Brilliant Organizing Ideas: 14 Clever Tricks That Make Clutter Disappear Before the Holidays

Brilliant organizing ideas can turn a house that feels like it is closing in on you into a calm, easy place to live, and the holidays are the best reason to start. Guests are coming, gifts are piling up and the closet door barely shuts. The good news is that you do not need to buy fancy containers or hire a pro. Most of these tricks use things you already own, like shoe organizers, old crates, spice racks and plain bins. We picked ideas that people are sharing and saving right now because they work in real homes with real kids and real mess. Pick one spot this weekend, set a timer for an hour and watch the clutter start to disappear..

Brilliant Organizing Ideas Start in the Pantry

The pantry is the best place to begin because you open it every single day. Pour dry foods like pasta, rice and oats into clear jars so you can see what you have at a glance. Then sort everything else into baskets by type: snacks, baking, breakfast and bread. Hang a small chalkboard tag on each basket so everyone knows where things go. A decluttering video sharing ideas like these drew a big response on MSN, and you can watch the organizing video here..

You will need: Clear glass jars with lids, woven baskets, small chalkboard tags, twine, a chalk marker.

How to make it: 1. Empty the pantry and toss anything expired. 2. Pour dry goods into clear jars. 3. Group the rest into baskets by type. 4. Tie a labeled chalkboard tag to each basket.

Over-the-Door Shoe Organizer for Supplies

Those clear shoe organizers are not just for shoes. Hang one on the back of a laundry, pantry or craft room door and fill the pockets with sponges, gloves, tape, scissors, small spray bottles or craft supplies. Because the pockets are clear, you can see everything in a second. It frees up a whole shelf and costs very little. Keep cleaning products in the top pockets, out of reach of little kids. It is one of the most brilliant organizing ideas for small spaces. Which door could use one?

You will need: A clear over-the-door shoe organizer, over-the-door hooks, the supplies you want to sort.

How to make it: 1. Hang the organizer on the hooks over the door. 2. Group your supplies by type. 3. Fill one row per group. 4. Put cleaning products in the top rows only.

Brilliant Organizing Ideas for Gift Wrap: A Wall Station

Wrapping paper rolls always end up crushed in a closet corner. Fix that by mounting two wooden dowels on the wall with simple brackets. Slide paper rolls onto the bottom dowel and ribbon spools onto the top one. A small shelf above holds tape, scissors and tags in jars. Now you can pull and cut paper right from the wall. It looks so pretty it doubles as holiday decor. Have an adult handle the drill and brackets. Ready to wrap gifts the easy way this year?

You will need: Two wooden dowels, four wall brackets, screws and a drill (adult use), a small shelf, jars for tape and tags.

How to make it: 1. An adult mounts the brackets on the wall. 2. Slide paper rolls onto one dowel and ribbon onto the other. 3. Set the dowels into the brackets. 4. Add a small shelf above for supplies.

Rolling Crate Under-Bed Drawers

The space under the bed is huge, but bins get lost under there. Screw small caster wheels to the bottom of wooden crates and you can roll them in and out with one pull. Use them for sweaters, spare blankets, shoes or wrapping supplies. Add a rope or leather handle on the front for easy grabbing. Measure the height under your bed first so they slide in freely. Simple storage like this is one of those brilliant organizing ideas that makes a room feel twice as big. What would you store under there?

You will need: Wooden crates, small caster wheels, short screws, a screwdriver or drill (adult help), rope for handles.

How to make it: 1. Measure the space under the bed. 2. Screw a caster to each bottom corner of the crate. 3. Drill two holes in the front and knot a rope handle. 4. Fill and slide it under the bed.

An Entryway Drop Zone Is One of the Most Brilliant Organizing Ideas

The front door is where clutter is born: keys, bags, mail, shoes and coats all land in a pile. A drop zone gives every item a home. Hang a row of hooks for coats and bags, add a shelf with small baskets for keys, gloves and mail, and put a bench with a shoe rack underneath. Give each person their own hook and basket. In a week, the pile disappears and nobody is hunting for keys. How much time would that save your family?

You will need: A row of wall hooks, a small shelf, three or four small baskets, a key tray, a bench or shoe rack.

How to make it: 1. Clear the entry and decide what lands there daily. 2. Mount hooks at a height everyone can reach. 3. Add a shelf with a basket for each person. 4. Put a bench or shoe rack below.

Stack Sweaters on Shelves Instead of Hangers

Hanging sweaters stretches out the shoulders and takes up tons of closet rod space. Fold them and stack them on a shelf instead, sorted by color. Keep stacks to about five sweaters so they do not topple. Shelf dividers help keep the piles neat. You will be able to see every sweater at once, and you will actually wear more of them. It is a small change with a big result. Which closet shelf will you clear first?

You will need: A closet shelf, shelf dividers, a few minutes to fold.

How to make it: 1. Take sweaters off their hangers. 2. Fold each one the same size. 3. Stack by color, about five per pile. 4. Add dividers between piles.

