I Need Help Organizing My...

To keep tabs on her three little ones, Kuirsta Zyskowski had long handled the family’s business and social affairs from a laptop while seated at the kitchen island. There, papers piled up, only to get stuffed into drawers when the family had company, which meant endless searching later for that bill, that letter, and even the phone. When husband John prepared a meal, he had trouble finding an uncluttered spot.

Real Simple turned Kuirsta’s makeshift office into command central with an array of wall-mounted tools: a magnet board, a magnetic calendar, a magazine pocket, a mail bin, and a multislot organizer. A rolling file cabinet (it slides into the adjacent pantry when not in use) keeps paperwork in order. With the surfaces clear, John can use the island and the counter to the left of the stove for food prep.

Despite Beth Jorgensen’s organizational attempts, her kitchen cabinets overflowed with items grouped with no rhyme and little reason. Drinking glasses and stemware were stored on a lazy Susan, and delicate china and glass bowls were stacked on high shelves―accidents waiting to happen. Spice containers were tucked into every spare inch, special-occasion candlesticks crammed into prime real estate. And in the food-container drawer, everything jockeyed for space with the hand mixer and lidless plastic tubs.

Out went things like the empty cottage-cheese containers; seldom-touched items were moved to storage. Frequently used dishes and mixing bowls are now more accessible on the lazy Susan, while everyday glasses are close at hand (and safer) on a low shelf in the upper cabinet. Occasionally used antique plates are protected by quilted storage containers. Spice bottles are now grouped in a sleek rack on the counter, along with a magazine file for cookbooks that once cluttered a cupboard. A new corner shelf organizer separates bowls and plates into three tiers. For more details, see Reorganizing Kitchen Cabinets and Drawers.

Wendy and Clement Tambro’s kitchen featured cavernous maple cabinets. But the lack of designated storage areas within them created cookware gridlock. In one cupboard, glass loaf pans, plastic platters, and muffin tins teetered upon ramekins, cutting boards, and trays for crudités. Food prep often screeched to a halt while they ransacked cabinets for the proper implement. “Constantly searching through lids looking for one to match this pot or that pan took the fun out of cooking,” says Wendy. After dinner, “we just shoved things back into the cabinets.”

Heavily used pots and pans were moved closer to the sink and corralled with double pull-out shelves. Once-scattered casseroles, trays, and cutting boards are now stashed vertically for easy access, thanks to two wire shelf dividers. A door-mounted rack keeps pot lids under control. A cabinet designated for baking contains a hand mixer, a rolling pin, cake tins, pie plates, and measuring cups. Its top shelf features a new slotted plastic caddy for muffin tins and molds; measuring spoons and hand-mixer beaters hang from old-fashioned teacup hooks inside the door.

Tzatzil Willebeek-LeMair’s desk was so overloaded that she referred to it as “the beast.” School reports, unpaid bills, and children’s artwork were piled in haphazard layers. Her husband, Marc, and sons felt free to use her desk as a dumping ground for everything from junk mail to homework. As a result, birthday-party invitations resurfaced days too late and car registrations expired without being renewed.

Three bulletin boards help keep track of events in the three areas of Willebeek-LeMair’s life: home, children, and business. A wire-mesh file on the wall contains bills, bank statements, and other papers that require filing. Its lower basket is for items to take the next time she leaves the house. Papers that once covered her desk are still within reach, stowed in her original filing cabinets. Labeled boxes on shelves contain rarely handled items, such as her sons’ artwork, stationery, and business paperwork. Frequently accessed supplies, such as copier paper, are kept in open trays. An office clock adds a businesslike touch.

“I’m a pack rat, and I don’t throw things away easily,” admits Jenn Robinson, who would stash everything from college law books to languishing craft projects in her home office, alongside work-related pamphlets and mailings. When her very organized husband, Paul, worked from home, he used the dining room, since there wasn’t an inch of space left in the office.

Jenn started shredding documents to whittle down her mountain of papers. “I had every receipt and canceled check from our wedding, 10 years ago,” she says. Remaining papers were sorted into a file cabinet. Work pamphlets and materials were placed in boxes. A wall of shelving was installed to replace the desk. Its extra-long bottom shelf serves as a work space that accommodates both Jenn and—at last!—Paul. For more ideas, see 21 Ideas for Organizing Your Home Office.

As a work-from-home mom, Kuae Mattox used the dining room as her office so she could watch the kids while tending to business. The setup was hardly efficient: Every surface was covered with papers and the tools of her trades. “I would walk in and not know where to start,” says Kuae. “Finding things was like a treasure hunt.” She needed to make the space more functional as an office while reclaiming its role as a place to eat and entertain.

