Organizing your home doesn’t have to be a KonMari-style exercise in determining which objects bring you joy. It can be a practical process designed to clear out items you no longer use or need so you can better enjoy your living space.

Easy organization is something of a contradiction in terms, as there is certainly effort involved, but it needn’t be overwhelming. Here are a few ways to organize and free up space without undue stress.

1. Declutter Room by Room

While this will take time and effort, it’s not as hard as you might imagine when you approach it in the right way — decluttering in bite-size chunks. One great option is the “clean sweep” strategy, where you empty a room of all its contents and then separate items into trash, donate, and keep piles. 

If this is too much to tackle at once, focus on one area that represents significant clutter, such as a closet, a cupboard, or the desk or counter surface in your home that acts as a catchall.

2. Get the Right Organizational Tools

A major hallmark of organization is having a place for everything and everything in its place. Part of this depends on you taking the time to put things away when you’re done using them, but it also starts with compartmentalizing your space.

Suitable compartments could include everything from bookshelves and rolling carts to drawer organizers and stackable bins to filing trays and magnetic spice jars. A range of storage types and sizes will help to keep your home organized and free of clutter, helping to increase usable space.

3. Use Tracking Software

When you are organizing, using a label maker can help you keep track of where items are stored so you can find them later. However, if you’re looking for something a bit more high-tech, consider a simple app like Scan Your Boxes.

Designed for moving boxes but great for general home use, this app allows you to print out QR codes to attach to boxes and bins, complete with options to add pics and notes about the contents. Just scan the QR code to see what’s in a box without pulling it from the stack.

4. Add Hidden Storage

Simultaneously organizing clutter and making more space is made easier with hidden storage solutions. Hollow ottomans can double as storage when you use them to store throw blankets or magazines. Underbed storage is great for keeping clothing and shoes out of sight. 

Even your dining table could feature shelves or drawers designed to store serving plates or table linens.

5. Take a SMART Approach to Organization

It’s easy to get overwhelmed when it comes to cleaning and organizing your space. A good way to get started and stay on track is by setting SMART objectives. SMART, often used in the business setting, stands for specific, measurable, achievable, relevant, and time-bound. In this case, it’s a way of organizing your organizing tasks.

A specific goal might be to organize and make space in your home office. Your standard of measurement could include a floor that’s free of clutter, shelves that aren’t overflowing, and a desk surface that isn’t entirely obscured by stacks of mail and documents.

From there you can break down achievable goals like clearing your desk, knowing that the relevance is having a usable workspace. Schedule time for your task, such as the upcoming weekend. 

That’s SMART in a nutshell, and it can help to make your home organization more manageable and keep your motivation high.