Clean smarter, not harder.

Throw out anything that is damaged or expired, and donate unwanted items.

Consider which items might be better off being stored somewhere else.

Different stationery organized in open desk drawer indoors

Photo:Liudmila Chernetska/Getty Images

You might want to evict towels, toys, lightbulbs, and tools, Godding says.

Smaller items, like medication and makeup, might be better suited for a drawer.

Once its empty, wipe out the cabinet using an all-purpose cleaner.

Maximize the space you have with products like bins, caddies, or stacking modular drawers and bins.

Place your most frequently used items up front.

Underwear Drawer

For some reason,underwear drawersare often neglected.

An organized lingerie drawer is a little treat for yourself.

Start by taking everything out of the drawer and wiping it out if it’s gotten a little dusty.

Get rid of anything holey, stretched out, or discolored.

Life is too short for worn out underthings, Wahl says.

Then, sort everything by bang out: all underpants together, bras together, socks together, etc.

Place one category per section back in the drawer.

Otherwise, a jumble is fine as long as the categories are separated.

Dispose of any expired medication.

Once the cabinet is empty, wipe down the shelves using a non-toxic cleaner.

Evict bulky packaging and medication paperwork.

Lastly, store items with handleslike toothbrushes, razors and combsupright in a cup to conserve shelf space.

Adjust the cabinets shelves as needed.

Coat Closet

When was the last time you cleaned out yourcoat closet?

Start by emptying everything from the closet.

Decide if you want to put those in storage or donate them.

Re-home items that don’t belong in that closet, Dunn says.

Then its time to put the coats back in the closet.

Use matching baskets to corral frequently used items that live in the coat closet, Dunn says.

Junk Drawer

Contrary to popular belief, its possible to have ajunk drawerthats actually organized.

To get yours in better shape, start by taking everything out and grouping similar items together (e.g.

office supplies, tools, papers, etc).

Check each item for viability, Godding says.

Discard or re-home duplicates, damaged items, memorabilia, and paperwork."

Once its cleared out, wipe down the inside of the drawer with a non-toxic cleaner.

Then, place your most frequently used items back in the drawerideally at the front.

Use drawer organizers, small plastic containers, or simply cut pieces of cardboard to group similar items together.

Start by taking everything out of the drawer or cabinet.

Then, match the containers with their respective lids.

Get rid of any plastic containers that dont have a matching lid or bottom.

Once you know what your collection looks like, assess whether youll ever need that many containers.

If you have a lot more than youll ever need, consider getting rid of some.

Also, toss any pieces that are tattered, chipped, or stained, Dunn says.

If not, stack the containers of the same size together, then place the lids directly beneath them.

As usual, start by pulling everything out of the closet.

Then perform a secondary sort by bedding size, sheet sets, and towel size/purpose, she says.

Clear out what you no longer need.

Slightly damaged linens can be donated, Godding says.

Towels and other linens are always welcomed at animal shelters.

Consider what might work better somewhere else.

Once its empty, wipe out the closet with a non-toxic cleaner.

Place most frequently used items at mid-heightbetween hip and eye level.

Use bins and shelf dividers to maximize your storage space and keep items tidy.