Organizing a Spare Room

6 steps to a spruced-up space

Spare rooms just seem to invite clutter in. Here are a few tips for using your extra space efficiently:

  1. Make use of vertical space. Use high shelves in a closet to store things you don't use on a regular basis. Add shelves to an empty wall to create additional storage.
  2. Magazines and newspapers can create excess clutter when we save them because we're interested in a single article. Instead, cut out the article and put it in a plastic sleeve, and create a binder for all these articles.
  3. When you create a home for something, be sure to label it so that the system stays in place.
  4. Designate clear bins for seasonal items, memorabilia and the like so you can get access to them easily. Don't forget to label!
  5. Evaluate your space on a regular basis to determine what you use and what you need. Anything else should be gotten rid of.
  6. Closets in extra rooms are often home to clothes you don't wear anymore. Get rid of them.

Next Up

Organizing a Catchall Closet

Follow these simple steps for using storage containers to organize your catchall closet.

Organizing Your Linen Closet

Space-saving strategies and inexpensive storage can help you "think outside the closet" when tackling linen closet organization.

10 Steps to an Organized Closet

Learn how to make your closet work for you — and your clothes.

Closet Organization Ideas: Strategies for Clearing Closet Clutter

Get the organized closet of your dreams with our strategies for storing clothes, photos and art supplies. Plus, learn how to turn your closet into a home office.

Brilliant Junk Drawer Organizing Tips You've Never Tried

9 tips for turning cluttered drawers into useful storage space.

Get Organized and Control the Clutter

Professional organizer Liz Witts offers tips on how to control clutter.

Top 10 Organizing Tips You Need to Try

HGTV asked viewers to share their best decluttering and organizing tips. See which clever life hacks made the list.

Organizing an Office Space

Take a good look at your clutter — you’re about to kiss it goodbye.

5 Steps to Organizing Your Closet

Assess what you have and eliminate what you don't need to get your closet ready for a transformation

Organizing a Linen Closet

Get the most out of your linen closet with these organizing tips.

Go Shopping

Refresh your home with stylish products handpicked by HGTV editors.

Follow Us Everywhere

Join the party! Don't miss HGTV in your favorite social media feeds.

  • 500 Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

    Operands are not of the same type: comparison is supported for Number types only.

    Cannot serve request to /content/hgtv-com/en/lifestyle/clean-and-organize/articles/2010/o/organizing-a-spare-room.html on this server


    ApacheSling/2.6 (jetty/9.4.15.v20190215, Java HotSpot(TM) 64-Bit Server VM 1.8.0_271, Linux 4.14.203-156.332.amzn2.x86_64 amd64)