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Mastering Home Organization: Practical Tips & Tricks From Professional Organizer Dana Holmes

Brian Comly

A guest post by Dana Holmes.

"For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned."

—Benjamin Franklin

Dana Holmes

Hello, I'm Dana Holmes, the proud owner of Home Sweet Holmes, LLC – a venture that represents the culmination of a long, rewarding journey. My professional path began with a degree in Supply Chain Management from Lehigh University, followed by years working on SAP implementations at IBM and managing operations at McMaster-Carr.

The turning point came with the birth of my first daughter, offering me the blessing to stay at home and nurture her. Over the next eight years, I juggled part-time jobs while being a dedicated stay-at-home mom. Now, with my children all school-aged, I've seized the opportunity to turn my passion for organization into a full-time career.

As a professional home organizer, I strive to help overwhelmed families simplify modern living with easy and functional organization. My number one priority is to create systems and spaces that make life easier and happier. I can tackle any type of job, no matter how big or small. From organizing pantries, kitchens, closets, offices, and kid spaces, to garages, storage rooms, and entire home resets. I understand how important it is to have quality family time. When your home is simplified and organized, it allows more time for family and adventures.

In this article, we'll delve into why having an organized home matters and explore practical tips to simplify modern living.

Why An Organized Home Matters

Clutter and disorganization can cause anxiety and negatively impact your life. It’s not only important to take the steps to get organized, but more importantly, STAY organized. The effects of decluttering extend beyond mere tidiness; they pave the way for more cleanliness, seamless hosting, and a better ability to relax within the home.

The real value of organizing is not just in getting things in order but in keeping them that way. When the mess is gone, your home becomes a functional sanctuary. With this organized setup, you save time for quality family moments, adventures, and doing what you love. Having a well-ordered home makes life simpler and your place a hub for creating good memories and a strong sense of home.

A Tidier Tomorrow: Practical Tips & Tricks

Here are some of my best tips for organizing your home:

  • My biggest advice to help people maintain a minimalistic lifestyle is to follow the “One In –One Out” rule. This means, for example, if you buy a new sweater, you must choose to donate an item of clothing. Or if you buy a new toy, you must donate a toy. You keep a bin for all donations. Once this bin is full, you bring it to your local Goodwill or donation drop-off. Owning Less is better for our financial well-being, our home maintenance, our physical and mental health, and our planet. Sometimes if just takes a little help to get there. That’s where I come in!

  • Let’s talk about “Real Estate”. Within every room, we have prime “real estate”. These are the ideal locations to keep our belongings. In our bedrooms it’s the closet and dresser, in the mudroom it’s the cubbies and hooks, and in the kitchen, it’s the cabinets. These are all spaces that we touch EVERY DAY. So it’s very important to only fill these spaces with items you use often. For example, let’s look at kitchen appliances. If you haven’t used an appliance in over a year, it shouldn’t be taking up prime cabinet space. Consider donating or selling it. If it is an appliance you traditionally use once a year around the holidays, then place it in storage rather than everyday kitchen space.

  • Create Realistic Strategies that will empower you and your family to make permanent changes within your home. Make practical changes that even the youngest children in your home can follow. An example is each family member gets ONE hook and ONE bin in the mudroom. Then everyone knows where his or her coat/backpack/shoes belong and it’s easier to get in and out of the house.

The power of organization; finding space and finding peace.

Before: chaos. After: calm.

Should You Hire A Professional?

When it comes to home organization, the option of hiring a professional organizer offers a range of valuable benefits. A professional comes with knowledge and experience allowing the process to be streamlined, saving time and effort. Another benefit is that I provide support in making emotional decisions about what to keep, donate, or discard.


My process for helping clients looks like this. After an introductory phone call or e-mail, I schedule an hour consultation walking through the client’s home. I’ll learn what is working and what isn’t. I will then create a customized plan to meet their goals and estimate how long the project with take and the total cost.


Completing the actual organization is the fun part where I begin to make a difference in their home. We sort, purge, and organize items in each space. I also offer to haul away donations and provide a receipt. If the client needs to purchase any storage systems, I can do the shopping and assembly. When I am finished, I leave my clients with an organized space that is easy to manage going forward.



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