As someone who lives in a very small apartment in New York City, I’d say I’ve developed a pretty good idea of how to utilize space.

There simply isn’t room for clutter. 

Whether you’re in a dorm room, a tiny apartment on the Upper East Side, or are just looking for some ways to declutter your home — here are some tips and tricks that will help you get organized.

Adopt a system of organization

I want to start off by saying that there isn’t a “one-size fits all” rule when it comes to getting organized.

There are plenty of different ways you can go about it. 

Everyone’s organization style is different. You just need to put like-items together in a way that makes sense to you: whether it’s by color, type, usage, a combination of the three, or something else entirely!

For example, in your closet you can hang all your flannels together by color in a different section from your work blouses.

Or in the fridge, you can have a designated drawer or section for leftovers that you organize from oldest to newest to help you eliminate food waste.

As long as it works for you, it doesn’t matter if anyone else understands it.

If you want to put spatulas on one side of the drawer and spoons on the other because that’ll help you while you cook, then that’s your business.

This may take some playing around to figure out what fits your style of living, but that’s okay! 

As long as you know where everything goes, it feels right, and you actually have a system in place to keep everything in its place, then you’re off to a good start!

Switch out your seasonal wardrobe

We all know the daily struggle with looking at your closet – which is practically bursting at the seams – and saying, “Ugh, I have nothing to wear!”

We’ve all been there, and switching out your wardrobe (if not every season, then at least between spring/summer and fall/winter) will help you focus your options, as well as free up some space in your closet.

Keep like-clothes together. Maybe even color-coordinate them if you’re feeling up to it!

For example, you can hang all your scarves on one or two hangers during the fall/winter, and then fold them away into bins during the spring/summer.

This way, you can see them when you need them, and they’re tucked safely away when you don’t.

As you’re cycling through, it’ll also help you get rid of clothes you no longer wear, so you can make room for any new additions!

Reorganize those kitchen cabinets

I know this can be quite an overwhelming task to tackle, but it’ll all be worth it once it’s done, and you can always start off small!

Stack your Tupperware neatly instead of just throwing them all in the cabinet. Store your baking sheets and pans vertically instead of on top of each other.

You can use a cheap tension rod to create little slots for better organization!

If you have room in your kitchen, you can also save space by investing in a tall wire storage rack for small appliances and various pantry items. 

I cannot stress enough the often unappreciated importance of organizing your spices!

Not only will this save you time when cooking, but it’ll also free up a lot of cabinet space. Invest in a revolving or pull-down spice rack, or get some small, tiered shelves for inside your cupboard.

You can even utilize your wall space by installing a little shelf or two right over your oven!

Repurpose old jars

Want to save a few bucks on storage containers?

Easy solution. Clean and peel off the labels from empty jars of jam, pasta sauce, or even those burnt-out candles you no longer use. You can use them to hold makeup brushes, kitchen utensils, pencils/pens, and a myriad of other miscellany.

You can even reuse them to store fresh fruits & veggies and dried goods, like rice or cereal! 

Obviously, make sure they’re clean before you do this.

For most fruits/vegetables, you’re going to want to add a damp paper towel at the bottom first, but I’ve found that this can actually help your produce last longer than leaving them in their original container or putting them in plastic Tupperware!

Your food will look better in glass than plastic containers and it’ll help you reduce food waste. Just make sure the lid still works well, and you should be good to go!

Storage bins are your new best friends!

From large plastic bins to small woven baskets, one of the easiest and most efficient ways to reduce clutter is to sort everything into bins and boxes!

Even plastic milk crates can be stacked to store your favorite records or books, notebooks, and documents. They’re a cheap, adaptable alternative to buying a bookshelf!

“But how will I remember where I put everything if they’re all in bins where I can’t see them?” 

It’s simple…

If your favorite system gathers items in broadly-defined groups, labels that hang from the basket handles are a cheap and attractive way to categorize the contents.

