has been going on for the past 4 years… I am emotionally spent… my 15 year old could careless as well about seriously helping get rid of stuff and get organized… I do not blame him, but this is all on me and I am drowning… it does not help that I am female and they are all male… I am seeing a pattern…. a
I’m the worst at organizing!! My Bible study/office/exercise/TV room is an absolute mess!!
Hi Kathy,
I have a multifaceted organization problem.
First, we are in the process of moving from Texas to Tennessee. It has been delayed enough times now that this move may span a few years. We have things stored in 2 storage units and 2 residences. I have difficulty locating things I need and often have no idea if what I need is even in the same state as me.
Second, my husband is a wonderful man but left alone he would be happy living out of boxes. Although, I’ve managed to eliminate most boxes as cabinets, we live amidst a wealth of stacks.
Third, I consider myself a relatively organized person but have found it more and more difficult to locate paperwork, files, and general household items.
PLEASE HELP!
Sincerely,
Desperately Desiring Organization, nay, Structure
I’m terrible about organizing. I need to organize my whole house!
eVErY rOOm iN mY HoUSe!! Totally overwhelmed and don’t know where to start but determined that enough is enough and it’s time for ChANgE!
My closets need the most help with pictures and photo albums in tubs and all kinds of stuff in other closets that haven’t seen the light of day in ages. My garage could also use some help. Thank you Kathi Lipp for this opportunity and telling us about Duck Pack and Track. I don’t shop walmart so I’d never known.
My basement is my challenge area. Lots of stuff in many categories stored there. Finding them is sometimes a project in itself.
Just one area? Oh, boy! I think I would start in our storage building. I could take on anything after that!
Let me count the ways I would use this cool system! Garage, Outbuildings, closets, etc.
Garage!!! I would love to try this system.
My worst area is paper. I keep and store paper in file boxes, file cabinets and Office Max copier boxes in my office and the basement. For my husband, He stores his paper, in his office, in piles. The oldest paper is on the bottom and the newest is on top.
My garage and office are a dumping ground. I cannot even get the car in the garage! I need this in my life! Thank you, Kathi!
Our garage for sure and a small storage unit we have. We have a very small house with no basement or attic storage so we use a storage unit for things like our Christmas decorations, baby items we will need again for future children and some other miscellaneous things we use annually but don’t need access to every day. This would be an amazing system to have, especially with 2 small children. Simple is necessary!
Basement without a doubt!
We desperately need to organize our basement having moved into our house last November.
I love your organizing posts! You have a way of breaking it down and making it not feel so overwhelming! The Duck Pack and Track will be my key to finally getting the basement and garage organized!
We (my husband, our adult kids, my brother and myself) are moving my Mom to Assisted Living in a few months. We will have to get a mini storage unit until we know for sure what she needs. I need this kit to keep up with what everyone puts in the boxes.
If she needs something, I don’t want to have to go through 100 boxes to find it.
I love the idea of this kit!
My basement storage room! I can’t believe I didn’t even know a system like this existed but it makes so much sense. I can’t wait to use is on everything that I use infrequently and therefore forget where it is located!
my garage is the worst part of my house—it has become a storage unit for everyones stuff including my 2 adult children and my husband and i’s deceased parents; we can’t even park our cars in there—would love to get that organized
I SO badly need to organize my storage room in the basement!!
Well….my home is kind of in a transition…..husband moving out….divorce….lots of crap to go through after 12 years in my current home…. I keep reminding myself it’s all going to be okay in the end. Right now my garage is a hot mess, and I’d love to get my car parked in there once again (sooner rather than later). Thanks for your organization tips 🙂
It is a tie between my office, the playroom, and our extra bedroom upstairs. They all need to be worked on.
My garage! There’s a lot of boxes out there, and it would be nice to have a system to know exactly what is where.
My garage still has boxes from our move, four years ago! I also have boxes of my adult kids childhood things that are waiting for them. I know, need to give it to them to sort out. I also have my moms things and grandmothers. So do need to get it all organized.
My basement. I’m a teacher and every time I’ve changed grades or schools the boxes multiply in my basement.
Hey mine Is the garage too!!! I would love the be able to go in there without dreading it….
My laundry room and garage (and storage garage) are filled with tubs–I don’t know what is where, or even what is there.
I need basement help. Love the concept of racks with tubs that actually fit. Even better to have clear tubs and an app to track versus masking tape that gets worn.
We don’t have a garage anymore, and so our outdoor shed houses all of our tools & spare boxes….it is WAY too full and difficult to find anything! I love the concept of making things easy to find – – Thank You for the great ideas!
I very much need to do my basement storage and garage areas. Better if I get to it before my husband just purged everything!
O Beloved Kathi I am inspired, and I need your posts. Thank you so, so much! My parents passed with all they had from both of their families and my husband had a big house and collected as well. Then, we moved to a house half the size of my husband’s house. Shoo. A lot of stuff had to go. 10 yard sales later . . .I still have a long way to go, but with your help and support things are getting better. Thank you.
