The Organized Home: Shelves, Cupboards and Closets

Aim to leave about 20 percent "breathing room" on each shelf. If that sounds unattainable, just open up as much free space as you can. It often takes several rounds of decluttering before you feel like you've gotten rid of everything you can.

Why 20 percent? Notice in photos of homes you admire how much storage is actually filled, and I think you will find there is usually a significant amount of breathing room left between items.

Style note: Throw in a sculpture or decorative sign to liven up an otherwise practical storage space.

Gain steam by starting small. I recommend starting your spring cleaning in an area that can be finished in a single morning. For many of us, the bathroom or hall closet is a good choice. Go for obvious junk first, such as expired medications and empty bottles of shampoo (be sure to dispose of medications properly — do not flush down the toilet), and then move on to that stash of product samples you know you are never really going to use.

Style note: Snap up matching white storage containers the next time you are at Ikea to create a pulled-together look like the one shown here.

Decant everyday items into pretty containers. The simple step of removing the outer packaging from most standard household items instantly makes them more attractive. Neat stacks of toilet paper rolls, jars of cotton swabs and bowls of soap bars will bring a sense of order to your bathroom cupboards.

Style notes: Repurpose a vintage glass-front cabinet to house extra supplies in the bathroom. Wire baskets and glass canisters are nice looking and practical additions.

Choose cheerful storage. If you are in the market for a few new storage containers, seek out ones that make you smile, and I swear you will be more likely to use them. Use one of these handy sunshine-yellow buckets from Crate & Barrel for laundry, extra towels, cleaning products or bath toys.

Address clutter hot spots. Every home has a few spots where clutter tends to accumulate — the kitchen counter, the back door and so on. These places are often along our most frequently traveled paths through the house, so it makes sense to work with the hot spot rather than try to eliminate it. Simply placing a bit of storage in the problem area should do the trick.

Style note: In the kitchen, try using a few strategically placed file boxes to quell the mess.

Make your pantry pop. A clean, well-ordered pantry will help make meal prep a breeze and can even inspire healthier choices.

Step 1: Take every last thing out of the cupboard. Really — everything.

Step 2: Toss anything that is expired or bad.

Step 3: Fill a bag with food that is still good but that you know your family won't eat, and donate it to your local food bank.

Step 4: No one needs three half-empty bags of flour. Open them up and dump them into one nice-looking glass jar. Ta-da! Now repeat with any other partially empty staples.

Step 5: Put everything that's left back in, but this time create zones. Put cans with cans, breakfast stuff together and so on. Place the healthiest choices at eye level.

Style note: Can a pretty wallpapered backdrop inspire you to keep things tidy? Who knows, but it sure would be fun to give it a try. Alternatively, you could paint the back wall a bright hue for a similar effect.

Be mindful of what is on display. So often we place things on our kitchen counters as a sort of default — but do you really want to be looking at all of that stuff every day? Hide eyesores behind closed cupboard doors and leave the prime counter space for pretty tea things, a matched set of spice jars or a basket of fresh dish towels.

Tackle that cleaning closet. Whether you have a dedicated utility closet or simply a stash of supplies under the sink, getting this area under control will help manage daily tasks with ease. Pick up a few attractive baskets to store supplies, take that pile of plastic bags to the recycling center and hang brooms, mops and dusters from wall hooks.

Update your workspace. Sorting through stacks of paper has got to be one of the least appealing organizing tasks, but as with a visit to the dentist, you know you'll feel better when it's done.

Set aside a whole morning to tackle this area, and plan a fun activity as a reward for afterward. Consider signing up for online statements and digital subscription services to cut down on future paper overload.

Style note: Choose one style and color of storage and file boxes for an orderly look.

Use color to your advantage. Color-coordinated storage boxes are great for corralling paperwork, instruction manuals and photographs. You could choose all one color for a cohesive look or use a color-coding system to easily find different types of documents.

Host a closet-clearing party. You can certainly do this on your own, but if you are having a hard time getting motivated to cull your closet, think about inviting a few good friends to help out. Provide refreshments and fun music, and let your friends help give you that extra nudge to finally ditch those less-than-flattering pieces in your wardrobe.