The post below is a guest post written by my friend, Laura. I am blessed to have wonderful friends, like Laura, who inspire me. I want them to inspire and help you, too.

Laura and I have been friends since college. We’ve been a bridesmaid in each other’s weddings. I am also honored to be godmother to one of her kids. Laura is someone who knows how to keep a house in order. Over one year ago, she created a Facebook page to share ideas to help de-clutter and organize your home.

So please welcome Laura. She has great advice.

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This is a guest post from Laura.
Organizing our homes and keeping it that way is a challenge for many people these days. Our busy lifestyles can make it easier for us to just throw things on a counter, or in a pile by the door. But then our clutter can get out of control, causing us to feel stressed when we are home- and that is no fun.

Here are my 6 favorite organizing tips that are simple enough to set up, and hopefully simple enough to keep up with.

1. Corral kid paperwork

If you have children, you know that the amount of paper they come home with could wallpaper your home. Important papers like schedules or permission slips can get misplaced easily when they don’t have a special spot. Consider getting a pretty accordion style filing system with a pocket for each family member to hold important papers. A binder with dividers or a notebook style pocket folder book can also help keep things safe. Keep your system in a location that you see often- on a desk in an office or kitchen, for example. Once you no longer need a paper, purge.

2. Don’t overlook the backs of doors

Doors can be a wonderful clutter buster, and the backs of doors are often over looked. Using a clear pocketed over the door shoe organizer is a great way to store winter accessories in your hall closet, and small toys and dolls can be stored in your child’s room. They are also great for corralling craft supplies.

3. Keep closets organized

Closets look wonderful if you have like clothes together. Investing in the same style no slip hangers also makes a closet look organized. Keep pants, skirts, long sleeved shirts, etc. together (and if you are really organized, try by color as well). Consider canvas bins for storing off season items on a shelf, adding a tag attached with ribbon so you know what is inside without having to take the bin down. Keeping shoes on a shoe shelf or in clear boxes helps you find what you need quickly, and keeps them clean and neat. Hanging bags and belts on hooks in the closet (or behind the door) is another way to keep things where you can see them.

4. Stop the search for kitchen utensils

If you are like me, you have a gadget for just about any kitchen need, but only use a handful regularly. Weed out what you only use occasionally, and store them in a pretty box in a pantry or kitchen cabinet. This will clear up your utensil drawer or crock, and you will not have to rummage through looking for what you need.

5. Have a peaceful bathroom

Again, bins work wonders here for keeping bath products together. Hair accessories store nicely in little baskets or those cute tin pails you see everywhere, and cosmetics can be neatly stashed in the small plastic organizers that have 3-4 drawers and can fit under a bath cabinet. And for towels and bed sheets, experts say that you should have 2-3 sets of sheets per bed- keep them folded together, or store sets in a pillow case.

6. No more drop and run (Foyer/entryway)

This is an area that can become clutter central- you walk in and drop what you have. If you are a household that removes shoes before entering, have a basket handy to corral all the shoes. Keep bags on a small side table or hook. End the great search for missing keys and phones by keeping a little tray or basket on the side table, or hang a small basket on the wall by the door for these items.

The key to keeping your home organized is putting things away when you are finished with them. The old adage “A place for everything and everything in its place” is really something to strive for- the time it takes to put something away will save you a lot of time later when you realize you have a major clean up on your hands.

Happy Organizing!

Find other organizing ideas HERE.

Laura Hoyler is a mom to 5 kids, and the owner and lead teacher of a small preschool. When she is not at one of the kids’ many activities, you can find her working on her backwards crossovers at the ice rink, or trying to find time to have a date with her husband.  You can “like” her on Facebook at Decluttering and Organizing or follow her on Twitter at @OrganizeNMore.

(Photo Credit: iStockPhoto.com)