The Organized Home: Simple, Stylish Storage Ideas for All Over the House

by Julie Carlson, Margot Guralnick

Buy fewer (and better) things. Store like with like. Get rid of the plastic. Display—don’t stash—your belongings. Let go of your inner perfectionist and remember that rooms are for living. These are a few of the central principles behind Remodelista: The Organized Home, the new book from the team behind the inspirational design site Remodelista.com.

Whether you’re a minimalist or someone who takes pleasure in her collections, we all yearn for an unencumbered life in a home that makes us happy. This compact tome shows us how, with more than 100 simple and stylish tips, each clearly presented and accompanied by full-color photographs that are sure to inspire. Readers will learn strategies for conquering their homes’ problem zones (from the medicine cabinet to the bedroom closet) and organizing tricks and tools that can be deployed in every room (embrace trays; hunt for unused spaces overhead; decant everything). Interviews with experts, ranging from kindergarten teachers to hoteliers, offer even more ingenious ideas to steal. It all adds up to the ultimate home organizing manual.
 

Genres: Nonfiction, Design, Interior Design, Lifestyle, Self Help, How To, Reference

224 pages, Hardcover

First published November 14, 2017

About the author

Julie Carlson is the author of Remodelista: A Manual for the Considered Home and cofounder of inspirational home site Remodelista.com. Previously, she worked at the Institute for Architecture and Urban Studies in New York before joining the editorial staff of The New Yorker. A graduate of Brown University, Julie lives in Brooklyn, New York.

Reviews

[Heidi Wiechert · Rating 2 out of 5]

A Remodelista Manual is another de-cluttering book. This one encourages readers to utilize storage containers made out of natural materials, to hang items in unexpected places and to make your space functional and beautiful.

Maybe I've reached my limit on these types of books. For example, I loved The Life Changing Magic of Tidying Up, but that was one of the first books of this kind that I read.

I know not everyone responds well to Marie Kondo's philosophy of considering the spirit of your stuff, but that clicked with me, for whatever reason. Must be a hippie thing.

I thought this one was a bit ridiculous. It just wouldn't work for me in my real life with my crazy pets, busy family and serious amounts of stuff.

My main problem with this one is illustrated quite clearly on the cover. We've got two brooms, a towel, an umbrella, some string and a large bucket hung right over a cat drinking from a water bowl.

I can think of a hundred reasons why that wouldn't work for me, but let's start with three:

First of all, the kitties would think I was trying to kill them- hanging menacing items over the watering hole. And, let's be honest, with my poor hanging-things-up skill, it just might.

Second, putting string high up but visible is inviting a kitty disaster. They would hunt the heck out of that string, probably using the umbrella as a climbing wall to get to it, destroying my artfully arranged buckets and mops in the process.

Third, where would I put the rest of my family's entryway stuff? We've got a lot more than that in just umbrellas, not even counting the brooms, swiffer mops, you-name-it.

The result: easy-to-maintain spaces that are both orderly and artful, personal and purposeful. Because, ultimately, the goal isn't a flawless, impossible-to-maintain showcase. The aim is an unencumbered life in a house that makes you happy." pg 9.

All of the rooms and cabinets in this book had like three things in them. It's just not realistic.

That being said, I did like the "Daily Rituals" on pg 18. The authors included "seven simple habits" to adopt every day to make your life easier. They include activities like making your bed and opening the mail.

I can handle that.

I also liked the 'Herb and Spice Drawer' suggestion on page 70. My spices are a jumble of bottles and sizes and it's nearly impossible to find anything quickly.

The authors suggest storing herbs and spices in: "Uniform glass jars- we like small paint jars from the art supply store." Then, label the tops. It's a simple solution but one that never occurred to me.

Only recommended for people who have calm cats and very few items. Other than the suggestions mentioned, I can't see myself using very many of the tips from A Remodelista Manual.

