10 Easy Rules Professional Organizers Follow in Their Own Homes

Shira Gill’s new book gives us a look into the homes (and minds!) of professional organizers.

When we heard about the premise of professional organizer Shira Gill’s new book, we were buzzing with excitement—her recently released title, Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home, gives us a glimpse into the homes of some of the top professional organizers in the industry. (Real Simple is all about organizing so this is like catnip for us!)

Because we’ve worked with Shira before on a bunch of organizing stories (we’ve even featured her home), we knew we were in for a treat with this book and we weren’t disappointed. After organizing hundreds of regular homes, Shira decided to focus her second book on the best of the best: 25 of the world’s top organizers are featured in its pages, and we’re given an exclusive behind-the-scenes look into their meticulously maintained households by way of some pretty gorgeous photography.

On top of the very informative Q&As with the organizers, Shira weaves in countless tips, cheat sheets, and mantras. Her approach to organizing is incredibly on-brand for us. She writes in her book, “There is no one-­size-fits-­all solution for how to organize your home. If color-­coding your refrigerator makes you smile, lean in and embrace your rainbow-­filled life! If that level of organization prompts a major eye roll, just take a pass. At the end of the day, the goal of an organized home is to make your life easier and more efficient.”

That being said, Shira does notice there’s some overlap in the habits and practices of the professional organizers she interviewed. Below, from her book, are her top observations. The best part is you can totally do these in your own home.

Related: A Clean and Tidy Home Can Boost Your Mental Health—Here's Where to Start

Things Organizers Do

Own Fewer Linens

One of the things that shocked me the most was how minimal most organizers are when it comes to the quantity of linens they own. We’re talking one to two sets per bed max. Owning less means less to launder, fold, and store. If you’re short on storage space, this is a major victory. Ditto for the towels. Toss ’em. And by “toss,” I mean keep your favorites and donate the rest to your local animal shelter or textile recycling center

Ditch the Packaging

Fast track to making your home look like it was touched by a professional organizer? Ditch the packaging! Get that toilet paper out of its plastic wrap. Remove printer ink from its cardboard packaging. Shop the bulk bins, and pour pantry staples into airtight glass jars. Less is always more when it comes to plastic and cardboard packaging.

Make It a Station

If there’s one thing that is guaranteed to make an organizer giddy, it’s centralizing frequently used items into a dedicated zone or “station.” Think breakfast station, smoothie station, pet station, homework station, work-­ from-­ home station—the possibilities are endless.

Move It, Shake It

Organizers love to get creative when it comes to redesigning spaces: moving furniture around; repurposing bookshelves, dressers, or credenzas; adding, subtracting, or adjusting shelves; installing wall-­ mounted or over-the-­door solutions. Customize your space to fit your needs.

The Display and Conceal Rule

Organizers love to display items that are lovely to look at, like vases, ceramics, framed photos, plants, and art, on open shelves. We love to conceal utilitarian items, like charging cords, tools, house paint, vitamins, and first-­ aid supplies, in bins, drawers, or deep storage.

Stylish Storage

Whether repurposing or sourcing new products,the pros like to be highly intentional when it comes to storage vessels. Choose bins, baskets, boxes, and organizers that create a cohesive aesthetic throughout your home and reflect your personal taste and style preferences.

Shop Your Home First

Most pros like to “shop” their client’s homes before hitting the stores. Most people have an assortment of bins, baskets, boxes, pouches, and other vessels that can be repurposed for all sorts of organizing and storage needs. If you do need to fill in some gaps, make sure to shop with a specific list and a plan (note quantities and measurements) before you hit the shops.

Elevate the Most Neglected Spaces

It’s easy to overlook styling in the tucked away areas of your home, like your linen closet or laundry room, but pro organizers take great pride in sprucing up the hidden spaces behind closed doors. Elevate your own utilitarian spaces by adding plants, art, textiles, stick-­ on patterned wallpaper, or even just a coat of fresh paint. Organizers also love styling closets with design books, candles, and pretty objects found elsewhere in the home. Get creative and give the spaces behind closed doors a little love.

Put Things Away, Right Away

If there’s one habit all organizers can agree on, it’s simply to make it a routine to put things back after use to prevent a massive pileup (and headache) later. A five minute tidy before bed is another common practice of the pros.

Respect the Physical Boundaries of Your Space

As Ryan from Home + Sort says, “Don’t shop for a mansion if you live in a cottage.” Organizers like to embrace and celebrate the space they have.

Reprinted with permission from Organized Living: Solutions and Inspiration for Your Home by Shira Gill, copyright © 2023. Published by Ten Speed Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House.

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