The 'tidy toss' technique has solved my need for perfection when organising – and my home has never looked better

As a self-proclaimed (and soon-to-retire) perfectionist, I understand all too well the struggle of wanting to keep everything you own in its rightful place. However, attempting to keep on top of those storage and organisation methods doesn't bode well when you're stacked with an unforgiving to-do list.

When I can't keep little things in place, my whole system falls apart and I give up. Let's just say, it's doom piles galore – like, everywhere.

So, opting for low-effort (okay, let's just call it what it is: lazy) but equally effective ways to keep your home tidy is the ideal way to clean when you're feeling overwhelmed and simply don't have the time.

It may not be a perfectionist's picture-perfect dream, but it's a start. Especially if you need to quickly fake a tidy house and you've only got ten minutes to declutter.

'These days, we've all got so many things to juggle – it's no surprise that organising the house rarely makes it to the top of the to-do list,' starts Natalie Dee, social media specialist and Vintage Cash Cow's decluttering expert.

'But it's a catch-22. Research shows that messy, cluttered living spaces can lead to stress, anxiety and even relationship strain, which in turn, can make our busy lives feel even more chaotic and overwhelming.'

'For many, the answer is to find simple, easy methods that are in line with daily energy levels and time constraints.'

The 'tidy toss' organisation method

So, enter the 'tidy toss', an easy organisation method created by professional organiser and influencer, Holly Blakey (@breathing.room.home). The tidy toss is a smart way to organise your wardrobe (or other areas of your home) by tossing smaller items into baskets or containers instead of arranging every single item.

In her Instagram reel showcasing the method, she says, 'I don't neatly organise my hats, sandals, or swimsuits (among other things). My closet stays tidy because I don't spend the time doing unnecessary organising... I end up tidying because it's NOT a lot of work.'

And that last comment of Holly's got us thinking. She ends up tidying because it's easier than leaving the clutter to build, otherwise. This is interesting, considering many of us don't prioritise cleaning and organising because it can be time-consuming and require a whole Sunday reset.

'I believe that one of the reasons the #TidyToss trend has proved so popular is because it's a method that's realistic and easy to stick to,' explains Natalie. 'It gives users a sustainable way of replicating the tidy, organised homes they see on their phone screens every day – a simple, actionable tip that they can implement straight away, with minimal investment.'

'The key is not about perfection, it's about making it easy to maintain,' agrees Siân Pelleschi, president of APDO and founder of Sorted! 'Like in Holly's post, she mentions that there are some items she's not bothered about being on show or looking neat so long as she knows it's in the right place and I'd be one to agree with this.'

Siân Pelleschi

Siân's love of organising took her on the path she hadn't anticipated when she set up Sorted! in 2016 after the birth of her first child and came across APDO – the Association of Professional Declutters and Organisers. Siân’s love of APDO and the organising community saw her step into the President role in September 2022. Her goal is to inspire, motivate, and declutter as many lives and businesses as possible.

'I've always been an advocate of any process that can help my clients feel like A) they can get on top of what they see as chaos, B) manage easily to stay on top of it and C) makes them feel more relaxed about the whole process,' she continues.

'Having solutions in the home where you can literally just throw something into a container and know it's in the right place for when you next want it, can really make a huge difference to the time it takes to tidy up and put away.'

Craig Hoareau, APDO member and managing director at A Tidy Mind London chimes in, 'We all lead busy lives so spending time meticulously measuring the space between glasses or your hangers is not realistic. Sometimes just dropping it in its (correct) basket or container is more than enough.'

Not to mention, way less anxiety-inducing. We need to reframe and rethink how we declutter, as advised by Marie Kondo, the tidying guru herself.

Craig Hoareau

Craig is a proud, verified member of APDO (Association of Professional Declutterers & Organisers) and the owner of the decluttering service, A Tidy Mind London, which aims to transform people's homes.

He has a calm and supportive approach to working with clients that allows them to deal with the mental clutter while sorting through the physical ones, too.

'The method, created by influencer Holly Blakey, was originally created with the wardrobe in mind, but in reality, it can be applied all over your home,' assures Natalie at Vintage Cash Cow. 'Think about the type of clutter that tends to accumulate in your home and start there.'

For example:

• Bathroom littered with skincare products? Create a skincare basket.
• Documents and unopened letters floating around? Buy a simple paper/media organiser for your kitchen and hallway.
• Kids' school bags, PE kits, and stationery scattered all over the place? Label a box or basket for your kids where they can put all their school stuff.
• Regularly lose your keys in the house? Create a small key box where you know you'll always be able to find them.

And that's how simple it needs to be. As a has-been perfectionist (there's not enough time in my schedule to account for detail-oriented tasks on the daily anymore), implementing the tidy toss method has been a game-changer for me.

Admittedly, my doom pile is always on the top of my bedroom dresser, but now that I've got small baskets in my dresser's top drawer, all my clutter simply resides in those baskets as my optimal bedroom storage idea. It's helped me organise a small bedroom without a second thought.

'If you make the "putting away" as quick and easy as possible it isn't off-putting,' explains Marie Bateson, APDO's volunteers director and founder of Cut the Clutter.

'A complicated system can actually overwhelm and leave you feeling anxious about maintaining it,' she continues. Which is ultimately counterproductive, believe me.

'The benefits of small tidying habits like the tidy toss method can be huge,' assures Natalie at Vintage Cash Cow. 'You'll experience reduced day-to-day stress, as you'll automatically know where everything is – which means no more haphazardly trying to find the kid's school books or car keys when you're running late.'

She concludes, 'And, most importantly,  you'll feel more at peace in your space and be able to truly switch off – without worrying about an endless stream of clutter – after a long, busy day.'