HomeStorage.comFree printable planner

Whole Home Organization Planner

One room at a time: decide what stays, get the rest out of the house, then buy storage for what is left. Fill it in with a pencil and keep it on the fridge.

AssessRate every room and pick your order (page 2).
SortRun one four-box session per room, then clear the boxes within 48 hours (page 3).
Plan the weeksTwelve weeks, easiest rooms first, sentimental things last (page 4).
Measure, then buyShop for what stayed, not for the pile you started with (page 5).
Keep it upTwo seasonal swaps and a quarterly sweep (pages 6 and 7).

This weekend

Fill in the room assessment on page 2 (about 20 minutes, walking room to room).
Find four boxes or bags and one basket for things that belong in another room.
Do the bathroom with its checklist on page 8. It is the easiest first win.

Inside

1. How to use this planner
2. Room-by-room assessment
3. Sorting session
4. 12-week plan
5. Measure before you buy
6. Seasonal swaps and bin list
7. Keep it up
8 to 18. Room checklists, one per room

The full method: homestorage.com/guides/how-to-declutter1

Whole Home Organization PlannerAssess

Room-by-room assessment

Rate each room from 1 (can't use it) to 5 (works well). The suggested order starts with rooms that hold few hard decisions, so each one makes the next easier. Change it if a room is blocking daily life.

Order	Room	Session length
1	Bathroom	1 to 2 hours
2	Linen closet	1 hour
3	Kitchen and pantry	3 to 4 hours
4	Bedroom	2 to 3 hours
5	Closet	3 to 4 hours
6	Office and paper	2 to 3 hours
7	Garage	Half a day
7	Basement	Half a day
7	Attic	Half a day
	Laundry room
	Entryway or mudroom
	Kids' rooms
	Living room
8	Sentimental things and photos	No clock

My first three rooms

Room order and session lengths: homestorage.com/guides/how-to-declutter2

Whole Home Organization PlannerSort

The sorting session

Bring four boxes into the room and give every item one verdict. "I'll deal with it later" is not a verdict. Add one basket for things that belong in another room and carry it around once, at the end.

KeepStays in this room and gets a home before the session ends.

DonateUsable, but not by you. Into the car the same day.

SellWorth real money. Listed within 48 hours, donated after 30 days.

TrashBroken, expired or stained. Out with the next collection.

Four rules for the items you stand there holding

12 months. Not used through all four seasons, not sentimental, not legal paper? It goes.
Duplicates. Keep the best one and donate the backups.
Buy it again today? If not, the money you spent then doesn't make it worth keeping.
Cheap to replace. Under about $20, under 20 minutes to get, unused for a year: let it go.

Sentimental things: keep the best one of a set, one bin per person, and photograph the rest before it goes.

Out the door within 48 hours

Room	Donated (bags)	Listed to sell	Trash or recycling	Hazardous or e-waste	Done

The four rules in full: homestorage.com/guides/how-to-declutter3

Whole Home Organization PlannerPlan the weeks

The 12-week plan

One focus a week, in the order from page 2. Clear each room's boxes before starting the next. Swap rows to match your own order.

Week	Focus	What finished looks like
1	Assess and gather	Page 2 filled in, four boxes and a basket ready, donation drop-off found
2	Bathroom and linen closet	Expired products out, worn towels donated
3	Kitchen	One of each gadget, counters clear
4	Pantry and kitchen storage	Expired food out, shelves measured (page 5)
5	Bedroom	The clothes chair is empty, surfaces clear
6	Closet	12-month rule applied, closet measured (page 5)
7	Office and paper	IDs, deeds, titles, warranties and recent tax records kept; the rest shredded
8	Garage	Other people's things have a pickup date, walls measured
9	Basement and attic	Every bin labeled and on the bin list (page 6)
10	Laundry, entryway, kids' rooms	A spot for shoes, bags and keys by the door
11	Sentimental things and photos	One bin per person, the rest photographed
12	Contain and walk through	Storage bought for what stayed, quarterly sweep on the calendar

Behind schedule? Skip nothing, just slide the rows. A week that holds one finished room beats a week that starts three.

homestorage.com/guides4

Whole Home Organization PlannerMeasure, then buy

Measure before you buy

Buying organizers before sorting is the expensive mistake: bins sized to the pile just repackage it. Finish the room, measure the space, then shop for what is left. Each row names the buying guide that compares the options.

Space	What to measure	Compare options
Closet	Wall width, depth, ceiling height	Best closet systems
Pantry shelves	Shelf depth and the height between shelves	Best pantry containers
Garage walls	Wall width, depth you can give up, what each shelf must hold	Best garage shelving
Entryway	Wall width and the walkway left in front	Best entryway storage
Shoes	Pairs to store, longest shoe	Best shoe storage
Under the bed	Clearance from floor to bed frame	Best under-bed storage
Shelves and bins	Shelf width, depth and height	Best storage bins
Yard and outdoor gear	Ground footprint, door width you need	Best resin storage sheds

Shopping list

Room	Item	Size that fits	Budget	Bought

All buying guides: homestorage.com/buying-guides5

Whole Home Organization PlannerKeep it up

Seasonal swaps and the bin list

Two swaps a year cover most homes, about an hour or two each. Put both on the calendar now, before the weather reminds you.

