Getting Organized in 2026

It’s a great time to get everything sorted out

By Deborah Jeanne Sergeant

 

You wouldn’t call your house a complete disaster — but you have a few areas you hope guests won’t see.

That kitchen junk drawer.

That closet down the hall.

The basement.

Wherever it is, it’s typically populated with unknown objects, things you might use someday and oddball items that don’t seem to belong anywhere else. Together, they don’t make any sense and are visually unappealing. And eventually, they gobble up space for things you know you’ll use.

Tamara Turcott, owner of An Eye For Detail Professional Organization in Rochester, noted that purging out things that you no longer want at this point in your life is similar to the Swedish practice of “death cleaning.”

It’s not meant to sound morbid but rather “it’s to start to get your home ready for your children not to have to worry about it,” Turcott said. “You can do it while you still have the ability to do it.”

See what your kids and grandkids want. Turcott said that most Gen X and younger people do not want fine china, as it may not be dishwasher or microwave safe. But “that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t ask them.”

As another approach, break up a set so each child’s and grandchild’s family has a few pieces of china rather than burdening someone with place settings for 24.

“It’s not that the next generation isn’t sentimental, but they’re not collectors,” Turcott added.

Keep an open mind about repurposing. Your saucer, supper plate and dinner plate become crafted into a tiered serving tray.

Unload broken junk. If you haven’t fixed it by now, you probably never will. That mystery part or random knob or knot of unused charger cords? Let them go. They’re probably for things you no longer own anyway.

Once you weed out superfluous items, decide where you want to store items you keep. Dominique Boutte, professional organizer and owner and CEO of Sort to Finish in Rochester, said that many times, “catch-all” spaces are more like procrastination piles of items waiting to be put away.

“Once those items are removed, it’s easier to see the purpose of the space and how it’s being used,” Boutte said. “All remaining items should be sorted and grouped together. During the sorting, it’s important to look at items with an intentional eye. Pare down on items when multiples are present. Look for signs of excess wear, use or damage. Remove any items to be donated or purged. Be honest when asking yourself, ‘Do I use this item? Does the item serve purpose in my life? If so, how often am I using this item?’ The answers to these questions will help guide as to how and where items should be stored.”

For example, if you haven’t opened a cookbook for years but rely on your phone for looking up recipes, donate the cookbooks.

Like most organizers, Boutte organizes a space before buying storage containers. Instead of piling up a stack of totes in a closet or storage area, she said that it’s better to use shelving so that no totes are inaccessible.

“It allows you to both see and retrieve your items with ease, without making a mess in the process,” she added. “When creating the organizational layout for your space, always be strategic with where items are being placed. Having zones will make it easy to navigate and maintain any type of storage space- especially the more long-term ones.”

Seasonal items should go where it’s harder to access compared with items you use more frequently. It’s not based upon size.

For large items such as bicycles and sports equipment, it pays to look up. Hanging hooks, vertical racks and shelves can help preserve more floor space and keep these items from taking over the garage or basement.

Laura McKenney, owner of Polished Home Organizing in Rochester, likes to help clients picture what items they will need in the future.

“A general rule is if you can replace it in 20 minutes for under $20, you don’t need that item; let it go,” she said. “Another thing is ‘Would you clean poop off of it? Is it valuable enough that if there were animal feces on it, would you disinfect it and clean it to save it?’ These thoughts really help people.”

Working through storage areas can be very time consuming and even overwhelming, McKenney advises working through one bin or box or area a day. Simply shuffling items from one room to another won’t help organize a home if the homeowner never gets rid of items and never finds a permanent place for each item. She said that once items are noted for donation or discard, they should go out to the garage in a donate bin or in the recycle or trashcan.

“It can be a community effort,” McKenney said. “I’ve seen people do purging parties. Get friends together and bring a box. Rotate houses and help each other. Ask for help. Ask your community, your neighbors, especially if you are a senior and you need help lifting boxes.”