A Pro Organizer Calls the ‘Cousins or Coworkers’ Decluttering Method ‘Life-Changing’

Having a place for all your belongings is a non-negotiable organizing rule if your goal is to have a totally tidy home. However, finding that place isn’t always so simple. Sometimes, it’s an issue of not having enough space (which means decluttering is a smart first step), and other times, it’s because you’re not sure how to create a system that makes the most sense for you. If the latter applies to you, consider the “cousins or coworkers” organizing method as a solution.

As a professional organizer, I consider this method to be life-changing. Here, we’ll dive into the technique and how to apply it to every room and item in your home.

The ‘Cousins or Coworkers’ Organizing Method

First, it’s important to note that this isn’t the “correct” way of organizing, but, rather, just one way to look at it. And, perhaps, the best way for you and your home! The concept is simple: you get to decide where things are stored based on the category (cousins) or function (coworkers). Instead of simply placing items where you can fit them or where it might make sense on the surface, consider their relation by first asking yourself: Will finding (or returning) it be easier if I keep it with its cousins or coworkers?

Here’s a cheat sheet to help you categorize an item as a cousin or a coworker.

• Cousins: These items belong to the same category or share a common theme. For instance, baking supplies such as flour, sugar, and measuring cups are “cousins” because they are used when baking.
• Coworkers: These items may not be directly related but are often used together in the same task or area. As an example, scissors, tape, and wrapping paper can be considered “coworkers” because they are all utilized for gift wrapping.

Taking this approach minimizes the frustration of figuring out where to store something and ensures everything has a logical place in your home. Other benefits include being able to find an item and tidy up in a snap, as well as being able to use the method in virtually every area of your home.

How to Use the ‘Cousins or Coworkers’ Technique in Your Home

Going from room to room, here are some examples of what the “Cousins or Coworkers” method might look like:

Kitchen and Pantry:

• Cousins: Place breakfast items on one shelf, snacks on another, and dinner ingredients on a third.
• Coworkers: Group things like cutting boards and knives or dish soap and sponges near each other.

Bedrooms and Closets:

• Cousins: Store all your pants together, then shirts, jackets, accessories, and so on.
• Coworkers: Separate work attire in one section and casual clothes in another.

Bathrooms and Linen Closets:

• Cousins: Sort categories into separate containers, such as makeup, skincare, and haircare.
• Coworkers: Keep daily routine essentials – like facewash, toothpaste, and deodorant – together and accessible, whether on the countertop or in a vanity drawer.

Storage Spaces:

• Cousins: Organize power tools in one section, holiday or seasonal decor in another, and so forth.
• Coworkers: Create bins to corral gardening or car washing supplies.

Professional Advice for Implementing the ‘Cousins or Coworkers’ Method

Now that you’ve got the idea, applying the “Cousins or Coworkers” method is easy, and once you get used to it, it helps maintain your home’s tidiness with minimal effort. Follow this step-by-step guide to get started.

Choose a space to start: We all have at least one area in our homes that perpetually seems more cluttered than others, whether it be the junk drawer or the coat closet. Whatever spot it is in your house, begin by trying out the “Cousins or Coworkers” method there.

Pull everything out: As with any decluttering and reorganizing project, the most successful way to start is by removing all items from the space you’re working in. This allows you to easily see what decisions you need to make, which leads to the next step.

Decide whether items are cousins or coworkers: As you sort through the things you pulled out, ask yourself what would make more sense – to store it with its “cousins” or its “coworkers.” Start creating piles based on your decision. Of course, if you no longer need or want something, now is also the time to discard it.

Reorganize: If, for example, you’re working in the junk drawer, you can put “coworkers” back into it but corralled together in the same drawer organizer. On the other hand, you might decide to try something new, such as taking a set of keys that previously lived there and placing it with its “coworkers” – in a basket with your sunglasses and wallet near the entryway.

Maintain the new organization system: Organizing systems work just as well as you do. Putting things back where they belong will help keep them neat in the long run, and after implementing the “cousins or coworkers” method, this should become an easier task than ever before. If you find that something isn’t working as well as you hoped, it’s perfectly fine to tweak it.

While you thought a particular item would be best stored with its “coworkers,” you might discover that it actually makes more sense to keep with its “cousins” over time. That’s the beauty of home organization, after all – it’s fluid and can be adjusted to fit your lifestyle, home, and stuff at any given time.