Spring swap (March or April)

Store winter clothes
Bring out spring and summer clothes
Store snow equipment
Bring out lawn and garden tools

Date:

Fall swap (September or October)

Store summer clothes
Bring out fall and winter clothes
Winterize lawn equipment
Bring out snow equipment

Date:

Bin list

Number every bin and label two faces, the top and one short side. Write it here so you never open three bins to find one sweater.

Bin	What's inside	Where it lives
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Swap lists and labeling: homestorage.com/guides/seasonal6

Whole Home Organization PlannerKeep it up

Keep it up

Three small habits, none over fifteen minutes. When a room stops working again, run one four-box session before shopping for a new system.

One in, one out

A new sweater in means one sweater out, same day.

One landing basket per room

Loose things land in the basket, not on surfaces. When it fills, reset the basket.

The quarterly sweep

Fifteen minutes per room, four times a year, with a single donate bag. Tick each room as you go.

Room	Q1	Q2	Q3	Q4
Bathroom
Linen closet
Kitchen and pantry
Bedroom and closet
Office and paper
Garage, basement, attic
Laundry and entryway
Kids' rooms

Notes

Room checklistsBathroom

Bathroom checklist

Clear out what steam ruins, then claim the space under the sink, in the medicine cabinet and above the toilet.

Started: Finished:

Cut shower bottles down to three to five per person.
Move medications to a bedroom closet shelf or a kitchen cabinet.
Move backstock towels and spare linens out to the hall closet.
Measure the under-sink opening width, depth, and height to the P-trap.
Keep bulk and backstock under the sink, not anything you use daily.
Line the under-sink cabinet floor so a slow leak shows up as a puddle.
Give the medicine cabinet to your daily face and teeth routine.
Anchor any freestanding over-toilet shelf with its anti-tip bracket and screw.
Hang one towel hook per person instead of sharing a bar.
Date the bottom of each cosmetic bottle with a marker when you open it.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/bathroom8

Room checklistsKitchen

Kitchen checklist

Clear the counter, set up zones, then decant, label and keep it up.

Started: Finished:

Clear the counter of every appliance and item not used every day.
Move pots, pans, cooking utensils, oils and spices beside the stove.
Put cutting boards, knives and mixing bowls at the longest clear counter stretch.
Keep plates, glasses and silverware in the cabinet nearest the table.
Keep dish soap, sponges, trash and recycling under and beside the sink.
Store daily items at eye level and heavy pieces below the counter.
Divide each drawer so every utensil and tool has its own slot.
Decant flour, sugar, rice, pasta, cereal and snacks into clear containers.
Label every container with its contents and the date.
Check monthly for expired food and fully reorganize every 3 to 6 months.

When you are ready to buy: Best food storage containers compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/kitchen9

Room checklistsPantry

Pantry checklist

Empty it, zone it by meal, then decant and label so you can see everything from the doorway.

Started: Finished:

Pull everything out and group it by category on a counter or table.
Toss anything expired, stale, or that you realistically will not eat.
Measure each shelf: depth, width, and the gap to the shelf above.
Zone shelves by meal type: baking, breakfast, snacks and dinner staples.
Put daily items at eye level and heavy cans and bulk bags below knee height.
Set adjustable shelf gaps to your tallest item plus 2 inches.
Decant flour, sugar, rice, cereal and pasta into airtight containers in one pass.
Label each container with its contents and expiration date.
Place new groceries behind older ones every time you restock.
Do a monthly pass to toss expired items and refill containers.

When you are ready to buy: Best pantry containers compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/pantry10

Room checklistsBedroom

Bedroom checklist

Clear the surfaces, sort clothes by how often you use them, and give seasonal items the space under the bed.

Started: Finished:

Pull every off-season item out of the closet and dresser at once.
Wash or dry clean off-season clothes before they go into storage.
Clear the nightstand so only bedtime and morning items stay on it.
Put daily small items in top drawers and bulky, heavy clothes at the bottom.
File folded clothes upright in drawers so you can see every item.
Measure under-bed clearance at the lowest point, then subtract 1 to 2 inches.
Store only things you need two to four times a year under the bed.
Label off-season bins by season and contents, not by year.
Anchor the dresser and other tall furniture to a stud with an anti-tip kit.
Empty the nightstand once a week.

When you are ready to buy: Best under-bed storage compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/bedroom11

Room checklistsCloset

Closet checklist

Work one shelf or rail at a time. Sort what you use, group similar items, and keep everyday clothes within reach.

Started: Finished:

Start with one shelf or rail and separate what you use.
Donate or tailor anything that no longer fits.
Turn all hangers backwards and flip each one after you wear it.
Group hanging clothes, folded clothes, accessories and shoes separately.
Put the clothes you reach for most in the easiest spots.
Add a second hanging level where there is unused room below shorter clothes.
Keep everyday shoes easy to reach on a low shelf or rack.
Measure each drawer's inside width, depth and height before choosing dividers.
Move off-season clothes out of the closet and store them elsewhere.
After a season, review the items whose hangers are still backwards.