Shelley – I’m sharing this comment with my whole team so they will see how important their work is – thank you for being an encourager.
My basement! Along with the garage overflow!?
This is the coolest organizing product! My kids closets could use this!
Definitely my garage! There are areas that haven’t been touched in years. I think my husband could really get on board with this system. Thanks for the info!
Can I say my whole house?! And my barn!!! We have 3 households in one house right now, so this sounds like an invaluable tool!!!
My Basement!! I have started on it many times…but it gets overwhelming! I live the clear bins with the tracking system!! What a great idea!!
Thanks for your many practical suggestions! I loved your recent podcast with Gwen Smith. I need to organize my “girl cave” (a.k.a., craft room/office). I recently needed a specific paper punch for a project that had me on a step stool, moving boxes around on my cluttered shelves until I found the box that they were stored in.
My craft/office space is in need of the most organizing. I can close the door to the chaos so I can’t see it and then it doesn’t get the attention it needs.
These two giveaways would coordinate all my Christmas items in our garage! My husband has strict limits on what I can store in the garage besides the car. The Christmas decor meets his okay yet I would be a happy camper if I knew what was in each box. After the season ends things don’t get returned to the same containers they were in. I don’t know why because I’m the only one that puts them away.
Thanks for this opportunity, Kathy!
My son and his wife are moving in for a year. I have been so overwhelmed decluttering and preparing for them. I pulled up carpet in two bedrooms, moved furniture, closets, etc. it was so overwhelming especially since I don’t have much storage in this house. I followed you three questions and wow did I get rid of things…trash, donations or kept. Now I am down to the little things and it’s like where do I put this. Will keep pressing through. So appreciate your advice.
I’m pretty organized and I hate clutter, but my husband is very unorganized and his office and the garage are a mess. Those are his areas but it’s gotten so out of control that I’m thinking we should just move in order to make him clean them up. lol
My late husband was a hoarder and I am left with a back yard storage house full of broken lawn tools, things I threw away which came back from the garbage can, junk put out by our neighbors for trash pickup, etc., etc., etc. and maybe a few good items to keep. Any help would be most appreciated as I make baby steps toward exercising dominion on this property. Thank you!
I am so impressed by the Duck Pack and Track!! I definitely need to look into it! Currently, I desperately need to organize the bins of clothes my two teenage daughters are getting rid of and several bookshelves of homeschool materials as this is my last year of homeschooling my two boys, and prepare to pack our entire house to move in the next 9 months. We are in the midst of a building a home and selling our current home, and with a husband who works 80+ hours a week and four active kids in sports and music, I have a bad habit of letting clutter take over (since it’s easier to pile than to take the time and deal with the decision-making part of dealing with clutter!). I think this would help me both short-term and long-term!! Thank you so much for sharing the pictures (I’m in awe!!) and the information!!
Avery says, “Hi Kathi Lipp!”
We desperately need to organize my husband’s books and tools. And the basement. 🙂
The master bedroom and basement have too much stuff. These are the two areas that need attention.
Definitely my garage…have been decluttering the house, donating and tossing lots of stuff, and need the “keep” items organized in the garage to track for a move in the not-so-distant future. This app sounds like a great tool–thanks for sharing its usefulness to you!
I have loved your boooks since you spoke at our state homeschool convention! I’m still working on our garage… It is full of cardboard boxes full of books and school papers and the dreaded “keepsakes” from raising our eight children. I am READY to move past and let go. This looks like a great starting point!!
I need to organize my balcony since that’s my main storage area at the moment.
I need this for my basement. Everyone is always looking for something in the basement and I can never find it even though I swear I just saw it there. Also we want to downsize so this would greatly help especially if at first we have to put things in storage.
My dream makeover room would be my laundry room, which is small and also serves as linen closet and cleaning supply storage.
I’ve been able to conquer all of the rooms in our small Colorado cabin except this laundry room.
Your help would be greatly appreciated.?
Thanks for the inspiration you provide!
Lora
We’re moving to a house half the size and need to both minimize the amount of stuff we own and organize that we need to keep. The Duck Pack and Track system would be perfect for holiday storage and seasonal clothes (since I can’t fit my whole wardrobe in my closet any more).
my entire house needs a major decluttering… working on dd’s room right now because she is off to college in the fall, but the rest of the house not being usable is sidetracking me
my 2 car garage is so cluttered with stuff, we don’t even park our cars in it! i need help!!!
The garage is the area that needs the most help right now!
I need help organizing my office.
I need to work organizing my home office.
Love it! I really need help with organization! My whole house unfortunately!
Definitely my basement is highest in my priority list, but the toy room and bedrooms are not far behind on the list. Thanks for sharing about the Duck app, that looks amazingly useful!