Brilliant Organizing Ideas for Kids: Toy Rotation Bins

Kids with fewer toys out often play longer and make less mess. Sort toys into labeled bins like crafts, games, pretend play and building. Keep only two or three bins out at a time, and store the rest in a closet. Every week or two, swap them. Old toys feel brand new again, and cleanup takes minutes. Let kids help with the labels so they know where things go. It is one of the most loved brilliant organizing ideas for families. How many bins will you start with?

You will need: Matching bins, labels or a paint pen, a shelf, a closet for stored bins.

How to make it: 1. Gather all the toys in one place. 2. Sort them into groups and put each group in a bin. 3. Label every bin. 4. Keep two or three bins out and rotate weekly.

Family Command Center Calendar

So much clutter is really just paper: school forms, bills and appointment cards. A simple command center fixes it. Hang a dry erase calendar where everyone walks by, add a folder for papers that need action and a hook for keys. Write every family event on the calendar in a different color for each person. It keeps the counters clear and everyone on the same page. Bonus: it cuts down on forgotten events. Where would your command center go?

You will need: A dry erase calendar, colored dry erase markers, a wall folder or file holder, a hook.

How to make it: 1. Pick a spot near the kitchen or entry. 2. Hang the calendar at eye level. 3. Mount a folder for papers and a hook for keys. 4. Give each person a marker color.

Spice Rack for Nail Polish

A small wall spice rack is the perfect size for nail polish bottles. Mount it in a bathroom or bedroom and line up the bottles in rainbow order. Suddenly your collection looks like decor, and you can find the exact shade you want in a second. It also keeps bottles from rolling around in a drawer. Old spice racks from the thrift store work great with a fresh coat of paint. Have you counted how many bottles you own?

You will need: A small wall spice rack, screws and anchors, a screwdriver (adult help), paint if you want a new color.

How to make it: 1. Paint the rack if you like and let it dry. 2. An adult mounts it on the wall with anchors. 3. Sort bottles by color. 4. Line them up on the shelves.

Magnetic Strip for Bobby Pins

Bobby pins disappear faster than socks. Stick a slim magnetic strip on the inside of a bathroom cabinet door and they will snap right into place. It also holds tweezers, nail clippers and small scissors. Everything stays where you can see it and the drawer stays clear. Use strong adhesive or small screws so the strip stays put. It is a tiny trick that saves a lot of daily frustration. Where do your bobby pins end up?

You will need: A slim magnetic strip, strong double-sided tape or small screws, a screwdriver.

How to make it: 1. Clean the inside of the cabinet door. 2. Attach the magnetic strip with tape or screws. 3. Line up bobby pins and small metal tools. 4. Keep a spare strip for hair ties on hooks.

Brilliant Organizing Ideas for Produce: Stackable Bins

Onions, potatoes and apples always end up rolling around the counter. Stackable open bins give each one a home and let air flow around them. Put them in the pantry or a corner of the kitchen. Keep onions and potatoes in separate bins, since they last longer apart. Label the front so everyone puts things back in the right place. For more clever kitchen tricks, check out these genius kitchen fixes. Ready to clear your counter?

You will need: Stackable open bins or crates, labels, a corner of the pantry or kitchen.

How to make it: 1. Clear a cool, dry spot. 2. Stack the bins securely. 3. Sort produce into separate bins. 4. Label the front of each bin.

Give Every Closet Drawer a Zone

Closets get messy when things have no assigned spot. Give every drawer one job: socks, workout clothes, pajamas, accessories. Fold items standing up in rows, like files, so you can see everything when you open the drawer. Keep folded stacks on open shelves above. Once each zone is set, putting laundry away takes half the time. It is one of the brilliant organizing ideas that pays off every single morning. Which drawer will you sort first?

You will need: Closet drawers or a dresser, small drawer dividers, a little time to fold.

How to make it: 1. Empty one drawer at a time. 2. Decide on one category for each drawer. 3. Fold items and stand them up in rows. 4. Add dividers to keep rows tidy.

Painted Closet With a Shoe Shelf

A small closet feels brighter and more organized with one quick trick: paint the inside a happy color. Then add a low shelf near the floor for shoes, so they stop piling up under the clothes. Hang clothes by type and color above it. It makes getting dressed feel like a treat instead of a chore. Use painter’s tape for clean edges and ask an adult to install the shelf. What color would make you smile every morning?

You will need: A quart of paint, a small roller and brush, painter’s tape, a simple shelf with brackets, a drill (adult use).

How to make it: 1. Empty the closet and tape the edges. 2. Paint the inside walls and let them dry. 3. An adult mounts a low shelf for shoes. 4. Hang clothes back by type and color.

Holiday Decor Bins Make Brilliant Organizing Ideas Easy Next Year

Before you unpack the decorations this year, set up a system that makes next year easy. Use clear bins with red and green lids and sort decorations by room: living room, kitchen, front porch and tree. Add a label to each bin. When it is time to take things down, everything goes back to the right bin. You will save hours of searching every December. It is the perfect last idea for our list of brilliant organizing ideas. Which one will you try first?

You will need: Clear storage bins with colored lids, labels, ornament dividers or egg cartons, sturdy shelves.

How to make it: 1. Pull out all holiday decor and toss anything broken. 2. Sort items by room. 3. Pack each room into its own bin with dividers for fragile pieces. 4. Label the bins and stack them on shelves.