If home organization content is relevant to you, it is likely relevant for your audience. How often do you look for a misplaced item? The remote, your glasses, the car keys, your phone are all easily lost in a disorganized home. And clutter isn't just annoying – it's costly. It costs us time, money and, most of all, peace of mind. Research shows that 91 percent of Americans are overwhelmed at least some of the time by clutter in their home. More than half also say they're "stressed" and 42 percent are "more anxious" by a disorganized home.
So, it shouldn't come as a surprise that home organization is big business. Sales of home organization products almost hit $17 billion in 2017 and are expected to grow to about $20 billion by 2021 according to Packaged Facts.
This presents a unique opportunity for newspapers to get a slice of the pie. Advertisers selling organizational tools (bins, baskets, shelving, hooks, etc.) need a place to connect to an audience. What better place than alongside relevant content?
Content That Works offers four annual HomeStyle magazines, including an entire 24-page section focused on home organization (HomeStyle: Get Organized) every fall.
For a taste of the valuable and high-quality content, here are a few organizational tips to help you get rid of the clutter in your own life.
If you simply dive in head first to your clutter, you're likely to get overwhelmed and quit before you make any real progress. Instead, take a moment to envision your ideal home. Ask yourself: What do want to use each space for (closets, cabinets, rooms, etc.)? How often do you each space?
Go through all of the items in a room and sort them into categories. You can create piles for donate, keep and discard or, if that's too overwhelming, you can just have one pile for things that don't belong. The point is to figure out what stays and what goes, so choose the method that works best for you.
Small tools can make the world of difference when it comes to organizing. For example, you can get the laundry off the bathroom floor with an over the door basket. In-drawer separators can also make it easy to find toiletries. Clear plastic tubs, though, are the most versatile tool; from closets to cabinets, they're an organizer's best friend. Just add a label and you'll never have to look for anything again.
One of the most important organizational tricks is preventing clutter in the first place. It's easy to jump dump things wherever when you're in a rush. Avoid falling into the bad habits. Have a place designated as a drop-off zone. That way, even if you don't have time to fully put things away, backpacks, shoes and coats are still out of the way for later organization.