After many readers asked for more details about how we organize everything from bills to receipts, we realized our recent post about seven simple habits only scratched the surface. So here’s a deeper look at the systems and routines that keep our home tidy, accessible, and largely on autopilot. Below you’ll find how we store, stash, and stockpile nearly everything in our house.
We’ve mentioned our DIY mudroom tucked in the corner of our den — a padded storage bench and coat rack that give us a designated spot for jackets, bags, and leashes so they don’t drift around the house. Inside that bench we keep paperwork: medical records, tax documents, and sentimental items like old drawings and report cards. Everything is filed in labeled folders and placed in tiered upright folder stands so it’s visible and nothing slips out. It’s surprising how much of a paper hub that corner is. For truly irreplaceable documents we also use a safety deposit box at the bank — a small home safe can be carried off in a break-in, so we prefer the extra security.
We also introduced a padded bench to our dining area. Inside we store paper statements and paid bills in folders labeled with each company’s name, organized in those same tiered upright holders for quick retrieval during tax time or to confirm payments. Although we pay most bills online, we write confirmation numbers and payment dates on paper invoices so everything is easy to cross-check.
Receipts used to overwhelm us until we simplified. Instead of sorting into many categories in an accordion folder, we use an inexpensive white box on the desk. I empty my purse each evening and drop receipts into the box. They stack roughly chronologically, so finding an old receipt takes minutes rather than hours of upfront sorting. This low-effort approach keeps receipts contained and still easy to search.
Small airtight tins from Ikea hold Burger’s food and treats. They’re affordable, tidy on the desk, and we even keep a mini measuring cup in the larger container for easy scooping. We keep his bowls in the den too — he was trained to eat there when the floor was linoleum, so it made sense to keep his food and accessories in that spot.
For mail, we follow a “do it now” approach: sort, pay, and file immediately. Not keeping a dedicated pile of unopened mail prevents buildup and keeps the routine manageable.
After the kitchen renovation, we prioritized an organized garbage, recycling, and compost system under the sink. Recyclables go in a plastic bin on the left, compost in an airtight container that we empty into outdoor bins every few days, and garbage in a small pail on the right. The setup is so straightforward even visiting kids know where to put banana peels.
Cleaning supplies are stored in a rolling caddy in our laundry nook. The caddy provides space for dish towels folded in a basket and a few multi-purpose green cleaners so we don’t need a cabinet full of single-purpose products. The wheeled caddy is portable and keeps frequently used items close at hand.
We embrace a mix of open and concealed storage: a doorless linen closet, a glass kitchen cabinet, open dining shelves, plus ottomans, baskets, and bins for hidden storage. Toilet paper is one of the few items we display openly to avoid TP anxiety for guests. A tall glass cylinder vase in the half bath keeps extra rolls visible and stylish, and in the full bathroom we left the linen closet door off for easy access to towels and toilet paper.
An old towel bar in the bathtub became a handy storage spot after we hooked a shower caddy over it with closet hooks. It keeps shampoos, body wash, and razors elevated and dry, preventing rust and clutter under the shower head.
Loose change used to scatter everywhere, so we put a single drop-off spot: a metallic bird piggy bank displayed on the living room shelf. It’s convenient for dropping coins on the way in or out, and when it fills up we roll the change and enjoy a small date night funded by loose coins.
For jewelry I use a ceramic egg crate that keeps pieces visible and tangle-free behind curtain-covered closet doors — a simple, functional solution for grab-and-go mornings.
The kitchen contains more hidden systems than most people expect. A salvaged metal filing cabinet repurposed for spoons and spices adds vintage charm while creating useful storage. Clear glass cereal jars free up cabinet space and make it easy to see when staples are low. We also dedicated a cabinet — the “Decor Store” — for decorative accessories like candlesticks and vases so we can refresh styling quickly without hunting for pieces.
We even keep a toolbox section in the kitchen: screwdrivers, nails, paint rollers, sandpaper and other essentials live in a bank of drawers next to the stove. It’s convenient for quick fixes and surprisingly logical since the kitchen is often the center of household projects.
We like to keep some empty space in cabinets too — a tidy corner lazy susan holds a large bowl and a basket of loose light bulbs (removing bulky packaging saves space and makes bulbs easy to find).
On the dining table we keep a tray stocked with utensils, cups, and fabric napkins to make setting the table feel effortless and encourage slower, nicer meals even on busy nights.
Remotes live in a simple white shell box on the coffee table, and woven baskets on the media stand’s lower shelves corral DVDs, lotion, notepads, and pens. Those small additions make tidying and finding things much faster.
The den ottomans double as storage for board games and paint decks. Yes — an entire cube holds color swatches. They’re surprisingly useful when matching shades for projects, and they look tidy tucked away.
Another storage ottoman in the third bedroom holds extra linens for the daybed, keeping bedding for that specific bed in the same room and freeing space in the main linen closet.
We created a wrapping and card station in the third bedroom. Cards are organized by occasion in a single box so last-minute gift writing is stress-free. Wrapping paper, tissue, bags, and ribbons are stored nearby — sometimes in a decorative planter — which makes gift giving easier and encourages us to reuse what we already have.
Not everything is hidden — sometimes a simple stack works. We leave a small stack of magazines on the hearth topped with a metal bull as a decorative, organized display. Grouping like items can be an effective visual and functional organizing strategy when there’s no obvious place to hide them.
That’s our house in a nutshell — or rather, in bins, baskets, and boxes. How do you organize receipts, jewelry, spices, bills, or toilet paper at your place? We’d love to hear what works for you.
Note: For anyone wondering why we reveal so much about our storage systems, we do maintain security precautions — including an alarm and a safety deposit box for important documents — so our most critical items are protected.