Stuck on how to group things together? Coming up with categories can be tricky. So when organizers say “group like with like”, what does that even mean?
I am breaking down home organization categories for every space in your home, so you can group like with like and not worry if you are “doing it wrong”. Which you aren’t! But sometimes having a list helps us feel better!
Kitchen
I always recommend storing kitchen items together in one of two ways. The first way is store the items together based on how you use them. If you bake a lot, store all the baking items together like rolling pin, egg separator, and other baking tools with your baking flours. It just makes it easy to grab and bake.
The other way to group items is based on what that item is and store those similar items together. All cooking utensils can be stored together. All mixing bowls can be stored together. This helps keep the entire kitchen organized if you have many people using the space.
Some of my favorite organizational categories to store like with like in the kitchen are listed below.
- Tupperware
- Cups/Mugs
- Water Bottles
- Bowls
- Silverware
- Serveware
- Plates
- Pots
- Pans
- Towels
- Vitamins/Medications
- Spices
- Meal Prep
- Strainers
- Hot Pads/Kitchen Mitts
- Cooking Utensils
- Baking Utensils
- Measuring Cups/Spoons
- Baggies + Storage Containers
- Mixing Bowls
- Small Kitchen Gadgets
- Large Kitchen Gadgets
- Baking Dishes
- Cutting Boards
- Baking Trays
- Serving Dishes/Trays
- Placemats
- Formal Place Settings
- Lunch Boxes
Pantry
When grouping items together in the pantry, try to group like with like based on how you prepare the meals. Below are some of my favorite ways to group pantry items together.
- Meal Prep
- Pasta
- Spices
- Breakfast
- Chips
- Cereal
- Baking
- Dinner
- Cooking
- Grains
- Snacks
- Rice
- Seasonings
- Flours
- Mixes
- Treats
- Sweets
- Cookies
- Fruits
- Veggies
- Crackers
- Extras
- Kids
- Nuts
- Oats
- Overstock
Clothing
When creating home organizational categories for clothing, I highly recommend looking at how you like to see your clothing. Sometimes it is easier to group clothing by how you wear things. While other times it works best if you color-coordinate your clothing.
Either way, you will be able to find the clothing you want once you get things organized. Below are ways I like grouping like with like for clothing.
- Accessories
- Hats
- Sweaters
- Scarves
- Socks
- T-Shirts
- Long Sleeves
- Winter
- Summer
- Leggings
- Belts
- Swim
- Travel
- Shoes
- Bags
- Purses
- Shirts
- Seasonal
- Pants
- Shorts
- Bras
- Underwear
- Undergarments
- Athletic
- Tank Tops
- Lounge
- Pajamas
Office
Every office space is different. So when you are thinking of categories for grouping like with like, start with how you use the space. Then create categories based on how you use your office. Below are some of my favorite home organizational categories for grouping like with like in the office.
- Pens
- Pencils
- Scissors
- Hole Punchers
- Paper Clips
- Binder Clips
- Files
- Technology
- Chargers
- Batteries
- Travel
- Lights
- Manuals
- Gadgets
- Electronics
- Stickie Notes
- Notepads
- Notebooks
- Label Makers
- Mailing Items
- Interview Items
- Receipts
- Art Supplies
If you are looking for more paper storage ideas, The Foolproof Plan To Paper Clutter is the best resource for grouping like with like in your filing cabinet, along with specific ways to sort paper into different piles.
Garage
Depending on how you use your garage, you can find many ways to categorize the items. Below are some of my favorite ways to store like with like in a garage.
- Sports
- Pets
- Car
- Outdoor
- Seasonal
- Holiday
- Lights
- Kids
- Dining
- Entertaining
- Yard
- Gardening
- Paint
- Storage Covers
- Ladders
- Cleaning
- Supplies
- Tools
- Hardware
- Utilities
Bath
Bathroom home organizational categories can also be used in your linen closet or linen cabinet. Use the space you have to create a grouping that makes sense to the space you have using the categories below.
- Bath
- Body
- Make-Up
- Beauty
- Cosmetics
- Teeth
- Face
- Eyes
- Hair
- Lips
- Travel
- Shaving
- First Aid
- Masks
- Lotions
- Lady Stuff
- Bath Bombs
- Daily
- Towels
- Medicines
Miscellaneous
Miscellaneous items are anything that is left over. So the like with like groupings is even more important to these categories. But they can also be super random when looking at these groupings. Below are some miscellaneous categories you might want to find a place to store within your home.
- Pets
- Cleaning
- Gift Wrap
- Home Decor
- Frames
- Books
- Manuals
- Vases
- Craft Supplies
- Tools
More Home Organizational Category Posts You May Enjoy
10 Step Process For Creating Pantry Organization That Will Last
20 Ways Of Organizing Clothing In Closets
10 Insanely Easy Bathroom Storage Ideas
How To Maximize Organization In Your Garage
How To Organize Miscellaneous Items
The post Like With Like: Organizational Categories For Every Space In Your Home appeared first on The Organized Mama.