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book is silly. Decanting laundry detergent so it looks prettier in one's laundry room? I can't even imagine the life I would be leading if that was something I prioritized. Sure, if I was rich and had a personal assistant who I could send on a wild goose chase to acquire the "fusto" (a traditional Italian dispenser for olive oil or wine) and the enamelware measuring cup.... Instead I am living a life planted firmly in mediocrity where I am lucky if I can remember to buy laundry detergent and feeling accomplished if I remember to move the clothing from the washer to the dryer before it starts smelling like the inside of a 16-year-old boy's gym bag.

This book was also repetitive and redundant. The content was more appropriate to a blog post rather than a 220-page book.

The two stars are for the pictures alone. If you love organization and storage, the pictures will totally do it for you. Or, if you're like me, they will leave you feeling wholly inadequate.

[Nadine · Rating 1 out of 5]

“Ugh, this plastic medicine bottle is so unsightly. Here, slip it into this white porcelain storage container and set that on this Japanese enamelware tray. Ahh, that’s better.”

[Janssen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this! Gorgeous photos and smart, realistic ideas.

[Romans · Rating 2 out of 5]

Previously, I read the book when I was just looking for another minimalism inspiration and it sorta gave me that. Now I re-read it with an aim to take some of the advice from it for the apartment and it left me appalled. Rather than pretty, the pictures look sterile to me now. But most importantly, it doesn't look like anything from the real world.

Who has so few things in their hallway? Like, one coat and one hat. White and black shoes thrown into one large basket on top of each other. Have you been outside? You know there's dirt on your soles after going out? Helpful ideas how to achieve fewer things in your wardrobe? Toss broken umbrellas, orphaned gloves and outgrown kids' wear. Not kidding here, word for word. Also, "unnecessary multiples of anything". Some few pages later, a perfect picture of a clothes shelf has 10 pair of identical jeans neatly stacked.
Or, putting a paper towel inside the cabinet or into a drawer. A whole drawer to hide a paper towel. I wonder if the author knows that paper towel is most often needed when your hands are dirty and opening a drawer is the most ridiculous idea to place it.
I started to look closer at the images, and in most of them, it's looks over function or common sense. Or even efficient use of space. It seems like for such an empty apartment, everything has to be hidden in the drawers. But the moment the drawers are open, they are half-empty ideal looking spaces, which can't accommodate everything that they mention in the text themselves.
And don't forget to toss expired medicine and rusty razors, as well as a used-up nail polish. Maybe it's supposed to be irony, but every other text and picture in the book is so serious, I highly doubt it. Because you're offered to hide your bottle of Ibuprofen into a ceramic canister on a ceramic tray, because otherwise it "isn't great to look at".

Some advice is very adequate: pot lid storage, wire baskets for towels, hanging things, some other organising ideas. But you'll have to rely a lot on your critical thinking before you put your dress shirt into a diagonal magazine/document folder rack. 🤯

Previous review from 2020:
A pretty book with some useful and some useless suggestions. I'm being torn by feeling inspired to improve some parts of my home and feeling FOMO because my home will never look like the pictures in the book.

[Basmaish · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loved this. It’s a beautifully curated book. So much of what’s mentioned in here I’ve been trying for the past year to incorporate in my life and since moving to my own flat now I’ve been finding myself implementing this more and more especially when they talk about routines. I find the more organized things get and less stuff that I’m owning the easier I feel about my space and less stressed.

However, even though all of this is very lovely and minimal and really does make the space look good and make things less stressful and productive in a sense of finding things quicker and only having what you need...etc, I can see how hard this can be in a home with more people living there. Back home I’ve got my own space and stuff organized, but that’s only my stuff and my space, the rest of the house is more or less an organized mess and I think that’s only natural considering how many of us are in that space + a cat. And I bet that gets more hectic if there are babies in the house. We can do with some organizing and decluttering as a whole because our home sure does need that, but we’ll still have a few extra luggage, towels, bed sheets, pillows...etc the list can go on. And as a family who always welcomes cousins and guests sleepover and dinners, we always have more stuff than we need and I don’t think that will change and that’s ok.

My family home feels like home because of the way it is similarly to my flat feeling like it’s my own space because of how I decided to organize it and the routines I’ve built. I love minimal spaces but I also love the organized mess that comes with being a part of a family where you’re still capable of being productive and finding your stuff because you just know where everything is despite the mess.

