Get Organized This Fall - 5 Tips and 5 Products That Can Help

If 2020 has taught us anything, it’s that we don’t always know what to expect.

We’ve been constantly adapting to new schedules, new routines, and new plans and then having to adjust again. Yet even with this uncertainty, we’ve still been taking the unexpected, the messy and the ever-evolving new rules and trying to make the best of it.

As we transition to a new season, one way we can take the lemons of 2020 and make lemonade is to get organized. Because after all - creating a space that feels fresh and functional is one thing we can control during these strange times.

Here are some of our favorite tips and products for helping your space feel *just right* (even when the world outside might not be).

1. Make A List, Have A Schedule
It always helps to start with a plan. Break down big tasks into more manageable ones and ask yourself questions to uncover your goals.

What areas of your home need to be organized? How do you envision your house looking and feeling? What do you need to get from point A to point B? From here, you can list smaller to-do’s – perhaps de-cluttering a closet, recycling some papers, donating old clothing – and then choose dates to have them completed by. Keep this up until you’ve crossed off all items on your list!

Our Simple, Concept and Project planners are perfect for this. They are undated which means you can start at any time and each has room for monthly, weekly and daily planning.

If you’re a detail-oriented person with an ever-expanding to-do list, the Project Planner is for you. If you prefer to keep things straight-forward and in broader chunks, you’re more likely to gravitate toward the Simple planner. Fall somewhere in between? Meet Concept. Your new best friend.

2. Make Sure Everything Has A Home
One big cause of a space feeling cluttered or disorganized is not knowing where things should go. If you don’t have a designated place for things like your mail, books or keys and find yourself frustrated by everything piling up, then this might be your next step. You can eliminate those extra minutes of searching by giving everything in your house it’s own little home.

One of the simplest ways to do this is sorting items into storage bins. These locally designed felt bins are an attractive solution that makes this oh-so easy to do. They come in multiple sizes, and the insides are color-coded, making it easier for you to sort at a glance. They're easy to fit into drawers and arrange as you please, or choose to leave them out on your open shelving for easier access and a stylish touch. These bins are perfect for clothes, socks, toys, craft supplies, books and more.

3. Make the Most of the Space You Have
Many of us have seen our homes transform into workplace/gym/school hybrids over the past few months and have inevitably run into more limited space options than before. These constraints don’t have to stop you from getting organized. To work around limited space, start by choosing more compact solutions, multipurpose items and using the vertical space in your home. And, it always helps to take the time to eliminate any extraneous clutter that might be the source of the lack of space in the first place!

One of our favorite options for maximizing limited space is this storage rack. It’s both compact and multipurpose which means it can work as an extra kitchen island or coffee cart, and also as art supply storage, a shoe rack, a place to keep school supplies or even an open dresser. It is sleek and lightweight enough move around and reposition when you need or to tuck into a closet if you want it out of the way.

4. Choose Aesthetically Pleasing Storage Options
We know for some people organizing can seem more like a chore than a fun afternoon. One way to make it more appealing is to think of it as a way of styling your house, making it a more accurate depiction of who you are. The best way to do this is to choose options that pull double duty by being aesthetically pleasing and functional.

Your quest for organizational solutions does not have to begin and end with plastic containers. Think about the feeling you want your home to have and base your choices on that.

Our pick? These modern floating storage shelves. They are attractive, space savers, and have many uses. Overflowing book collection? In possession of a lot of fun trinkets you want to display? Short on storage in the bathroom? Any of these problems could be solved with these shelves, which would be at home on your walls, on tables or other surfaces, or even on the floor.

5. Get Creative
Always remember that you’re not limited to using things that are traditionally classified as storage. In fact, veering away from the traditional options can give your home a more distinctive touch and help you discover ways of organizing that are unique to your particular needs and home layout. There really is no one size fits all approach for organizing, and delineating off the well-trodden track of storage bins and containers might be just what the doctor ordered.

One of our favorite organizational “hacks” is using Stashers. Traditionally, Stashers are used for a variety of food purposes, from baking to freezing, sous vide, steaming and storing. They also make good art supply bags, toiletry kits, and makeup brush holders. There are a variety of sizes, styles and colors available, making them even more fun for figuring out new uses.

We hope these tips can give you a little more clarity and a few new ideas on how to complete any home refreshing over these next few months as the rain and the chill lead to more time spent indoors. You got this.