The Nonna Method for an Organized, Joyful Home

Nonna Do’s home has always felt two things at once: beautifully orderly and completely welcoming. You could open any drawer and find exactly what you needed, yet nothing ever felt stiff or showroom-perfect. There were flour and semolina ready for gnocchi, fabric folded by color, orchids thriving on the windowsill, and a table that could stretch to seat everyone. Her secret was never a fancy system or expensive containers. It was a way of thinking: everything has a home, the home should make sense, and the house exists to serve the family, not the other way around. We call it the Nonna Method, and here it is, room by room.

The Four Principles

1. Keep what you use and love. If it isn’t useful or doesn’t make you smile, it’s taking up space someone else could use.
2. Store things where you use them. Wooden spoons next to the stove, tape measure by the sewing machine, vases near the sink where you fill them.
3. Make it visible. Clear jars, labeled boxes and open baskets mean you never buy a third jar of cinnamon.
4. A little every day beats a lot once a year. Ten minutes of tidying daily prevents the dreaded weekend-long clear-out.

The Kitchen and Pantry: The Heart of the House

In Nonna’s kitchen, organization is about cooking with ease. When Sunday sauce is simmering and the family is arriving, nobody should be hunting for the oregano.

Set up zones

• Prep zone: cutting boards, knives, mixing bowls and a crock of wooden spoons near the counter where you chop
• Cooking zone: pots, pans, oils, salt and everyday spices within arm’s reach of the stove
• Baking zone: flours, sugar, yeast, baking pans, rolling pin and scale grouped together
• Serving zone: plates, platters and linens near the table

Organize the pantry

• Decant staples such as flour, rice, pasta, beans and sugar into clear, airtight jars. Airtight glass or food-safe containers also help keep pantry pests out.
• Label with the date you filled the jar. Write it on masking tape on the bottom, or on the label itself.
• First in, first out. Put new groceries behind the old ones so older items get used first.
• Group by meal, not by package. A “pasta night” shelf holds pasta, canned tomatoes, olive oil and dried herbs together.
• Use risers and turntables for spices and small jars so nothing hides at the back.
• Keep a running list taped inside the pantry door. When something is nearly gone, write it down immediately.

Nonna’s Tip: Keep your olive oil in a cool, dark cupboard away from the stove. Heat and light make it go stale faster, and “Butter is good, olive oil is better” only when the oil is fresh.

For a full list of what deserves a spot on those shelves, see our guide to Nonna’s pantry essentials.

The Linen Closet

A well-kept linen closet feels like a small luxury.

• Store sheets in sets. Fold the fitted sheet, flat sheet and one pillowcase, then tuck them all inside the second matching pillowcase. One bundle, no searching.
• Label shelves by room or bed size: “Queen,” “Twin,” “Guest bath.”
• Two sets per bed is plenty: one on the bed, one in the closet. Beyond that, donate or repurpose.
• Fold towels the same way so stacks are neat and easy to count. Nonna folds them in thirds lengthwise, then in half or thirds again.
• Freshen naturally. Tuck a sachet of dried lavender between stacks.
• Keep a small mending basket on a low shelf for linens with a loose hem or a small tear. Our post on mending and hemming shows how to fix them.

Sewing and Craft Supplies

As a skilled seamstress and crafter, Mom knows that creative spaces get messy fast. Her rules:

• Thread by color in a clear, divided box, or on a wall-mounted spool rack.
• Fabric folded to the same size (fold around a piece of cardboard or a ruler) and stacked spine-out like books, arranged by color.
• Notions in small labeled jars: buttons, snaps, hooks, elastic, zippers.
• Project bins. Each work-in-progress lives in its own box or bag with its pattern, fabric and thread, so you can pick it up and put it down easily.
• Shells and found treasures sorted by size in egg cartons or muffin tins until they become frames and keepsakes.

Living Room and Bedrooms

• One basket per person by the door for keys, mail and small things.
• A “landing tray” on the coffee table for remotes and reading glasses.
• Closets by category, then color: all blouses together, light to dark.
• Out-of-season clothes in labeled bins under the bed or on high shelves.

Decluttering With Love

This is where the Nonna Method is different. Letting go is never about being ruthless. It’s about honoring what matters.

• Keep the story, not every object. Save one of the children’s school drawings, not forty. Photograph the rest before letting them go.
• Create a memory box for each child and grandchild, filled with a few baby clothes, a handwritten card, a first tooth tucked in an envelope.
• Use and enjoy heirlooms. A grandmother’s tablecloth belongs on the table on holidays, not folded away forever.
• Pass things on while you can see the joy. Giving a treasured dish to a grandchild now means you get to watch them use it.
• Donate generously. What you don’t need can warm another home.

“Food is love. And there’s always enough love for everyone.” — Nonna Do

A home works the same way: less clutter leaves more room for people.

Label Everything (Kindly)

Labels aren’t about control; they help everyone in the house put things back.

• Use simple words: “Baking,” “Batteries,” “Gift wrap.”
• Choose one style for the whole house (handwritten tags, a label maker or chalkboard labels) so it looks calm and consistent.
• In a multilingual family, add a second language for fun: brašno (Croatian for flour) or farina (Italian) on the flour jar makes a lovely lesson for grandchildren.

A Weekly Rhythm

Day	Focus
Monday	Laundry, linens and a quick bathroom refresh
Tuesday	Dust and tidy living areas
Wednesday	Check pantry and fridge, and write the shopping list
Thursday	Floors throughout
Friday	Kitchen deep clean, then fresh flowers on the table
Saturday	Projects, crafts and one drawer to declutter
Sunday	Rest, faith, family and the big table

Every day, ten minutes: dishes done, counters clear, things returned to their homes before bed.

Your Printable-Style Checklist

Kitchen & Pantry - [ ] Staples decanted and labeled with dates - [ ] Spices on a riser or turntable - [ ] Shopping list posted inside the pantry door

Linen Closet - [ ] Sheets bundled in pillowcase sets - [ ] Shelves labeled by room or bed size - [ ] Extra or worn linens donated

Craft & Sewing - [ ] Thread sorted by color - [ ] Fabric folded uniformly - [ ] One bin per project

Memories - [ ] One memory box per child or grandchild - [ ] Extra keepsakes photographed before letting go

Nonna’s Takeaway

An organized home isn’t about perfection. It’s about peace, so that when the family walks in, all your energy can go to hugs and a full table. Start with one shelf this week, and let the joy spread from there. For more ideas on making your space beautiful as well as tidy, visit our home and design guides.

Keep exploring: Mediterranean interior design · Nonna’s kitchen