I think the takeaway of this book and so many books like this should be about what you can incorporate based on how your life is at the moment and there’s no one way that’s better than another. Whatever you can do to make your space more organized, less cluttered and stress free then do it in whichever way suits you. I hate when minimal lifestyle is always seen as better than or that those who don’t live in such a way are somehow doing or understanding life wrong. Live and let live basically..

[OutlawPoet · Rating 4 out of 5]

The level of organization shown in the photos in this book gave almost gave me hives. Seriously, I think I’m allergic to this level of perfection.

However, I do like some minimalism and, neatness allergies notwithstanding, this book is full of gorgeous pictures, innovative techniques, and terrific resources.

Now, I’ll tell you right now, this book didn’t change my life. It didn’t make me rush out and throw way all my ‘stuff’ (I love my ‘stuff’ too much), but it did inspire me to be a bit more organized…and you know what? A little organization, a little ‘everything in its place’, makes for a much less stressful life.

The author does present a rather monochromatic world – everything in the book is in neutrals, whites and beiges and ecrus. Once in a while there was a pale green or dark plum. It was very calm and peaceful and lithium-pretty. I’ll admit that I longed for some color – any pop of color. But it was still impressive and remarkably manageable.

And I loved all the resources the author gives. Tons of places for shopping or planning!

In the end, I was inspired to make a few little changes and I like the very noticeable way my life has eased because of those changes. The book is inspiring and quite lovely. I just need a tiny bit of lived-in mess in my life.

*ARC Provided via Net Galley

[Christina Shelley · Rating 3 out of 5]

While the author offers some worthwhile ideas for decluttering and arranging the remaining belongings, she also assumes that people own far less than we actually do. Maybe that’s our problem, but most people I know don’t have enough closet space to allow three fingers width between each hanger. Or have access to Gallic market baskets and an Italian fusto. The results look nice, but not always livable. Still, it’s a quick read that has some good principles. You just have to take them with a grain of salt and find some lower-priced ways to achieve The Look.

[Eule Luftschloss · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is about interior design, minimalism, and zero waste. Imagine a venn diagram.

It's not preachy, it's more like "here are solutions different people have found for different spaces" and the author urges you to think outside the box when it comes to organising stuff. For example, they use a baking tray that's no longer in use for the oven as a containment space for wet and muddy shoes that's easy to clean and pleasant to look at.

Then you have lists of things, how to get rid of stuff, where you could donate or sell, and, lastly, a list of stores you could check out if you were looking for a specific item.

I'd say this book is great to leaf through if you have access to it via your library. In general, buying books about minimalism is something I try to avoid. And, since we're at this topic: Remember, minimalism is a way, not an end goal. It's a label you can look under for neat strategies, it's not a competition. Wish the book had mentioned that, but most people don't.

[Marlo · Rating 2 out of 5]

nice to flip through, most of their suggestions are pretty basic and can be found on many interior design/home listicles. the most disappointing aspect is that it is 100% geared towards rich people. most of us cannot afford to install custom cabinets to hide our washer and dryer, or buy our wardrobe products from boutique retailers. i need to know how to maximize my space while living in a dumpy rental on a < $2000/mo budget!!

[Kira · Rating 3 out of 5]

I look at a lot of organizing books (guilty pleasure), and liked the principles here (less plastic), learned a new tip or two (organizing lids), and enjoyed the Shaker-styled, neutral-toned photography. However, I'm not sure yet whether or not it will make my top-10-keepers list.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very pretty book with great info -- more geared towards home owners and people able to install lots of things to the walls, but with some options for renters too.

[Andreas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Auch wenn einige Tipps „gewollt“ wirken, ist das Buch doch insgesamt voller guter Anregungen und ein paar Ideen sollten für jeden Haushalt dabei sein.

