This is the secret tool home organizers are obsessed with — and you will be too

Labelled jars in pantry — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

It’s spring cleaning season, and I have the urge to declutter and tidy my home. But it’s easy to get overwhelmed with the task ahead. Instead of emptying and cleaning closets and sorting through what you want to keep or discard, you can find yourself making yourself yet another coffee while you pontificate over where to start.

While I can’t force you to get off that comfy couch, I do know of a secret weapon that will make decluttering and organizing your home 100% easier. The one thing that will help you tame your home is as simple as a portable label maker.

It’s an inexpensive item that, once you use it, you’ll realize is worth its weight in gold.

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Not only will it help you organize items in your laundry closet so you can instantly pull out the right-size comforter or bedding covers, but it will keep your pantry in perfect order. No more fumbling around for the correct flour or sugar for a recipe — everything will be neat, orderly and quick to grab!

Once you start using a label maker in your home, everyone in your household will know where items should be tidied away and where to find them. However, I must warn you. Once you buy a label maker, you’ll want to tag everything in sight, so good luck to any pets or children that get in your way!

Here are 5 ways a label maker can help you organize your home.

1. Get organized in the kitchen

Neatly organized labeled food pantry in a home kitchen with spices in glass wooden spice jars — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Many items on your pantry shelves look similar, which can waste time sorting through what you need. Decanting food items into containers and then labeling them clearly will often save space and make it quicker to retrieve what you need. So, when you’re making a loaf of bread, you’ll be able to locate your bread flour instantly, without picking up self-rising or all-purpose flour by mistake.

Food items can also be grouped into categories. I find having a container labeled ‘Snacks’ allows everyone in my household to know where they can dip into when they are hungry. It’s up to you whether you fill it with healthy snacks or a mix of snacks and treats.

2. Seasonal storage

Woman adding labels to clothes storage — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

As the weather starts to change, you might be looking to swap the winter clothes in your closet for lighter summer items. And as spring approaches, now is a good time to create a system and get your clothes storage in order. Clearly labeling clothing boxes, so you can quickly find where your summer sandals or holiday outfits are packed away, will save you from retrieving a box full of all sorts.

What’s more, labels aren’t just for sorting your seasonal items; they can be used every day to sort your socks from your underwear and sleepwear from your sportswear.

3. Children’s toys

Woman adding labels to toy boxes — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

To save yourself from tripping over toys, clearly labeled storage will mean there’s a place for everything, leaving little excuse not to put items away.

From toy cars to cuddly toys and craft items, getting organized will mean you’ll have a calmer home and a calmer child, as your little one will have more time for play rather than hunting for their favorite lost toy.

4. Wired up

Power strip on wooden floor — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

For me, one of the most frustrating items to organize is cables and small gadgets. To stop you getting into a tangle, you can group small devices like phones and charges into boxes and label them accordingly.

Another option is to label power strips, so you never pull out the wrong charger or accidentally shut off the power to your computer and lose vital work.

5. In the garage

Organized nuts and bolts — (Image credit: Shutterstock)

Your garage is probably the most disorganized space in your home, but separating your items into boxes and giving each one a clear label will save you space and your sanity every time you go to find something.

Apart from creating separate zones for tools, garden items and other paraphernalia, clearly labelled boxes and containers will help you find nails when you need them, or that brush to paint the fence.

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Camilla is the Homes Staff Writer and covers everything to do with homes and gardens. She has a wealth of editorial experience, mounting over 30 years, and covers news and features, tests products for reviews and compiles buying guides.

Her work has appeared in business and consumer titles, including Ideal Home, Real Homes, House Beautiful, Homebuilding & Renovation, and Kitchen & Bathroom Business. She’s even appeared on the cover of Your Home, writing about her own house renovation.

Although she’s obsessed with decorating her home, she also enjoys baking and trying out the latest kitchen appliances. But when she’s not inside, you’ll find her pottering about in her yard, tending to her vegetable patch or taking in her prized hydrangeas.

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