Must-Try Organizing Tips From Professional Home Experts

Chances are you’ve heard of Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin: Home experts known for their master organizing skills, founders of The Home Edit organizing company and authors of The Home Edit: A Guide to Organizing and Realizing Your House Goals. They are the pair to go to when you’re ready to reorganize your life (ahem, home), and they make it look easy.

But if you’re like me and keeping your pantry in order doesn’t come naturally, getting started can be daunting. Clea and Joanna get it, so they're giving us yet another reason to get it together: A hero line of Home Edit organizing products to go along with their awesome tips, sold exclusively at The Container Store.

We’re talking bins for your bins, dividers for your shelves, two-tiered lazy susans (if you’re feeling ambitious) and more. So, if you’re a little overwhelmed, it’s okay! Check out their pro tips below. They’ve got all the knowledge—and all the products—you’ll ever need.

1. START SMALL

When it comes to organizing it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Clea and Joanna suggest starting with a smaller project like a drawer. Once you’ve got that down, take the confidence and knowledge you’ve gained and apply to a bigger project. Soon you’ll be an organizing master.

2. LABEL. LABEL. LABEL

Take it from Clea and Joanna: The key to keeping up your new organizational system is all about labeling. Once you’ve organized your space, labels will ensure items are properly put back—and stay where they belong! The new collection has labels for everything: Your pantry, fridge, Thanksgiving decorations. The list goes on.

3. PLAN AHEAD

When you’re getting ready to organize —whether it be a small drawer or a walk-in pantry—Clea and Joanna stress: Take stock of your space. Figure out exactly how many items you’re organizing and how much room you have for bins, shelves or hooks. Poor planning can lead to multiple trips to the store to pick up or return extras, which can be discouraging. Once you’ve got a plan in place and the proper materials, organizing will be a breeze.

Pro HGTV tip: Take photos and measurements of your space before you head to the store—it’s a huge help!

4. BE REALISTIC

Don’t forget to consider your lifestyle and day-to-day routine. If you’re someone who doesn’t have time to empty each individual box of cereal into its appropriate container, then maybe getting a larger bin you can store all your cereal boxes is the way to go. Clea and Joanna say there is no wrong way to get organized as long as you can commit to the long-term maintenance. Tailor your method to you, and you’ll be just fine!