[Alyse · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very motivating! Organized my bathroom, kitchen, and several closets while reading this.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Got lots of great prompts from this. Sure, there were some goofy things like decanting your laundry detergent 🧐 and hiding the aspirin in a pretty tin. But I appreciated that they offered multiple storage suggestion for each tricky item, and different versions of each room so there will probably be a solution that works for your space. I also liked the resources list of specific items and suggestions for what they're useful for. I can have a hard time thinking of alternative uses for things, or alternatives to buying a specialty storage item sometimes, so I liked that they highlighted both buy-it and shop-your-house ideas. It would be expensive to start this from scratch and buy everything new, but being creative with what you already own and shopping secondhand would probably make it more doable (if you have the time and patience 😉).

[Esther · Rating 1 out of 5]

I should love a book that's about home organisation and storage in a way that's also minimalist and plastic-free, but I absolutely did not. So impractical, and sooo neutral and boring. It's like the sad, lonely, overly righteous cousin of The Home Edit Life.

[M Aghazarian · Rating 4 out of 5]

I liked this book because I found it complementary to Marie Kondo's books, so I was able to take it seriously. Konmari could be summed up by 3 things--keep only what brings you joy, store everything that can be stored vertically, and use small boxes to help you in your organizing. Remodelista can similarly be summed up by 3 things--everything should be a pleasure to look at, decant EVERYTHING, and utilize trays to bring order. Yeah it may seem strange to decant the laundry detergent, but remarkably similar to Kondo's advice to remove all labels when possible. Whereas Konmari is more of a universal method that anyone can do, Remodelista is recommending a lifestyle that uses as little plastic as possible, and focuses on reusable and sustainable materials (though if they were going for this they should have also recommended places to buy household goods in bulk/more zero waste shopping ideas in order to complement the storage solutions). While it might not seem very realistic to the average person, I appreciated the guidance on how to work towards a certain magazine-perfect aesthetic, not because I want that aesthetic, but because I can apply many of these tips (along with Konmari) to improve my lifestyle. The book was soothing in a sort of way, with pretty objects combined with minimalism. I also deeply appreciated that they brought in tips from other professionals for every room in the house. Yes I would like a hotelier's tips on bathroom organization. There's a whole section of product recommendations though, and in that way it does feel more like a magazine or catalog than a lifestyle book. However, some things were used in such brilliant ways that I can't even be mad (mostly tension rods and similar wires).

[Brandi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I ordered this book for our library and then checked it out myself because I am in need of some tips for reorganizing my house and making its setup more efficient and streamlined.

However, I do not live in an urban center. I do not live in an apartment. And I do not own a minimalist, designer house. Therefore, I did not find this book useful or helpful at all.

I am not familiar with the Remodelista site or brand, and now, I am not interested at all.

After reading through the examples and tips of the main part and not finding anything that resonated with me, I was still looking forward to the many pages of resources listed in the back--in case I could use some of the hardware, etc., in my own cleverly-conceived way. Alas, no.

I lived in NYC for 8 years. This book is for the people I left behind in that concrete jungle. This book is for the pretentious hipster (oxymoron?), the sophisticate who loves feeling good about herself by not using plastic but spending $100 on a metal basket for her trash. This book is most applicable for city-dwellers, apartment tenants, and families living in constrained space.

This book was not for me.

[Belle · Rating 4 out of 5]

This leans a little too minimalist for me (as much as I love all-white Shaker style interiors) and I rolled my eyes so hard at some of their incredibly impractical suggestions... but I’m giving this 4 stars because I’ve actually gotten so many great ideas from this book! I now want to decant literally everything in my apartment into glass jars and then put those jars on a pretty tray. This is an aesthetics-heavy book, and that’s exactly what I wanted. You may want to prepare yourself for some judgy bits (plastic is apparently gonna kill us all so get rid of everything plastic in your home... as I sheepishly add Bee’s Wrap and a wooden toilet brush to my Amazon wish list). Also know that they’ll recommend a bunch of expensive organizing shit - which I personally love to dream about and look at - but might not be for you!

