E! Illustration/Getty ImagesBetween the holidays and impending New Year, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed. And if your home is overdue for some sprucing up and organizing, things can feel even more stressful.
If you're ready to take charge of your home once and for all and actually get things organized before the New Year, we've got practical tips and products straight from an expert. Los Angeles-based professional organizer Teresa Dinneen is the founder of Lifestyled, which she began nearly eight years ago after a career in fashion sales.
So, where do you even begin if you're feeling overwhelmed? Dinneen tells E! "My biggest tip for people is just to start small. One space, or even one drawer at a time."
"If you just start with the one tiny little drawer, you'll be amazed at a. how quick it can be done, and b. how much better it makes you feel," she adds.
But before you can even start getting things organized with helpful solutions like drawer organizers or label makers, you've got to declutter first.
Dinneen says, "You can't organize your clutter. You truly have to edit out things that you're not using and be very realistic about how little we actually use versus what we own."
Once the decluttering is out of the way, it's go time. We rounded up her expert-recommended essentials to help with getting your bedroom and bathroom organized, plus more must-haves for the whole house and even items to help with getting your holiday decor put away.
Bedroom & Closet Organization Essentials
HOUSE DAY Black Velvet Hangers
“The easiest and most cost-effective way to get your closet organized is simply by doing all matching hangers. The simple task of transitioning all of your unmatching hangers to matching hangers makes the biggest impact for the least amount of time and money,” says Dinneen.
She gave a shoutout to thin velvet hangers like these, which can "buy you some more space," but any hangers that match "make a big impact" visually in your closet.
SONGMICS 2-Tier Shoe Organizer Rack
“Closets aren't really designed for a ton of shoes,” Dinneen says, which is why “shoes are people’s biggest complaints,” among her clients. “I am a fan of just a double stacked shoe rack, because it does just buy you that extra little space.”
There are multiple tier and length options for this metal shoe rack, which is stackable and versatile.
The Container Store Under Bed Box
“I also love under the bed storage for seasonal items,” says Dinneen. “If you get under the bed storage bins, you can throw sandals, flip flops, and more things like that during the off-season.”
This one is fully clear so you can see everything inside, and is available for individual purchase or as a set of six.
Vtopmart 8Pack Drawer Dividers
For dresser drawers, Dinneen recommends adjustable dividers like these over bins “because it's so hard to find the right ones or make it fit perfectly that you end up losing a little bit of space. Whereas drawer dividers are expandable so they can fit the length of almost any drawer and allow you to keep everything contained.”
Bathroom & Vanity Organization Essentials
One of Dinneen’s biggest tips for bathroom organization and storage is to “edit regularly, because we don't realize how quickly things expire within makeup, sunscreen, and lotions. And a lot of times you get stuck with stuff that you've had forever, that you haven't used, and it becomes expired, and it's just wasting space.”
Vtopmart Clear Plastic Drawer Organizers Set
When it comes to bathroom drawers, Dinneen does “strongly recommend” a versatile set of bins to keep your products separated and organized.
“So you can keep your skincare together, your makeup together, you have your everyday stuff in the top drawer,” she said.
Brookstone Makeup Organizer Case
"I try to recommend that you keep your counters as clean as possible, and if you do want stuff on top of your counters to have it be the stuff you use daily only, and nothing else," Dinneen says.
For storing everyday makeup and skincare on top of your bathroom counter or on a vanity, this multi-section organizer could be the perfect fit.
Holiday Decor Organization Essentials
When it comes to holiday storage, Dinneen recommends “storing by type,” and keeping all similar items together in clearly labeled storage containers for easy packing and unpacking from year to year.
“If you didn't put it out this year, don't re-store it,” says Dinneen. “Get rid of it before you store everything for the year. Just be realistic about what you are and aren’t using.”
The Container Store 3 Tray Ornament Drawer
Keep your ornaments together and protected with this storage chest. It has three sectioned trays that pull out like drawers, with exterior side handles and a label holder for easy identifying.
The Container Store Tall Collectible Storage Box
For Nutcrackers, holiday candlesticks and more, use this tall storage box. It’s made of fabric covered cardboard that’s gentle on your collectibles, with exterior side handles and a label holder.
The Container Store Wrapping Paper Storage Case
Keep all of your wrapping essentials together in one place, including tags, ribbons, bows, tissue paper, and more. It holds up to 24 rolls of 30” wrapping paper, with removable dividers to customize the storage to your liking.
More Organization Must-Haves
"We can order stuff so fast these days, and we are accumulating faster than we're getting rid of, which is causing people to feel overwhelmed in their homes. So just kind of a gentle, constant reminder to edit out more often. And once you get in the habit of it, then it doesn't feel so overwhelming, and it doesn't really take that much time," Dinneen suggests.
Phomemo D30 Label Maker
“I do love a label maker, I'm not gonna lie,” Dinneen shared. This compact label maker easily connects via Bluetooth with a phone app, allowing you to easily print (no ink required) labels for storage.
FLYLEAD 8-Pack Cord Organizer
Streamline cord clutter on desks with this space-saving hack. This is an 8-pack of organizers, crafted with soft silicone that Dinneen says she also “loves for nightstands.”
JMvicyroam Woven Blanket Basket with Handles
Something “so simple” that Dinneen is “a huge fan of” is leaving a basket in the main room of your house that’s designated for all of the things that need to get put away. So instead of leaving various items on different surfaces that need to eventually get put back into their real home, having them in a beautiful basket allows for less visual clutter.
“It gives your house a fresh, clean look without having to actually take the time to put everything away at that moment,” she said.
Looking for more? Now that your house is perfectly organized, treat yourself to this celeb-approved blanket.