Introducing Brilliant Ideas: Simple Home Organization Ideas for the Rest of Us

Introducing Brilliant Ideas: Simple Home Organization Ideas for the Rest of Us

I’m thrilled that you’ve found my little corner of the internet! This home on the web is where I share about my love of homemaking. When I started writing about homemaking, I was a single woman who lived in various non-traditional households both solo and shared with roommates, housemates, even flatmates. Now, I live in a multi-generational household, taking care of my elderly mother. Most recently, I’ve been blessed to have met a man who will become my husband very soon and we are embarking on a new chapter of a non-traditional household of a different kind!

Throughout each phase and living situation, I’ve learned a common theme: homemaking is for any woman with a heart of making a home for herself and the ones she loves. 

And for the woman who finds herself living in a non-traditional household, such as solo, shared with roommates or in a multi-generational setting and caring for aging parents, being a homemaker is just as valid and worthy as those women who are blessed with a husband and children to raise. It just looks a little different!

I’ve broken homemaking down into six separate categories and this introduction series will give you an idea of what to expect to read and learn in each one. I’ve also linked the core post for each category so you can easily read about the philosophy behind each from a deeper perspective.

Each category represents a piece of what I believe goes into making a home truly yours. The names themselves are ones I created because they felt like me and how I like to approach each area. Still, a name only tells you so much. I believe it's worth defining terms plainly so there's no guessing at what each title means here.

So, let’s get into Brilliant Ideas! It might not mean quite what you’d expect.

The Brilliant Ideas category is built around simple and easy DIY, home projects, hacks, cleaner cleaning and organization. It's the kind of stuff that makes the light bulb go off over your head. Think in terms of the "why didn't I think of that" ideas, not so much the big renovation ones.

I'd call myself a creative, but not the "craftsy" sort. I honestly don't have the patience for it. But, I do have so many ideas for simple, small projects that I want to do to gently expand my comfort zone in the hands-on projects realm. And, I love organizing. I also love my stuff. Landing in the center between minimalism and maximalism, I came up with the term Middlemalism to describe myself, I enjoy finding ways to store my belongings and family heirlooms in ways that keeps them safe and accessible for rotating in and out of regular use.

What you can expect: a lot of organizing a home that’s been filled with decades of family life  and honest attempts at DIY projects.

What "Brilliant Ideas" Actually Means Here

This category isn't about expert renovations or over-the-top makeovers. It's about the small, achievable ideas that make a home work better. It might look like:

• A closet system that finally makes sense
• A cleaning routine that's simpler than the one you're currently avoiding
• A simple DIY project sized for a shared space, not a full remodel

Simple Means Realistic Effort

The mindset shift worth naming here is that this category was never meant to compete with the renovation-show version of home projects. Try thinking of it this way:

• Being creative and being "crafty" aren't the same thing and only one of those is required here
• Finding solutions to pain points around the home can be a form of creative flexing and expression. It can also be beautiful and satisfying
• Admiring people who are gifted with their hands doesn't mean measuring myself against them. It's ok to be a beginner

The Kinds of Ideas You'll Find in Brilliant Ideas

Here's what this category will actually cover, in practice:

Organizing and decluttering: my main focus right now, so expect extensive content here. This is the part that requires equal measure of overcoming being completely overwhelmed as well as incredible satisfaction at milestones.

Small home projects: the kind that build toward something bigger, sized for wherever you're currently living, not the dream renovation.

Honest DIY, family home edition: real attempts, including the occasional splotchy result, not the highlight reel.

Where to Begin

Wondering where to start? Try here:

• Follow along as the decluttering series works room by room
• Pick one small space this week to clear off (a single drawer or shelf counts)
• Let your own pace be the only standard you're measuring against
• Want to be super organized and know at a glance what’s in your storage bins? Download my Inventory Sheets here

Why This Category Matters

Years ago, in my little attic apartment on Brooklawn, I painted the space myself and loved the atmosphere it created, splotchy patch over the living room door and all. That's the spirit this whole category is written in: imperfect, but genuinely yours. Your home should encompass all facets of life, including those projects that don’t quite turn out how you thought and the ones that do.

Your home doesn't need to look like a renovation show and your organizing systems don’t have to look like an extreme makeover. But, I’d bet you do want your home to:

• Function for the way you actually live
• Reflect effort you can sustain, not effort borrowed from someone else's home
• Feel like progress, even when, one could say, especially when, it's small

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Until next time, I'll keep the cushions fluffed and the kettle ready. Happy homemaking, friends!