My kids closets and all the hand me downs!
Desperately need to organize my filing cabinet so filing and organizing paperwork is simple. My craft supplies…I probably have too many. And kid stuff…toys and memorabilia.
Kids closets and all hand me downs!
The garage! Persuading husband to help….
I love to have a place for everything & everything being in it’s place!! but somehow things get out of place & i always feel behind. I need to continue to get rid of stuff. SMALL house is coming apart at the seems with… STUFF!!
Thank you for all your great ideas, very helpful!!
Have you been in my garage? Ha! We recently were to have bad storms–think damage to your home and vehicle storms–so we moved a bunch of stuff into the house so that we could get the vehicle in the garage. Thankfully, we had no damage to our home, but the mess continues. This duck and track system seems like it may work for us. Thanks for the giveaway.
I feel like my answer as to what area I need to organize is always “my craft room”. I get started and then get side-tracked because it is a room in the basement and I don’t see it every day. I definitely need to get working on this!!! I don’t scrapbook anymore and I have tons of items I am giving to my niece. And I don’t need to keep things for my kids’ projects – now that they are 28 and 24 years old! hahaha It’s time!
My home office! Inventory is hidden in every nook and cranny and I need to get it organized.
Help me please….I can not stand my garage any more, nevermind the four bedrooms upstairs that service only one daughter now a days.
I can not put into words how much I need help with this. My garage is completely out of control. I REALLY want to get a handle on this, then I can go help my Mom deal with their garage which is full of my Dad’s “stuff” from yard sales from the past 25 years.
My garage, my bedroom, basement and barn. Not sure where to start.
Desperately need to organize the whole house….everything within the 4 outside walls….it’s bursting at the seams with stuff, and I need to downsize as eventually, sooner than later, moving….
My biggest challenge is my garage. I’ve been able to get a good hold on a couple of other areas, so my next decluttering and organizing project will be my garage.
I need to get my craft areas under control. And as a new grandmother, I want to organize a kids play area.
I love the Duck Pack and Track idea!! I need to declutter my guest bedroom and living room closets. I have Christmas items that I haven’t used in a while that more than likely need to go. Thank you for sharing.
We have three college kids that we are storing lots of random items for, and I have a craft room that is in constant state of chaos … I could use this tracking system!
We have 2 1/2 storage units, a basement that’s organized but full and a large storage shed that’s full. Plus the family room and all 3 bedrooms need work. This is after our move across country 4 1/2 years ago. Thank you.
Which area of my home do I desperately need to organize? Easy! The area inside the 4 walls. 😉 To pick one, it’d have to be our family room/dining room. It houses our dining table, home computer desk, piano, kid play house, toy storage, pantry, and two kid desks. It serves lots of purposes and gets cluttered in the blink of an eye from all the activity of a young family of 5. 🙂
I know there are people who wish they had my problem, but it is actually too much storage space. Too many closets and cabinets to put stuff in so there is no real system because of course I have to put something in every single one! Don’t I?
My garage, bonus room, and basement needs to be packed and tracked for sure!!! Thank you SO much for making me aware this exists!! We moved into our house 6 days before our first born was born…I was gonna deal with the result of the hurried move once I got “settled into motherhood,” lol! But somehow, before I got it all figured out 😉 my 2nd born was on the way! I blinked and they were in school…the time I thought I would finally get things organized….but I went back to work and life just got crazier and the stuff never was dealt with! But now, I’m doing the CF book club and feeling inspired and slowly whittling away at it 15 minutes at a time!!
I desperately need to organize my guest bedroom closets!
It’s time! You’ve motivated me to get started and clear the STUFF, especially in my garage which i haven’t touched for 10 years. Also in the house, lots of paperwork everywhere and clean out drawers…Thank you making it sound possible by just taking the simple steps to do it. HOPE!
I need to organize my craft room. I have a lot of items that I cannot find but know that they are somewhere. Thank you for this opportunity.
The correct answer to the one area I desperately need to get organized is my entire home, but the absolute worst area is the attic. I’m already worried that I won’t be able to find the entire container of serving ware for senior prom that I stashed in the attic after this year’s (junior) prom. The Duck Pack and Track system is genius. I had never seen it before your post.
My laundry room! That’s where I hide things when company is coming!
My children’s rooms and the basement!
way too much stuff, especially seasonal items
My worst area is paperwork! I have all kinds of financial records going back 30 years, stored in dozens of boxes throughout the house and attic. And since it’s financial stuff, I need to figure out what needs to be kept, and what needs to be shredded (which I’ll need to do since shredding services are costly when you have 30 years of stuff). I also have boxes and boxes of my kids school work and art work, which is so hard to get rid of! Please help!! 🙂
I love how you share authentically. The area that I need to work on is getting some wonderful family photos printed out, framed and hung in our newly remodeled home. Your encouragement to simplify this process helps. Thank you.