The Simple Basket Method To An Organized Home That's Worth Trying

We may receive a commission on purchases made from links.

Whether you're trying to declutter sentimental items without getting bogged down in emotions or finally dealing with that overwhelming clutter, organizing your home is stressful. Not only does it take a lot of time and energy to sort through that packed chest of drawers (no judgment), but choosing what to do with each item causes huge amounts of decision fatigue. But there is one simple organizing method that can cut down on the decisions to make organizing your home easy: the four basket method.

This system cuts down on the overwhelm, decisions, and, best of all, clutter by labeling each basket with a different action — keep, donate, trash, sell — to make it easy to know exactly what to do with each item as you sort. And because you know this bag needs to go to the local thrift store and this bin is full of things to sell, you only have to sort once, saving you time and energy. Plus, with a few simple tweaks, this method can be adapted to keep your home clean all year round, not just during decluttering sessions.

The four basket method is one of the easiest ways to keep your home more organized and — even better — it's incredibly straightforward. First, set up the system. Grab three baskets or bins, a trash bag, and possibly a recycle bin if your refuse collector doesn't sort recyclables from trash. If you know you're going to discard a lot of clothes, towels, or rags, consider getting a textile recycling bag from Trashie or Retold. Next, add labels to each basket, bin, or bag. You'll need one for keep, donate, sell, trash, and any other containers you added. Then start decluttering, taking your system with you as you move through your home.

Once you've finished, take action on that box. This is where many people report getting tripped up, so give yourself grace if you're low on energy. Instead of immediately taking that donation box down to the thrift store, schedule a pickup or simply put the box in your car to drop off the next time you head into town. Take the garbage or recycle out. Add the labels to the textile recycling bags. Add time on your calendar to post the things you want to sell on eBay or Facebook Marketplace. Then organize the items you want to keep into beautiful displays or tuck away neatly in drawers, and relax.

Anybody ever declutter their home only to feel like things are piling up again after just a week? You're not alone. Decluttering your home is one thing — keeping it that way is another. There are two different ways you can use the four basket method to keep your home organized: make time once a quarter or so to declutter or create a daily declutter station.

Setting up a daily station is similar to the original four basket method: grab four boxes or bins and label them. But instead of taking the containers with you room by room, stage them in a quiet corner, like an unused kitchen cabinet or on that empty shelf in your laundry room closet. If you don't have any spare baskets, consider picking up a laundry sorter cart, like the Simple Houseware 3-Bag Heavy Duty Laundry Sorter Cart, and add your labels to it. When decluttering daily, you can put trash straight into the bin, so you only need three sections. When you do your daily pick up or simply notice an item you don't need anymore, take it to your station and add it to the right basket. When the basket is full, donate, sell, or put it away. It only takes a few moments, but helps you easily keep your home organized.