We all know how good it feels after doing a thorough declutter, spring clean and organisation exercise at home. It’s starting the job that’s the hard part. Just thinking about where to begin is enough to cause many of us to procrastinate and never get there. That’s why professional home organisers have successfully created businesses for themselves out of doing it for others. One such professional, Jess Beileiter, aka ‘Clean Organised Mumma’ by her many Instagram followers, has shared her go-to hacks for home organisation.

1. Start small

It’s easy to become overwhelmed and give up when faced with a massive task. Let’s say you want to reorganise your kitchen. Rather than trying to do it all in one go, start with one drawer or a shelf in the pantry and slowly chip away at it over time. Before you know it, you’ll have the entire kitchen done.

2. Don’t buy anything new before you measure the space & decide what stays & what goes

Let’s say you’re on a mission to organise your wardrobe. Start by creating three different piles (or have three boxes) – one for items you wish to keep, another for rubbish and the third for items you can give away or donate. Next step is to measure the space. Jess says, “I find people just buy different baskets or containers without measuring and then end up with all different baskets that don’t fit the space properly.” Once you have your measurements and know what you are keeping, you can jump online or head to your favourite store to buy exactly what you need and nothing that you don’t. This may include baskets, hooks, quality boxes, racks, etc.

3. Think outside the square

Jess is a fan of repurposing items in ways they wouldn’t typically be used. For example, office file holders make excellent baking tray and chopping board holders in the kitchen to keep them upright and easy to grab when you need them. They are also effective for organising your Tupperware. Simply place a file holder between lids of the same shape and size and then stack the containers separately. This nifty hack makes it easy to find the right lid for a container without shuffling around the entire drawer to hunt for a match

4. Use clear jars & containers to store pantry staples

There is something very satisfying about opening up your pantry and seeing rows of neatly presented air tight glass jars and Tupperware containers for storing all your pantry staples, from cereals, pasta and rice to sugar, flour, seeds, nuts, crackers, and more. This method also keeps things fresher for longer, keeps any ants or other bugs out and makes everything easy to find. It’s also a good idea to label each container with the contents and a use by date.

5. Utilise spare wall space

Particularly for those limited with space at home, utilising spare wall space and the backs of doors is a nifty hack to achieve more storage space and keep things organised and looking neat and tidy. A shelf on a wall could be used to file your incoming mail and keys, for instance, to keep your bench clear of clutter. Hooks inside cupboard doors are also great for hanging tea towels, bags and other cleaning items like a dustpan and broom.

Do you have any home organisation hacks you swear by?