She loved them so much.

They took up most of the bed she slept in every night. Maybe she was on to something — being surrounded by things that made her happy isn’t a bad idea at bedtime.

But then we started talking about what each one meant to her. She was surprised that not all of them were as close to her heart as she thought.

This was an in-person session with my 9-year-old client who had a large collection of stuffed animals taking over her bedroom. She loves to read, but realized she didn't have a comfortable space to do it. She didn't know where to put her things, and looking for something specific always ended up taking a lot of time and causing frustration.

Her dresser top had become a place to drop things. She couldn't even enjoy the beautiful flowers. Looking for stuff was causing her a lot of grief.

We started by grouping similar items into piles. One by one, she shared stories about her “friends” and why some of them don’t mean as much to her anymore. Those she decided to keep were sorted into even more specific groups: by size, material, or theme. We did the same with everything else: stickers, erasers, makeup, gemstones, books, jewelry, sentimental items.

She did the work.

And I watched her gain confidence in her decision-making right before my eyes.

When it came to displaying what she decided to keep, we talked through which shelf made the most sense. By placing her larger, pillow-like stuffed toys on the floor, we created a cozy corner for reading. Books moved to the bottom shelves. More fragile items went to the top.

We cleared the dresser top and kept only what she wanted to see. She said she'll make sure not to let things collect, and she feels good knowing everything has a place to return to.

The higher shelves are the ones she likes to look at. The lower shelves hold things she likes to play with. The second-to-lowest shelf has games for when friends come over, with a small space for a cup of water at night.

“I like being able to see everything so much more clearly now!”

This kind of project wouldn’t be possible without my client’s participation. Only she knew what each toy meant to her. By involving her in every decision, she became the expert on her own collection.

And this is how I work with every family. Holding space for each family member to build those mental maps in decision-making.

I’m most proud when a choice is made with confidence and clarity, through exploring different ways of looking at an object and asking the hard questions without letting the stress of it escalate.

In nearly a decade, I’ve gathered those experiences into the Dooley Method to walk families across the bridge between connection-first parenting and home organizing.

As we work, parents learn how to organize their own belongings, how to let go, and how to pass those skills on to their children without getting stuck in a power struggle.

For $8 a month, you get access to the full Dooley Method library, live co-working sessions, and a complimentary consultation call. I’ll be right there with you to offer guidance, answer questions, and be in your corner along the way.

When you're ready, I'm here.

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Home organizing is being honest about what you actually use, need, and love.

Parenting is being transparent about what you truly mean, expect, and when you’ve made a mistake.

The Dooley Method helps your family create space for both.

Not just a place that holds things, but one that works for you, reflects a little of who you are, and makes the daily routine feel more considered.

Here are five drawers that do exactly that.

A beloved stuffed animal tucked into a gap does double duty — it fills the space so folded clothes stay upright, and it gives your child a small moment of delight every time they open it.

And it’s not just for kids. A childhood toy you want to keep close, or a small lovey your child has outgrown — this is a sweet spot for that too.

Organization doesn’t have to be serious. A little surprise goes a long way.

Mornings benefit from simplicity. When you need to get out the door fast, having your cute sneakers in the drawer right below your t-shirts and jeans means the whole outfit is in one place.

No searching. Just open, grab, get dressed and go.

There’s a reason color gradients feel so satisfying — something about the order actually calms the nervous system.

Lining up clothes by color turns a functional drawer into something genuinely cheerful to open.

When you arrange drawer organizers, you sometimes end up with a gap — a little negative space between sections.

Don’t leave it empty. Here, that in-between space became the perfect spot for sunglasses, lined up in a row on a small piece of white cloth to keep them from sliding around.

Some of our most meaningful things end up forgotten in a box somewhere.

This last image is a reminder that a drawer can hold more than clothes. A few special scarves, small keepsakes, a photo — things too meaningful to live out of sight.

Every drawer in this gallery came from really listening — to the person, to the space, to what would make their daily routine feel a little more like them. Nothing here is a template. Each solution was thought through from scratch.

That’s the part of this work I love most.

Wonder how would this work for your family?

Many parents begin working with me through a single virtual session — a chance to experience firsthand what’s possible when you have someone in your corner to troubleshoot, guide, and bring your vision of a collaborative family to reality.

Parent Circle members not only receive a two-hour virtual session with me at 40% off the regular rate, but also exclusive Dooley Method content to keep you motivated and inspired.

