Simple ways to organize your home in 2026

Get a fresh start this new year with organization tips and tricks from a Lowcountry expert.

Story by Audrey Geib
Photography by Martin Vecchio

The start of a new year invites clarity: a clean slate, a calmer space and a little less clutter crowding your corners. But getting organized doesn’t have to mean a full-house overhaul or a picture-perfect pantry. 

Meaghan Resenhoeft, owner of NEAT Method Savannah and Hilton Head Island, says it’s about “making simple solutions for everyday families to follow that they can actually keep up with on a daily basis.”

Start with what you see every day

Instead of tackling your whole home at once, begin with a space small enough to finish but visible enough to make an impact. That drawer you can’t open without something getting stuck? Start there. 

“Start small,” Resenhoeft advises. “Start with a drawer in your kitchen. Take it all out — do you need 10 wooden spoons? Probably not. If you start small, you’re likely to succeed.”

The goal isn’t to throw everything away; it’s to notice what serves you and what doesn’t. That small success builds momentum for bigger projects later.

If you like structure, the NEAT Method literally wrote the book on it. 

“Last January we launched a book, and it’s kind of like a cookbook, per se,” she says. “It gives you simple projects that you can do — like recipes — with small tasks.”

Let go of what’s taking up space

Every house has that space that holds things nobody uses but everyone steps around.

“Water bottles is one,” Resenhoeft laughs. “If it doesn’t have a top, it needs to go in the garbage.” 

How many water bottles are too many? Resenhoeft recommends three bottles per person. The same goes for spices that expired last year. 

“Spices are an easy thing to go through,” she says. “If they’re expired or not opened, you can probably throw them away.” 

What about those papers that seem to multiply in your office? 

“Get rid of files you don’t need,” she said. “Shred them and try to make it digital if possible.”

Of course, it’s not always that easy. Many of us hold onto things out of nostalgia: the towel from a long-ago tournament or the souvenir mug from a race decades past.

Decluttering is not about guilt; it’s about the relief that follows when you clear up that space. If you feel sentimental about a collection of clutter, start somewhere else.

Create systems you actually stick with

Once you’ve pared things down, it’s all about keeping them that way. Getting organized doesn’t mean aiming for perfection; it’s about setting yourself up to maintain calm in the middle of real life.

“You just walk in the door, and you feel lighter,” Resenhoeft says. “Your house doesn’t have to be perfect all the time, but if a system is in place, it’s going to be a lot easier when your neighbor’s about to pop over and you’ve got five minutes’ notice.”

Think simple: group like-items, use bins and baskets, and give everything a home.

“We’re not believers in labeling absolutely every drawer,” she adds. “When you can clearly see that there are brushes in there, you don’t need to label it. It’s just about things being somehow contained.”

Stay flexible

Perfection is the enemy of progress and the fastest way to burn out on organizing.

Rigid rules often make it harder to stay organized. Resenhoeft suggests keeping categories broad so your system can evolve with you.

“Don’t label a canister ‘oatmeal,’ maybe label it ‘breakfast,’” she says. “If your kids are over oatmeal next month, you can put bars in it instead.”

That flexibility makes your space feel more livable and less staged, because the goal isn’t museum-level neatness, it’s a home that actually works for the people living there. 

“You have to make it a system that people are going to follow and not go crazy over,” she says.

Make it a habit, not a headache

Resenhoeft’s secret to staying organized? Small daily wins that add up. 

“Have a bin in your kids’ rooms or laundry room for donations,” she says. “It doesn’t have to be huge, just manageable.”

The same goes for adults; closets are another easy place to check in regularly, making sure that every piece in there is something you will wear and love. If not, donate it. Meaghan suggests making resetting a weekly ritual. 

A little order, a lot of calm

The real reward isn’t only a perfect pantry or a color-coded closet. It’s walking into your home and feeling peace instead of pressure. 

“Your house doesn’t have to be perfect,” she says. “It just has to work for you.”

A little less stuff, a bit more space to live. That’s a resolution worth keeping.