Fall Organizing Reset
Practical home organizing tips from Edmonton’s experts
As summer winds down, fall brings us back to routines. School, work, appointments, activities, and all the little systems that keep a household running suddenly matter again.
If your home feels a little chaotic after a summer of relaxed schedules, September is a great time for a fall organizing reset.
When we talk about getting organized at Sort & Simple, we always start with decluttering. It’s much easier to organize when you’ve already decided what you actually want to keep.
But what happens after the decluttering is done? You still need somewhere for everything to go.
That’s where organizing comes in!
What Does It Actually Mean to Be Organized?
As far as our Professional Organizers are concerned, being organized doesn’t mean having perfectly labelled bins, colour-coded closets, or a home that looks like it belongs in a magazine.
Many of our Clients describe being organized simply as: A home for everything, and everything in its home.
But there’s an important distinction between finding somewhere to store something and creating an organizing system that actually works. We need a way to find what we need, and an easy way to get it back there.
So, when you're organizing a space, how do you decide what systems will actually work?
3 Questions to Ask When Organizing Any Space
Whether you're tackling a kitchen cupboard, entryway, closet, or entire room, start with these three questions.
1. Is it accessible?
Can you easily get to the things you use?
If you use something every day, it probably shouldn’t live at the back of a deep cupboard or behind a stack of other items.
Think about how often you use something and store it accordingly. Everyday items should be easy to reach, while things you use occasionally can take up less accessible real estate.
Also consider who can access the items. Seniors may need items from the basement brought to the main floor. Or chemicals need to be out of reach for young kids, while their favourite snacks might be best stored at eye level.
2. Is it simple?
Can you understand the system without having to think about it?
The more complicated a system becomes, the harder it is to maintain.
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one. A basket for hats and mitts by the door might work better than lined up in a drawer sorted by colour. And an open shelf can be more functional than a beautifully organized cabinet with multiple containers and closed doors.
The goal isn't to create the most impressive system. It’s to create one that you’ll actually use.
3. Is it adaptable?
Will this system still work when your needs change?
Our homes and lives aren't static. Kids grow, hobbies change, mobility can change, and routines evolve.
An organizing system should have enough flexibility to adapt with you.
Consider adjustable shelving, easy-to-update labels, or storage like hooks that can be used in multiple ways.
Pro Tip: Organizing is an experiment. Test out your new systems and tweak if there are friction points. Even our Organizers don’t always get it right on the first try!
Organize for the People Who Actually Use It
“Why won’t my family use the system I created?!”
One of the biggest organizing mistakes we see is creating a system that makes sense to one person, but not to everyone else.
Maybe you’ve carefully organized the kitchen, but your family keeps putting things back in the wrong place.
Before giving up, ask: Does the system make sense for everyone using it?
Different people have different habits, preferences, and abilities. If the person using a space can't easily understand where something belongs, they're much less likely to put it away…which can lead to frustration for everyone!
Whenever possible, involve those who use the space in creating the system. Consider their organizing style, including preferences for simplicity vs. complexity and hidden vs. visible storage. For kids and seniors especially, we want to lean toward visible and simple, because fewer steps make a system easier to use.
Remember: Function over perfection. Being able to use a system is more important than it looking like a Pinterest board.
Ready for a Fall Organizing Reset?
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by a space in your home, you don’t need to figure it all out at once.
At Sort & Simple, our Edmonton Professional Organizers can help you declutter and organize with confidence.
Together, we can create systems that work for you.
About the Author
Kaytlyn Beakhouse is the founder of Sort & Simple Professional Organizing, an Edmonton-based company supporting seniors, families, and real estate professionals through decluttering, downsizing, and estate clear-outs. With a compassionate, non-judgmental approach, Kaytlyn and her team help clients navigate overwhelming situations with confidence and care—one step at a time.
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