"We live in a just shy of a 1,200 square foot twin home," said Brendan Kneafsey.
[Ads /]
With limited space and two young kids, parents Brendan Kneafsey and Kristen DiMarco admit organization is not their forte.
"I like to think of it as organized chaos. Yes we're functioning, but of course if your space is in disarray I think it causes a lot of stress," said DiMarco.
The space in most need of some TLC is their basement, which serves as a multipurpose room. It's a playroom for the boys, an office for Kneafsey, a storage area and it houses a laundry room and mud room.
To tackle the task, they turned to professional organizer Jennifer Martin from Spruce Organizing Co.
Martin and her crew sort, contain and label every item. She said it's important to look through everything.
"We pull everything out because you don't really know what's in there," Martin said.
Then the before and after.
[Ads /]
"Looks great! Oooh I like the labels," said DiMarco.
"Everything was made to be able to reach easily," said Martin.
Kneafsey and DiMarco were very pleased with the results and especially liked the attention to detail.
"For me, it is just the categorization of everything and I think having the clear bins is huge," said DiMarco.
Martin advises all households to categorize and contain everything, including clothes.
Use clear bins or dividers to keep loose items neat and tidy and so kids, as well as grown-ups, can see and grab what they need without dumping everything out.
[Ads /]
Creative labeling is also key.
"Children need labels, so these guys are really small. They are not reading yet so it was important for us to put pictures of what they items are," said Martin.
And take on one small project at a time, like one drawer or one closet.
"Just take your time in one space so that you don't get overwhelmed. I think a lot of people think about their whole house, so definitely don't worry about that. Just take one little spot at a time," said Martin.
Another pro tip is to think about your house flow and create zones. Put things you use often closest to entries for easy access and then as you move up and away, store things you need only now and again.
Also, be mindful about putting heavier items down below and lighter items up top.