Must-See Organizing Makeovers

By BH&G Editors
Updated May 04, 2020
Disorganized. Cluttered. Chaotic. All describe these "befores." Click to see the "afters," and you'll discover that there's hope for even the most troubled of spaces. Learn the tricks that can declutter your worst storage nightmares.
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Before: Limited Access

A rod-and-shelf setup couldn't handle this family's coat collection, plus the children couldn't reach high-hanging garments. Out-of-season items took up too much space in the already stuffed entryway closet.

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After: Smart Swap

With its inefficient hanging rod traded for rows of wall hooks, this front closet now holds twice as much seasonal gear. Access to the upper shelf is improved, and a pair of slim magazine baskets hangs along the back wall, stashing children's lunch boxes, bug sprays, and other outdoor items. Floral wallpaper, a painted shoe rack with labels, and striped rug contribute functional style.

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Before: Stacks of Supplies

Piles of papers and crafts supplies made it impossible to accomplish work or play at this cluttered desk area. Kids' artwork overtook the sewing table, and scattered markers, crayons, and paints made it impossible to locate art supplies.

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After: Crafty Cure

The once haphazard sewing station is now neat and organized, thanks to a mix of glass jars, wire baskets, and closed boxes. All containers are easily accessible and no longer clutter the sewing table surface. Colorful wallpaper adds style to a formerly drab area.

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Before: Makeup Mayhem

Don't let cluttered vanity drawers slow you down on busy mornings. It's easy to just throw makeup and accessories in a spare bathroom drawer or cabinet, but a variety of storage products can help make the most of available space.

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After: Grab and Go

Insert clear acrylic containers into vanity drawers to sort supplies and ensure items are easy to find. Sort items by general categories, such as cosmetics, nail polishes, and hair bands.

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Before: Food Storage Chaos

Hard-to-open recycling containers and crumpled bags clutter the floor of this kitchen pantry. Large canned items stacked on smaller containers and bulky snack packaging make finding specific items difficult.

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After: Powered-Up Pantry

Cans arranged in rows on risers by size, as well as a lazy Susan stocked with bottles and round containers, allow all food items to be easily accessed. Open baskets and bins, complete with labels and a single type of clip, divide snacks into categories. Lidded containers seal pet food airtight. Stacking bins replace lidded waste cans to help sort recyclables.

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Before: Underused, Overstuffed

Travel-size shampoos and lotions are hard to resist -- but they can quickly clutter the vanity area. Another common cause of cabinet clutter? Prescriptions or medicines you rarely use.

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After: Everyday Essentials

Gather all your travel-size bottles, and place them in a bin in a bathroom closet until needed. Use medicine cabinet space for everyday grooming items, such as facial products, shaving tools, dental care supplies, and contact lens solution. Store toothbrushes and toothpaste in clear plastic tumblers. Label each for a specific person to avoid confusion.

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Before: Clutter in Disguise

At first glance, this desk might look neat and tidy, but it makes frequently used items difficult to access. A letter tray and envelopes on top of a wall cabinet keep bills out of sight, while unlabeled binders and containers give no hint of their contents. Decorative supply containers take up too much desktop space, and magnetic containers of oft-used supplies are hard to open.

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After: Storage in Sight

A new desk arrangement puts everything right where it's needed. A vertical sorter above wall cabinetry showcases magazines. A letter sorter stands up envelopes, with unpaid bills in the front. Binder labels and clear containers show off contents. A monthly calendar and corkboard show off important notes. A riser adds multiple levels of storage on the desktop. Lidless bins and file boxes in lower cabinetry allow easier access.

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Before: Jumbled Mess

This bedroom closet had become a disorganized catchall for clothes, accessories, and random clutter.

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After: Streamlined Storage

Clearing out what didn't belong made room for smart storage add-ons. An over-the-door shoe organizer provides a home for wayward flats and heels. Storage space multiplies, thanks to a lower hanging bar. (It simply hangs from the top bar -- no drilling required!) Bins and baskets corral folded clothes and extra accessories. The ottoman lid lifts to reveal bonus storage, plus it's a place to sit and put on your shoes in the morning.

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Before: Disorganized Desk

Papers, bills, charging cords, and an overflowing memo board were sending out a serious organizing SOS.

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After: In Command

You won't believe what they ditched in order to create an organized family command center. Watch and find out.

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Before: Mudroom Mayhem

Piles of shoes, coats, sports gear, and more were waiting for an organization makeover in this mudroom.

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After: Ordered Entry

Without much space, most of the storage add-ons needed to take up as little floor space as possible. The solution? A peg wall outfitted with plenty of hooks, and a clever bookcase with shelves for shoes and baskets to hold small items.

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Before: Messy Pantry

With plenty of shelf space but no organization strategy in place, this pantry spiraled into a disorganized mess.

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After: A Place for Everything

A system of bins, baskets, and labels helped create order and calm. Watch and see how!

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Before: Cluttered Desk

A pileup of papers, odds and ends, and office supplies left little room for productivity.

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After: Efficient Workspace

One of the first steps in this basement office makeover is to find a home for everything. That's where an under-desk filing cabinet and a wall of shelves come in handy. Boxes and binders for paperwork, kids art, and CDs of digital photos help reign in the clutter. A new L-shape desk maximizes the work surface in the corner office.

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Before: Small Closet Woes

A tiny 20x69-inch bedroom closet for two people is a recipe for disorganization.

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After: Shared Harmony

Trading the curtains for closet doors adds additional storage space. One door has hooks for belts and ties; the other features an over-the-door pocket organizer for shoes. Ordering custom closet components makes the most of the space, which now includes extra bars for hanging items, pullout wire bins for accessories, and shelves for bigger shoes.

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Before: Don't Look Under the Sink

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After: Take a Look

Watch and see how this undersink area became one amazingly organized space.

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Before: Parked in Clutter

Even though it had plenty of space for storage, this garage was still missing the mark because it didn't have a strategy or a system.

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After: Systematic Improvements

New shelves take advantage of vertical space above the garbage and recycling bins. Hooks give a home to a stepladder (handy to keep nearby when high shelves are involved) and cleaning tools.

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Before: Untapped Potential

Even though the storage space was plentiful, this bathroom didn't have an effective organization system in place.

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After: Order Add-Ons