Want the foolproof way to organize any space or item?  It just takes a little focus, some dedicated time and these 5 easy steps.

1.Gather together the items to organize.  It’s easy to jump right in, but you probably have some of these same items scattered in other rooms.  Gather them up first so you don’t find them latter when your done & have the UGH! moment.

2.Group all like things together.  An example is all writing instruments, all paper supplies, all coats, all hats, baking supplies, grilling tools.  The key is to be very general at this stage.

3.Group within each group.  Now you want to separate the pens from the pencils, winter coats from summer jackets, spatulas from wooden spoons, ball caps from beach hats or bath towels from pool towels.

4.Group again.  Now you might want to sort by color especially in your wardrobe or linen closet i.e. blacks from pinks from browns.  Or sort heavy copy paper from regular from photo.

5.Put everything back. Start with the most used item & locate it in the most convenient location.  If you bake a lot, locate your baking tools in a prime area of your kitchen.  Locate the clothes you wear more often towards the front of your closet.

Organizing is all about sorting like things together.  If you’re not sure what group an item should go in, set it to the side until the end.  And always create groups that make sense to you.  Do you have a unique sorting group that might help someone with their sorting?  Post it on the Styled & Organized Living Facebook Page.