If you are more the perfectionist type (or just like to know what exactly is in that box), then label them all numerically and create a storage bin index! Keep a small notebook in a place that’s readily accessible somewhere convenient, like in your desk or at the front of your bookshelf in the living room, that keeps track of everything that’s in each bin.

While it may take some time to create, it’ll be worth it from the first time you easily thumb through that instead of digging through all your storage bins trying to find your scrapbooking supplies or your mom’s waffle maker she “lent” you years ago.

Plus, while you’re putting everything away, this provides a great opportunity to take stock of what you own and get rid of the things you no longer need.

Shelving saves lives

When you’re running short on room, one thing we really want you to try is utilizing your wall space.

You can hang floating shelves with wall brackets to hold bigger items like books or plants. They’re easy to install, and you can arrange them any way that suits your fancy!

If you’re in an apartment where your lease agreement prohibits you from nailing anything to the wall, peel and stick shelves are great for smaller items like plastic spice containers or holding your keys and mail!

Another alternative is investing in a bookshelf or one of those cubby organizers, preferably ones that are tall as opposed to wide (we’re trying to build up, remember?) They don’t take up that much space and can fit into any home decor style.

You can use the cubbies to display books, pictures, candles, and other various knick-knacks, or you can get some of those colored bins that slide right into the cubby for extra storage! 

You can find some for a great deal at Target or Facebook Marketplace, and if you treat them well, they can last forever.

Utilize all of your space

When you don’t have a lot of space at your disposal, you have to use every single nook and cranny you can find, while at the same time trying not to overwhelm your living space.

For example, beneath your bed is so much more than a place where childhood monsters dwell or a hiding place for all those dirty clothes you didn’t feel like throwing into the hamper. 

Invest in some under-the-bed shoe organizers or short fabric storage bags for clean blankets and sheets!

If you have a tall bed frame (like me), this could be a great place to store your off-season wardrobe in some clear storage bins or your old books and notebooks in milk crates.

Try to keep your bed in the center of your room so that you can reach both sides and can easily access anything you’re storing.

Another way is to get some over-the-door organizers for shoes or other accessories. Invest in command hooks so you can hang your coats, hats, and purses on a section of your wall! 

You can even use these hooks to easily organize your jewelry. This can give your walls some color and design, while at the same time saving space in your closet!

Don’t put it down, put it away!

I know it sounds a lot like basic common sense, but if you really start to pay attention to your habits, you’ll realize how often we don’t do this.

Don’t just kick your shoes off as soon as you walk in the door and leave them lying around the living room. Pick them up and throw them in the closet or set them on your shoe rack, if you have one.

Once you finish using your pen or a pair of scissors, don’t just set them down on the table and walk away, telling yourself you’ll put it back later. Take the extra minute and a half to put it back in its proper place.

It’ll save you so much time in the long run just by developing this simple habit.

My boyfriend, who has severe ADHD, says this is the best piece of advice he’s ever been given, and (as someone who doesn’t suffer from ADHD) I couldn’t agree more.

“Don’t put it down, put it away,” is truly a motto we all need to live by.

While having a “home” for everything and storage bins galore helps immensely to control clutter, none of it means anything if you don’t actually hold yourself accountable for putting things back in their proper place and keeping your space neat and tidy.

It’s okay to let things go

For some of us, this could be the hardest part.

It’s finally time to throw away that old iPhone box that you are never going to need or use and get rid of those burnt-out candles you’ve had sitting on your nightstand for months.

Go through that pile of receipts you have sitting on your dresser just in case you’ll need to return something you bought three months ago – I think it’s safe to say, you’re going to keep whatever it is you bought. 

A good golden rule of thumb is, “If you haven’t used it in the past year, get rid of it!”

If this step makes you nervous, put these throw-aways in bags or boxes and stack them out of the way. If you haven’t taken something out in three months or six, you’ll be fine tossing it!  

Give it away to someone who is actually going to get some use out of it, or sell it to earn a little extra cash. You can utilize Facebook marketplace or see if your neighborhood has a community Facebook page for buying/selling things in your area. 

Life is too short to cling to the things that are no longer serving you.