Welcome to the 2018 kickoff of “My Five Favorite Tips to Organize Your Room!” If you’re new, Shine Your Light is a DIY and home improvement blog focused on design and organization. This series, “My Five Favorites,” is a monthly feature where my blogging friends Pam from Simple Details, Jennifer from Dimples & Tangles, and Kris from Driven By Decor share fresh ideas to inspire you to improve your home. Each month, we pick a new topic to explore and offer helpful tips.
This month, we are thrilled to have Jen from I Heart Organizing as our guest host! Jen is an expert in home organization, covering everything from decluttering rooms to managing household paperwork and creating smoother family routines. Her blog is filled with amazing tips and creative ideas, so make sure to check it out today!
A huge thank you to Jen for joining us!
Today, we’re diving into room-by-room tips to organize every part of your home. I love simple, practical tips that make a real impact on your space. A clutter-free home feels better, functions better, and brings peace of mind. Plus, tackling those to-do lists is always rewarding! Let’s kickstart the year with five of our favorite tips to help you organize your room and create a space you love.
Organize Your Family Room | Tackle Those Family Photos
The best way to accomplish something is simply to start. – Author Unknown
Organizing family photos can feel overwhelming, making it easy to put off. Suddenly, years pass, and when a big event like a graduation, wedding, or family celebration arrives – just like it did for my family this year – you find yourself searching desperately for a photo from a decade ago. Is it tucked away in a box? Stored on an old computer? Lost on a photo site that no longer exists?
When my kids were younger, I could easily fill a 300-page album in one year – sometimes I’d need a second one just to keep up. These days, I can stretch one album over a couple of years. I prefer black bonded leather albums with acid-free pages, and I label each spine with a gold Sharpie, noting the date range.
If you’re behind on organizing your albums (I’m at least three to four years behind myself – it’s on my 2018 to-do list!), start with the most recent year and work backward. Completing even one album will feel incredibly rewarding, and you’ll be so grateful to have your photos easily accessible.
There have been countless times when I’ve needed to pull out photos for picture boards or slideshows, and I’m always relieved to have hard copies ready to go. I hope my kids will cherish these albums someday, just as I treasure flipping through my mom’s old photo collections.
Looking for creative ways to display a large number of photos? Check out these fun ideas:
Organize Your Living Room | Create a Game Box (Non-Video Games!)
Make space for joy.
A simple deck of playing cards can be the key to bringing people together. When games are easy to grab, they spark connection – something much needed in a world where it’s all too common to get lost in phones or other screens. I love having classic, non-digital ways to engage with each other and create moments of real presence.
In our living room – which happens to be TV-free – I keep games and cards readily available. It’s a subtle way to encourage a bored teen (or adult!) to choose a card game instead of scrolling on their phone.
For extra flair, I store them in decorative boxes that add to the room’s charm. Repurposed wine or cigar boxes work perfectly for this. If the cigar box has a strong smell, sprinkle baking soda inside and let it sit for a day or two. Follow up by placing a dryer sheet inside until the odor fades.
Another great option? Transform an old silverware box from your mom or grandma into a stylish container for cards and small games. It’s a fun, sentimental way to keep things organized and within reach!
Organize Your Office | Stay on Top of Bills
If you want to turn an easy task into a difficult one, just keep putting it off. – Olin Miller
I don’t have a dedicated home office or even a desk space, so I’ve had to get creative with organizing and managing bills. If you’re in the same situation, you know how crucial a simple and effective system can be!
There are countless ways to track and manage bills – from spreadsheets and apps like Mint to Google Calendar and printable planners. I’ve tried a variety of methods over the years, and maybe you have too. If your current approach isn’t cutting it, it’s time to switch things up.
The biggest shift for me came when I started writing down bill due dates in my planner as soon as I opened the mail. I always return to the trusty old paper planner. I also use a spreadsheet to check off recurring expenses like the mortgage and car payments, as well as less frequent bills. Even though I pay everything online, having a physical checklist keeps me accountable and ensures nothing slips through the cracks.
If you’re a visual person like I am, try this:
- Sort your mail daily. Recycle the junk and open bills immediately.
- Write down bill due dates in a planner. I use an inexpensive planner dedicated just to bills. It takes 30 seconds to jot down dates, but doing it weekly is a good habit.
- Include auto-pay bills. Even if bills are automatic, having them in your calendar keeps them top of mind.
- Check your planner twice a month. I check mine weekly, then use my bank’s online bill pay to handle what’s due. It only takes a few minutes but saves money on late fees.
All those saved fees? Perfect for a vacation fund!
I keep my bill files in the kitchen, right inside the pantry door. Hanging file holders are great for this, and many have holes in the back for easy mounting.
The system doesn’t have to be stylish – just functional. I file important documents like medical, insurance, taxes, utilities, and bank statements in separate folders, while everything else goes in a miscellaneous file. The calendar stays in the front pocket for easy access, and incoming bills stay in another pocket until they’re paid. Afterward, the statements are filed or recycled.
Looking for guidance on how long to keep statements? Check out this helpful article.
Pro tip: Cute file folders and a sleek metal sorter make this system not only efficient but also pleasant to look at – even if it lives behind a door!
Organize Your Dining Room | Crystal & China Storage
Have nothing in your home that is not useful or beautiful. – William Morris
Just before Thanksgiving, I pulled out our crystal from the bar, only to find most pieces covered in a layer of dust. Often, I skip using our best crystal simply because cleaning it beforehand feels like too much effort. But if I never use it, what’s the point of keeping it? To solve this, I purchased a wine glass storage box – and now I realize I need at least five more for all the china and glassware we use only on special occasions!
The box isn’t fancy – it’s made of cardboard dividers with a vinyl exterior. Its purpose is to keep glasses and plates dust-free, not to provide protection during moves. I store mine in our bar cabinet, but these boxes would work just as well in the dining room or even in a utility area like the basement for rarely used dishware.
Now my glassware stays spotless between uses, and I no longer dread pulling it out for holidays or special dinners. I only wish I had bought this storage solution sooner!
Organize Your Kitchen | Rethink Your Spaces
Come here, you beautiful cup of coffee, and lie to me about how much we’ll accomplish today. – Anonymous
As part of the “Fall Into the Holidays” series this past October, I reorganized a cabinet area in our kitchen to better store our everyday glasses and coffee mugs. This small shift led to the creation of a cozy coffee station. I also tackled the bottom cabinets, making sure everything we need to start the day – from coffee and tea to sugar and my mom’s favorite Folgers – is now conveniently in one spot. (You can find similar coffee canisters here.)
It’s amazing how much difference this small change made. Moving the coffee maker and all its essentials to a dedicated corner has streamlined our mornings and decluttered the rest of the kitchen.
When we eventually renovate the kitchen (hopefully a 2018 project – fingers crossed!), this efficient little setup is something we’ll definitely keep. Though, I might pass on the bologna-colored countertops!
I hope these small tips inspire you to bring a little more organization to your home. I can’t wait to see how these other bloggers share their favorite ways to organize each room!
A big thank you to Jen for guest hosting My Five Favorites today!
I Heart Organizing • Simple Details • Dimples & Tangles • Driven By Decor
Have a wonderful day, lovelies!
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