How to customize a system
You can easily customize The Everyday System to meet your needs and match the aesthetic of your home. Watch this video to find out how to get started, then scroll down to read our tried-and-true tips for organizing your space.
How to Organize Any Space
Assess your space.
The first step to organizing any rooms is understanding what you're working with. To assess your space, start with accurate measurements: height, width, and depth. Then, take a close look at its layout and construction to identify any constrains you'll need to work around-like pocket doors, power outlets, hard-to reach areas, awkward angles, etc.
Take inventory of your belongings.
Now that you better understand your space, it’s time to take stock of what you’re hoping to organize in it. Make a list of all the items you need to organize and take note of large categories. Do you have a lot of shoes? Books? Items that need to be hidden? Use our inventory worksheet to get started.
Decide what will go where.
Go through your inventory list, category by category, and select components (drawers, shelves, hanging rods, cabinets, bins, etc.) to organize your items. For example, if you own a lot of shoes, you may want to display them on slanted shoe shelves. Or if you have a large book collection, you may want plenty of open shelving. Continue through your list until everything has a home.
Closet
Your closet is one of the most complicated spaces to design and organize due to all the items it needs to store and architectural constraints. However, we do have some go-to tips we’ve learned in our 40-plus years designing closet organization.
Hanging Space
- Have a lot of clothes to hang? Opt for a double-hang (stacked) section or two.
- Hang bulkier items (sport coats, blazers, etc.) low and shallower items (skirts, pants, etc.) high so they’re easy to see.
- For easy access, place your hanging sections low and at the corners of your closet.
- Separate and group clothing based on what feels right for you: like items together, by color, or use (casual vs. formal).
- Don’t forget the ultimate space-saving trick—hangers! (Matching hangers will also give your closet a uniform, un-cluttered look.)
Doors & Drawers
- Place drawers and doors strategically so they don’t open into closet doors, return walls, or other constraints.
- Create a focal point with a cabinet front and center.
- Control unruly socks, intimates, and athletic wear in drawers or bins.
- Conceal items that need to breathe with a mesh-door cabinet.
Shelving
- Show off your shoe collection with slanted shoe shelves.
- Place shelves closer together for small items and farther apart for bulkier clothing like sweaters.
Home Office Tips
You work hard. Your home office—whether a reclaimed corner or a separate room—should too. Follow these tips for a home/work space that works as hard as you.
Hanging Space
- For a seated desk, set your desk height to 29 - 30 inches.
- For a standing desk, move it up to 38 - 41 inches.
Shelving
- Display collectibles, books, and framed photos on shelves.
- Organize books by color, subject, alphabetically, or another system—whatever feels right to you.
Drawers & Bins
- Store items you need easy access to—like pens, pencils, and files—in drawers.
- Contain and protect office supplies, paperwork, or keepsakes in boxes and bins.
Technology
- Never run out of battery power with an intergrated power station.
Ergonomics
- Invest in a quality chair that's adjustable and offers proper support.
Media
As a truly multipurpose space, your media or living room likely serves more than one function. It may be both a place to watch the latest binge-worthy show and a play area for young kids. A well-organized media room will seamlessly serve all its many functions.
- Display books, decorative objects, and collectibles on open shelves.
- Conceal DVDs, remote controls, and other unsightly technology accessories in a designed-for-media cabinet.
- Corral and hide toys and other miscellaneous items with soft-close drawers.
Pantry
When organizing your pantry, keep in mind one word—easy. An organized pantry should make preparing food, cleaning up, grabbing a quick snack, or making a cocktail all easier.
- Place the items you use the most near the center and less-used items on the harder-to-reach top or bottom shelves.
- If you have children, put items they need access to within their reach.
- Store like items (baking supplies, glass and barware, etc.) together.
- Put labels on storage containers to make things easy to find.
- Store produce in breathable mesh bins to keep it fresh.