Real Simple helped Kuae organize her materials into files, binders, and boxes that are now stowed in two new pieces of furniture—a desk and a bookcase. Work gear, such as the printer, is concealed behind the doors of the desk’s hutch. The bookcase stores magazines, photographs, and the kids’ papers and artwork. “Now that the room is so open and airy, we have meals there, even if it’s takeout, just to enjoy it,” says Kuae.

Sabine Lopez says her laundry room was so cramped that “I dropped clothes on the floor every time I did the laundry.” The jumbo containers of detergent and dryer sheets that she kept on top of the washing machine often ended up tumbling to the floor. She did have a long wire shelf for supplies, but she couldn’t reach it. The only place to hang clean clothes was over the sink—into which they would sometimes fall and get wet.

A new step stool helps Sabine get what she needs from the cabinet above the appliances. She also has easy access to detergent and bleach containers on the long shelf, which is now separated into cubbies with milk crates. Two gadgets keep clean clothes out of the sink: a retractable, wall-mounted drying rack for delicates and a wall rack for hanging clothes that await transport to closets (not pictured). Clip-on shelves suspended from the main shelf provide storage for small things, like sponges and dryer sheets. A lightweight crunch can on the long shelf holds stray socks.

When David and Christa Routh built their ranch house, they intended the laundry area to double as her exercise room. Christa didn’t know it would end up as the space where her two boys would dump their homework and baseball equipment. And as the supply depot for her crafts. And as the storage closet for bulk items, gift wrap, holiday ornaments...

First, the boys’ gear was consigned to the garage. Next, a space-saving, wall-mountable drop-leaf table took the place of Christa’s folding table. A cart on wheels holds crafts, and stackable boxes with labels keep stuff off the floor. With the bulky treadmill moved to the back wall, Christa can now fold it up and use the spot to lay down a yoga mat. “Clothes get put away immediately now because the room is so neat I don’t want to mess it up!” says Christa. For more ideas, see Set Up an Efficient Laundry Room.

“Whenever one of my girls couldn’t find a schoolbook,” says Lisa Mallory, “I’d say, ‘Look in the mudroom,’ and it would inevitably materialize under a pile of shoes. If I asked them to clean the space, all they could do was line up the shoes and stack more things in the already overflowing bins.” And despite the fact that the room’s built-in desk was a clutter magnet, Lisa couldn’t bring herself to tear it out.

Since the girls use the mudroom to get ready for school, Real Simple transformed the area into a way station, turning a bookcase on its side, then sliding labeled boxes onto the shelves. Each daughter has her own column of storage, and the fourth column contains miscellaneous items. Lockers roll out for easy access to the girls’ shoes. Cubbies on the desk double as the girls’ in-boxes, into which Mom can tuck important notes.

Even with a wall of storage, a cubby-filled bed, and two trunks in the closet, Magdalena Ramirez’s bedroom still wasn’t organized—she had too much stuff. Sometimes her mom, Mary, had to blow good-night kisses to her from the door because there wasn’t a clutter-free path to the bed.

Magdalena first had to part with playthings she had outgrown. “I was surprised to see how much she was content to let go,” says Mary. A roomy desk replaced a too-small table. High shelves now store infrequently used objects, while Magdalena’s favorite books and toys sit on easy-to-reach lower shelves. Pull-out bins neatly hide assorted belongings, and labeled see-through tubs of toys tuck behind cute curtains.

When Sharon and Noel Boothe converted their sunroom into a playroom, they felt that the abundance of natural light would make the space an ideal art studio for their daughter, Palmer, who loves to paint and draw. But “the room’s inadequate storage meant the floor was always covered with art supplies and Barbies,” says Sharon. “The play kitchen became the storage unit. We kept her Polly Pockets in the refrigerator.”

A long wall on the left-hand side of the room sets the scene for Palmer’s art center. New cabinetry―complete with open cubbies for stashing supplies in clear bins―lets Palmer see what she has and ensures that everything can be put away quickly. A flat-file drawer unit holds paper and completed art projects. A “hanging gallery” made of curtain wire and clips encourages constant rotation of Palmer’s artwork. Comfy cushions, a small bookcase, and a wall-mounted task lamp make the back corner cozy for reading. For more details, see A Messy Playroom Gets Organized.