If you’ve been curious about what this could look like for your family, this is a great place to start.

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In case you missed it…

Home organizing is letting go of what no longer serves you.

Parenting is knowing when to let go and trust your child to figure it out.

The Dooley Method is practicing both — together.

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This project was a family event.

The kids helped remove the glasses and mugs to the kitchen island. They shared which ones they enjoy using, and we figured out which shelf they could reach.

I explained the importance of leaving just enough space between each row of glasses so fingers can fit in between.

I also showed them that by facing the mug handles in the same direction, you don’t need identical mugs to get that uniform look.

Having a small pantry to feed a family of four means every inch matters.

While this pantry wasn’t in bad shape, there were some issues with knowing what goes where.

After emptying it out, grouping and editing the food, we made decisions together on what made sense for the whole family.

Kids always love having a dedicated shelf for their self-serve foods. And grouping the ingredients for meal prep together made it easy to figure out what to make for dinner.

We didn’t get any new organizing products.

We used what they had, rearranged based on the family’s needs.

No labels either — because the locations made it self-explanatory.

This is the kind of work I enjoy most. Not just the extra hands, but everyone having a voice in how a shared space works.

Let me know if you try any of these ideas with your family. And if you're wondering what's possible in your own home, I'd love to chat — book a complimentary consultation and we’ll figure out what’s best for your family.

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The result was familiar to many families:

• Frustration when things couldn’t be found

• Stress from running late

• Tension and short tempers between family members

Over time, the closet turned into a dumping ground for jackets, bags, and shoes. The mom shared that she often felt anxious about heading out with the kids.

What was working:

• A hanging shoe organizer helps divide items

• Hooks for easy access

• Baskets for accessories

What wasn’t working:

• Overpacked space, making it hard to reach anything

• Set up is outdated since post-COVID lifestyle changes

What we did:

We started by completely emptying the closet and giving it a good wipe down.
Next, we sorted items based on what’s currently needed and relocated the rest to their proper homes. (Some seasonal items were moved to the garage or back to their wardrobe.) We grouped what remained by category, size, frequency of use, and accessibility—such as keeping the kids’ shoes in the bottom container for easy reach.

We also added another hanging organizer (found squished at the bottom of the closet) to hold grab-and-go items like umbrellas and wipes, and dog-walking shoes.

After reworking the closet, this family felt more at ease going out, and the parents were able to better focus on teaching their children to get ready and put away their shoes after coming home.

If your entryway has become a source of daily frustration, it might be time for a refresh, too.

More tips on chapter 23 in the Dooley Method guide, or if you are part of the Parent Circle tier subscription, share your questions in the chat!

As always, if you feel you can make more progress having a coach or accountability partner to work with you, I can help.

“We’ve been away for nearly a month, but when we came back and did laundry, H folded all the clothes just as we had learned and has kept everything so neat! This new habit is a great new change in our family.”

I had a great experience working with my young client, who had many board games, Pokémon cards, and a closet that was a mix of his and his parents’ jackets. We had three hours to sort, decide what to keep, and set up a system for all of his things. He was excited to share his ideas and was incredibly decisive about all his knick-knacks.

Here are a few photo highlights from our session. My favorite part was repurposing his toy dinosaur with a broken arm to hold his headphones! His sister also helped create the labels for the pull-out drawers, which she was very proud of.

This closet was difficult to access and had a mix of toys and Pokémon cards in random bins. The dinosaurs were too large and awkwardly shaped.

We moved the storage units around so each side had a theme, now easily identified with his sister’s labels. The boardgames are organized by size and type.

This space was simplified after we worked on his bookshelf to make room for the random books scattered around.

Now he can sit on his beanbag stuffed with plush toys and listen to music! That dinosaur became a fun focal point when you enter the room.

This under-utilized space feels cluttered, with bins of toys that don’t belong in this closet.

We reorganized the hanging closet and consolidated his Pokémon collection. The mom had some card holder boxes being delivered, and we gave her son the task of organizing them over the week. Another task they had at the end of the session was to donate and recycle the items in the two gray bins on the floor.

Let me know in the comments if you have any questions or feel inspired to work with your children on organizing as well!

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Home organizing is letting go of what no longer serves you.

Parenting is knowing when to let go and trust your child to figure it out.

The Dooley Method is practicing both — together.

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