When you are ready to buy: Best closet systems compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/closet12

Room checklistsHome office

Home office checklist

Clear the desk, sort the paper, and give cables and supplies a set place so the desk resets in minutes.

Started: Finished:

Clear the desk completely, then put back only what you touch daily.
Sort incoming paper into three groups: action, reference, and scan or shred.
Scan anything you need before shredding papers past their retention date.
Keep only the keyboard and mouse in the 12 inches in front of you.
Set the screen 20 to 30 inches away, top at or just below eye level.
Group supplies by when you reach for them, not by what they are.
Unplug everything and pull the desk 18 inches off the wall.
Mount the power strip under the desk instead of on the floor.
Label each cable near the plug end with the device name.
Photograph the desk on a good day and reset it to that photo daily.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/home-office13

Room checklistsGarage

Garage checklist

Clear the floor, zone by activity, then put daily gear on the walls and seasonal bins overhead.

Started: Finished:

Decide whether cars will park inside before planning any storage.
Sort everything into trash, donate, sell and keep piles in one weekend.
Let go of anything unused for two full seasons that is easy to replace.
Take solvent paint, pesticides and old fuel to a hazardous waste drop-off.
Divide the garage into parking, workshop, sports and seasonal zones.
Mark the parking zone on the floor with tape.
Store daily-use gear between 30 and 60 inches off the floor.
Screw every wall system into studs, never into drywall alone.
Fasten every overhead rack into solid wood ceiling joists.
Set the lowest shelf 4 to 6 inches off the slab.

When you are ready to buy: Best garage shelving compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/garage14

Room checklistsBasement

Basement checklist

Get everything off the floor, keep the air dry, and store only what tolerates damp.

Started: Finished:

Move paper, electronics, leather and irreplaceables out of the basement.
Keep basement humidity between 45 and 50 percent.
Seal foundation cracks and gaps around pipes to keep pests out.
Zone by access: frequent items near the stairs, archives at the back wall.
Raise everything at least 4 to 6 inches off the floor.
Leave a few inches between shelving and the wall for airflow.
Swap cardboard boxes, fabric bins and paper bags for lidded hard plastic bins.
Label every bin and put the heavy bins on the lower shelves.
Check humidity with a hygrometer every week through the first year.
Set pest traps as prevention and check them monthly.

When you are ready to buy: Best storage bins compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/basement15

Room checklistsAttic

Attic checklist

Keep only heat-tolerant items up here, walk on decking, and stay well under the floor's load limit.

Started: Finished:

Keep electronics, photos, candles and anything heat-sensitive out of the attic.
Check rafters for water stains and fix any leaks before storing.
Walk only on joists or decking, never between the joists.
Deck a planned aisle from the hatch rather than the whole attic.
Plan for about 10 pounds per square foot on the decked area.
Keep soffit and ridge vents clear and do not compress floor insulation.
Pack everything in sealed plastic bins, never in cardboard boxes.
Label each bin on the top and on one side.
Keep bins near 20 pounds and stack the heaviest at the bottom.
Put the current season's bins at the front of the stack.

When you are ready to buy: Best storage bins compares the options.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/attic16

Room checklistsLaundry room

Laundry room checklist

Pare supplies to one spare each, set four zones, go vertical above the machines, and keep the lint trap clean.

Started: Finished:

Cut laundry supplies to one spare of each consumable and move the rest out.
Assign the room four zones: sort, wash, dry and fold.
Sort at undress and run a load when a sorter compartment fills.
Keep detergent and stain remover within arm's reach of the machine door.
Mount the shelf 16 to 18 inches above a front-loader, 20 or more above a top-loader.
Anchor any shelf above the machines into studs, not drywall anchors alone.
Measure the gap beside the machines before choosing a slim rolling cart.
Decant liquid detergent into a pump or spigot dispenser.
Put air-drying on the wall the dryer door does not swing into.
Clean the lint trap every load and the dryer duct every year.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/laundry-room17

Room checklistsEntryway

Entryway and mudroom checklist

Give everything that comes through the door one landing spot near it, with a place per person.

Started: Finished:

Set up the drop zone at the door nearest your car, not the front door.
Cap shoes at the door at 2 to 3 pairs per person.
Return every pair past the cap to the closet.
Give each person at least one hook, holding the current coat only.
Mount adult hooks at 60 inches and a kids' rail at 36 to 42 inches.
Space hooks 8 to 10 inches apart so coats do not overlap.
Screw the hook rail into studs, not into drywall anchors.
Set a key hook 48 to 54 inches high, within 2 feet of the door.
Keep separate action and filing mail slots, and empty the action slot nightly.
Swap seasonal gear twice a year, in late October and early April.

When you are ready to buy: Best entryway storage compares the options.

Stuck on a room? Take one photo at homestorage.com/solution for a plan sized to it.

Notes for this room

The full guide: homestorage.com/guides/mudroom18