In this article: Find practical tips on how to organize a downsized home, so that your new small space feels like home!
Sometimes, life is full of surprises.
Moving from our old farmhouse by the sea into a 1250 square foot townhouse was one of them.

Our Previous House (in the middle of a flower bed makeover!)
Downsizing our earthly belongings by more than a half wasn’t exactly in our plans…but that’s what happened!
Over the course of a year, we moved twice (living for 6 months in a beautiful rental home) , and are now settled into a lovely little townhouse.
How to Organize a Downsized Home
Purge First
Before I could even begin to start organizing, I had to purge, purge, and purge some more!
I’ll admit, the purging process took quite some time. Although I wouldn’t consider myself a hoarder, I did find it somewhat difficult to discern what to keep and what to get rid of. (Especially in the furniture department.)
Store items you are unsure about
When downsizing a home, the whole picture of the process can seem overwhelming. I found that it was best for me to work on one thing at a time, and then walk away when it got to be too much.
Our garage became our own personal storage unit the first winter as I figured out what to keep and what to get rid of. Over time I was able to discern what was worth keeping, and what was more valuable OUT of the house!
Organize items into workable situations for you
Once our “stuff” was a managable amount for our space, I wanted to get it organized into systems that work for us on a daily basis.
Everyday use of all the things in our home means that items are constantly being moved and shuffled, and over time, the drawers/closets/nooks/ and crannies just get messy.
Does that happen to you, too?
I decided to go through the whole house and try to get it organized.
Break up the organization into manageable pieces
I decided to break the process up into bite-sized pieces.
I began my own organization quest for our newly downsized home, and divided up the whole house into zones ~ tackling one zone a week.
Starting with the Entryway, I systematically worked my way through the whole house ~ trying to think of practical ways to make our home work and function well for us.
I documented the process and spaces here on the blog, and you can find links to each space below.
Week 1 : Entryways
How to Organize an Entryway Closet Like a Pro
My Favorite Tool When Organizing Any Space
How to Convert Bi-fold Closet Doors into Modern Farmhouse French Doors
Week 2: The Office & Paperwork
Office Supply Drawer Organization
How to Organize Office Supplies in Ikea’s Billy Bookcases
5 Ways to Conquer Paper Clutter
Week 3: Living & Dining Room
How to Make a Laptop Stand End Table
How to Organize a Dining Room Buffet
Take a Tour of Our Small Living Room ~ The Winter Edition
Week 4: Kitchen
How to Organize a Pantry in a Small Kitchen
How to Organize Cupboards in a Small Kitchen
3 Homemade Cleaners for the Kitchen
Week 5: Master Bedroom
Organize Your Master Bedroom to Become a Peaceful Retreat
10 Creative DIY Jewelry Organizers
Week 6: Bathroom
Organizing the Bathroom Vanity
Week 7: Garage
Creating Work Zones for Garage Organization
Great tips! I definitely need to break big tasks up into smaller parts so I feel accomplished and will continue to get it done!