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A lot depends on the city you live in. RentCafe recently analyzed which places in the U.S. are best for home organizing potential. It looked at more than 280 cities and ranked them according to several criteria, including home and household size, income, self storage, interest in home improvement, etc.

Scottsdale, AZ, Raleigh, NC, and Spokane, WA, stand on the podium of the best U.S. cities for home organizing potential with the highest scores for all aspects combined, essentially optimum living space, interest in home improvement and storage potential. If your city didn’t make the top of the list, having an organized home is still achievable. More challenging, yes, but doable!

Let’s see what made these three cities stand out in terms of home organization.  

Why can people in Scottsdale, Raleigh and Spokane have more organized homes?

No unique, single factor propelled these cities to the top of the list. Rather, each achieved an ideal mix of criteria that play an equally important role. Scottsdale, Arizona, has the best combination of personal living space, storage options away from home and residents’ interest in home improvement. Scottsdale benefits from one of the lowest household sizes in the country (2.16 people per household) and a median household income that surpasses $90K.

What’s also notable is people’s interest in home organization. Their high number of Google searches for DIY organizing hacks and professional organizers suggests people in Scottsdale really go the extra mile in finding solutions to neaten and tidy their homes. Additionally, people have self storage on their side here, as Scottsdale’s available storage space is significantly more than the national average – almost 13 square feet per capita in Scottsdale versus 7 square feet per capita nationally. Taking into account all these factors, it’s no wonder people in Scottsdale can easily keep their homes organized and clutter free.  

Similarly, if you happen to live in Raleigh, chances are you already have a nicely organized and airy home, as people here show an impressively high interest in home organization and improvement. This was measured by looking at the number of Google searches for home improvement, professional organizers and DIY organizing hacks, all which suggests that people are one step closer to taking initiative when it comes to making their place neat and tidy. Moreover, storage units in Raleigh are remarkably cheap at $95/month on average (lower than the national average of $128), and these can prove useful for freeing up living space in your home. 

Spokane comes in at number three overall, despite having a median household income of only $52K (the national average is $65K). The fact that the city made its way to the podium shows that a lack of vast financial resources doesn’t necessarily limit residents’ ability to keep their homes well organized but rather that they can find creative solutions to do so.

If you don’t live in these cities, but you do want your home to be better organized, here is how to do it. 

How can I make home organization easier?

Naturally, not all things are created equal. Some cities do much better than others in offering the right housing environment for you to achieve your organizational goals with minimum effort. If you don’t live in one of these cities but do want your home to be better organized, here are some key aspects to consider. 

•       Self storage – Have you ever ran into your skis or snowboard in the middle of summer, looking for something around the house? Are your snow tires taking up too much space in your garage? Do you have unused furniture in your attic or basement? One simple solution exists for all these troubles and much more: renting a storage unit. This is not only a common, inexpensive practice but also the perfect way to keep both houses and apartments free from clutter. People manage to free up significant living space in their homes by storing their furniture, bikes, documents, books and valuables in storage units.
•       Professional organizers – Yes, professional organizers might not offer the cheapest services, but they can work miracles. They can help with getting rid of clutter as well as thinking of smart home storage solutions. They can also help you with paper management, home office systems and virtually anything from appliances, electronics and files to linens, clothes and towels.
•       Home improvement interest – Ultimately, nothing beats a genuine passion for home improvement. As shown by Scottsdale, Raleigh and Spokane, people’s preoccupation with and commitment to home improvement is essential, as this is where you’ll find your inspiration. You can be the person who drives the trend where you live by visiting and supporting local home improvement stores, creating an organizing blog or webpage and sharing DIY hacks with like-minded people, for instance. Creativity and community will take you far!

Space is important, but being resourceful is vital for your organizing goals

We have all heard “It’s not how big the house is, it’s how happy the home is.” This recent study conducted by RentCafe ultimately confirmed there is truth to this famous saying. Just like four walls and a roof over your head do not instantaneously make a home, having a very large home does not implicitly and necessarily mean it provides better organization.

Texas clearly wins the home size state-level battle, having the most cities with homes larger than the national average of 1,750 square feet. However, home size is not decisive for people’s organizing success or failure. In fact, only 18 cities in the top 100 have average home sizes larger than the national average.

Arguably, being organized is a way of life, and the city you live in can be a deciding factor in this sense. What it offers in terms of living space, storage options away from home, incomes, home improvement stores and household sizes, among other things, can have an important say in your home organizing efforts.