Living in the city probably means you are limited on storage. Here are seven helpful tips to keep your home organized.

1. Make Cleanup a Family Ritual

Establish the habit by setting a timer for 20 minutes at a time of day that works best for your household and spend the time together cleaning up. Doing this on a daily basis sets the right expectation for your home.

2. Collaborate to Empower the Kids

If you want your kids to clean up after themselves it’s important to set them up for success. This means making sure the shelf or cabinet is easily accessible for them to put the item away. It’s equally important that the procedure of putting away an item is age appropriate.

Pro tip: Keep hard-to-clean-up toys and items that need adult supervision on a high shelf. Even better if they’re behind a cabinet door.

3. Be Creative with Storage

Spend more time thinking about vertical storage as the solution. Use the walls of your home to create functional areas for storage.

4. Multi-Functional Furniture

Your furniture can make otherwise unusable space in your home a good spot for storage. Purchase a bed with drawers underneath or a bench for your entrance that can also should also serve as storage for shoes.

5. Size Matters!

When it comes to storage, a large container just means you can put more stuff inside. Large containers should be reserved for items such as holiday decorations, seasonal items, or extra linens and pillows. Use small, clear containers that stack for toys and art supplies. And always label them so that everyone in the family puts things back where they belong.

6. Schoolwork and School Projects

Pick a central location such as the kitchen/laundry room/office for school papers. Every report card period, pick through and decide what to keep in a memory box and purge the rest. As you go through it all, think about whether the items show developmental growth or personality that your child will appreciate you having saved when they are 30.

Remember, you have 12 school years worth of stuff to save, and if you kept a large bin every year, you’d most certainly feel overwhelmed before graduation.

7. Annual Purging

One to two times a year, spend some time purging items your household no longer needs. Whether it’s clothes that are old, unused kitchen gadgets, or toys, eliminating items from your home makes room for new items. This is really the best way to avoid feeling overwhelmed by the amount of stuff you own.

For more inspiration organizing your home visit www.sortitoutphilly.com.

Photographs provided by Sort it Out Philly.