[Jessica · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wasn't familiar with the Remodelista website before happening upon this book, but now after reading this one I'll be checking out the website. In this book the focus is all on organization. I really like how it's laid out with "the art of order: a manifesto" with 8 overall organizing guidelines, 12 universal storage tactics, and how daily rituals can help keep you organized. Then there are chapters for each major area of your home - kitchen, bathroom, closet, etc. and at the end are resources to find some of the items shown in the book. It is really a beautiful book that doesn't necessarily encourage minimalism, but shows how to best make use of whatever space you have and highlight special items. This is one I could probably buy and refer back to forever!

[Linda C · Rating 3 out of 5]

The subtitle for the book tells exactly what it covers: 'simple, stylish storage for all over the house.' I found some interesting ideas here and plan to look at their website. I definitely have too much stuff and could see myself using some of their concepts. However, I am not about to go the full minimalist route. The idea that you should get rid of stuff you only use 2 or 3 times a year sounds fine until you come to those times. Keep one wooden spoon, one spatula, one paring knife! Duh, what if you have two cooks working in the kitchen, several things needing to be stirred? As I said, some good ideas, some not workable.

[Hannah R · Rating 3 out of 5]

More about beautiful products to buy or remodeling projects than about repurposing anything already in your home. Beautiful ideas! I just think following these would cost me more than I can afford right now! I think organizing can still be accomplished without buying anything - Love the KonMari method for organizing so much better than this. Remodelista barely touches on the HOW of paring down which is so crucial for organization. Overall, lovely book if you're looking for things to BUY to organize with. Not really a complete method.

[Janelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Simplify your home with Remodelista The Organized Home. Easy to read and understand and what’s really special is that they include only “must-haves” in this book. If you’re looking for a way to streamline the process of organizing your home, you will greatly appreciate this book Formatted with step by step instructions and beautiful photographs that give important visual cues to help you organize your home the easy way!

[Kirsten · Rating 3 out of 5]

There's some good tips here, and some that are just unworkable. I also laughed at the idea I should get rid of my extra pairs of scissors. Given that I own four and someone in the household has wandered off with the other three at any given moment, you can pry those "extra" scissors out of my cold dead hands.

Anyway, not too much earthshattering here, but some nice ideas.

[Cailey Perkins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Quite a short book, but I actually found it quite helpful! It has an emphasis on creating a sustainable & uncluttered home, but did not take anything to the extreme. Lots of gorgeous and easily attainable examples. Would recommend checking it out if you are looking for some quick inspiration for any sized space with great resources.

[Eli Claire · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lots of inspiring photos and good suggestions to create an organized, plastic-free, space-saving home. Many of the storage/organization solutions can be found at dollar stores, thrift stores, and antique stores as well as the places suggested ... for people like me who don’t have tons of money to spend at the Container Store!

[Ms. Tongate, TLC Librarian · Rating 3 out of 5]

*Think like a Shaker. Peg rails. Everything hung on the walls.
*How many towels should you own? One bath towel per person,(plus extra for a guest), 2 hand towels. :):)
*When a room looks too bare, add potted plants or cut flowers. Nature adds life.

[Lauren · Rating 3 out of 5]

Meh. Nothing life altering but the pictures were pretty. Pretty sure real people don’t live in these houses though!

[Jennine (Cheska) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I doubt I can make my place THIS minimalist, but this book has awesome ideas for me to try anyway.

[Jane Henningsen · Rating 4 out of 5]

More moving prep! This book is all about creative storage solutions for organizing your home.

It contains a lot of smart little tips - alternative ways to store belongings, corral cords, pot lids, etc. Since I started applying some of the principles in this book I’ve rarely lost my keys or wallet in the apartment.

Some of the advice just isn’t renter-friendly or practical (I know it’s not explicitly for renters, but I can’t blow out my walls to create more storage.) I also think it would be very expensive to implement many of these solutions. I can definitely handle mounting hooks and bars on my walls, guiding cords down desk legs with clips, etc. I can’t reasonably replace all of my items with handmade shaker-style storage solutions. Also, lol @ “there should be three fingers’ width of space between hangers in your closet.”

Definitely worth a read if you want to get more organized, though! The tips and tricks are worth a read. Just don’t expect to implement every solution and know that you may end up rolling your eyes now and then.