Tossed together like a salad in Kristine Maher’s linen closet were sheets, lightbulbs, boxes of medicine, tote bags, cosmetics samples, extra bottles of shampoo, old drapes, and—wait! Is that a Halloween makeup kit? “If I want something from the top shelf and I’m too lazy to get a chair—which I usually am—an avalanche of towels and candles spills on my head,” she says. Her house doesn’t have many closets, so the linen closet served as a storage center, too. “I want to be organized to the point where I know exactly where things are and not have everything all disheveled.”

With nonessentials relegated to the basement, threadbare linens ditched, and toiletries consolidated, frequently used goods now fit on the shelves. Bright yellow paint on the back wall brings in warmth and polish; sage green on the inside of the door adds contrast. On the floor, two baskets set on wooden dollies easily slide in and out. Clip-on dividers create “aisles” for neatly stacked sheets; a zip-up canvas case and see-through sweater bags keep blankets in check. Soaps and candles live in a mini chest of drawers, and a door-mounted organizer corrals necessities like Band-Aids, ibuprofen, and cortisone cream.

Samantha Marcus Yanks has always had a thing for coats: She once owned a whopping 40 of them. But for years, she was afraid to open her coat closet, which housed not only her beloved outerwear but also bulging laundry bags, bath towels, hostess gifts, and wrapping supplies, with a vacuum cleaner balanced on top of the entire heap.

Samantha donated seldom-used tote bags, old books, and 30―yes, 30!― coats, along with the mammoth vacuum cleaner (a compact model replaced it). A sizable stepladder was junked for a low-profile wall-mounted version. Dirty mops and brooms were tossed for one tool with three removable heads (mop, broom, duster). Putting jackets on identical thin hangers multiplies real estate, and an extendable metal hook allows Samantha to reach high-hung coats. One shelf is now a gift-wrap station: Two coat hooks mounted to the wall hold rolls of paper, round glass containers store ribbons, and fabric-covered boxes stash stationery. Her hostess gift stash is bounded by acrylic shelf dividers, and canvas bins keep linens neat. For more details, see A Coat Closet Makeover.

Francine Gumkowski had no storage system when it came to her vanity. Everything from contact-lens solution to bottles of lotion and perfume covered the counters. She tried to use the cabinet and drawers to store the bulk of her beauty supplies, but the drawers were too shallow, and the cabinet had pipes that got in the way. “It was impossible to find anything when I needed it,” she says. Plus, she didn’t have enough light to put on her makeup, and the plain white walls lacked character.

A simple glass shelf helps clear counter space while keeping everyday essentials within easy reach. Under-the-sink shelving fits around pipes, maximizing storage possibilities in an awkward area. Bins, trays, and drawer dividers help sort products so Francine can quickly locate everything from makeup brushes to medications. Three mirrors create the illusion of more space. A small lamp adds light without taking up too much valuable real estate, and a terry-cloth boudoir chair gives the bathroom a spa-like feel. Another option: Slipcover an old chair.

Ann and Scott Johnson’s floor-to-ceiling entertainment unit was awkwardly filled with more than 300 CDs and various DVDs, stereo components, and cables. Knickknacks also hogged shelf space. When Scott found big scratches on some of his all-time favorite CDs, the couple decided to take a stand.

The three lower cupboards were transformed into distinct zones for games, DVDs, and CDs. An upper shelf, once crammed with liquor bottles, contains a single tray of the brands the couple serves most frequently. A deep basket hides cameras, chargers, and memory cards. CDs, categorized by genre, are now contained in canvas binders. DVDs and cover art were slipped into dust- and scratch-resistant see-through sleeves that stand vertically in plastic bases. (The plastic cases were recycled; visit greendisk.com for more info.) Massive floor speakers were swapped for compact white bookshelf speakers. For more details, see A Media Center Makeover.

Claudia Lakey uses her car not only to run errands and shuttle her sons to school and soccer but also as an office, so she keeps everything she may need in it. The challenge is finding what she needs. Things often get lost, and it's hard to gather papers and gear when she wants to bring them indoors, and the trunk doubles as a roving locker room piled with soccer balls, cleats, uniforms, and more. “I’d love a family-friendly system,” she says, “so I can get more done while I’m in the car.”

Now, a compartmentalized container on the front passenger seat holds Lakey’s office supplies, files, and electronics. A collapsible trash bag keeps things tidy, and she can charge her laptop, PDA, and phone using an adapter kit with multiple plugs. Behind the driver’s seat a hanging organizer holds the boys’ toys and supplies. A removable tray behind the front passenger seat serves as a table for homework or card games. In the trunk, collapsible bins now contain sports equipment; each bin has handles so it can go to the garage during the off-season. A clothes hook holds team jerseys for quick changes.