The Kanban Method Could Be the Secret to Organizing Your Home and Your Life — Here's How to Use It

Maintaining an organized environment is intrinsically linked to living a little easier. But let's be real: Eventually, things do get muddled and disorganized, and finding your way back to a zen home without the mess is not always as straightforward as we'd like.

If you're looking for easy home organization ideas to implement in your space but aren't sure where to begin, let me introduce you to the Kanban method. It is the perfect stepping stone to start your home transformation.

You may not have known about this technique until now or perhaps you've heard whispers about it before but haven't fully immersed yourself in the principle. And not to sound cult-ish, but by the end of this, perhaps you'll be a Kanban convertee.

How to Use the Kanban Method

{rofessional organizer Di Ter Avest tells us that Kanban, literally meaning signboard in Japanese, was originally developed by an industrial engineer at Toyota as a production system in Japan.

She further explains that the Kanban method is a straightforward and visual approach to managing tasks and workflows.

"It uses a board divided into columns that represent stages of a process, such as 'To Do,' 'In Progress,' and 'Done', where tasks are written on cards or sticky notes and moved from one column to the next as progress is made," she notes. "This simple system helps people visualize their workload, prioritize tasks, and keep everything organized at a glance."

As home organization trends go, Di finds that the Kanban method is a highly visual organizational tool that can be easily adapted for personal or home use.

She tells us that it allows you to streamline tasks and manage workflow in a way that suits your unique needs and preferences.

What are the Benefits of the Kanban Method?

Home organization expert Meaghan Kessman also explains that the primary advantage of the Kanban method is increased clarity. "By breaking down tasks into manageable stages, you can easily track progress and prevent juggling too many tasks simultaneously," she says. "It's also so satisfying to move completed tasks to the 'Completed' column."

Di tells us that the Kanban method helps you stay focused by visually organizing tasks, making it easy to see what needs attention and reducing mental clutter. "It can boost productivity by limiting multitasking, so you finish one task before starting another," she points out. Methods like this are especially helpful if you prefer organizing your home in under 30 minutes while working in bursts.

Sharing a similar sentiment to Meaghan, Di also tells us that the most inspiring aspect is seeing progress from "To Do" to "Done," which can be a powerful motivator — and we're in complete agreement.

Which Rooms Can I Use the Kanban Method for?

While most organizing rules apply to a majority of home zones, some rules work better when applied to specific rooms. So we asked the experts which rooms are most Kanban compatible and here's what they had to say.

Kitchens: Meaghan tells us that the Kanban method can be used for kitchen organization to track meal planning, grocery lists, and kitchen chores.

Home offices: "The Kanban method is perfect for managing work tasks or personal projects in a home office," notes Di. "Use it to keep track of daily organizational to-dos, deadlines, and long-term goals."

Laundry rooms: "Organize laundry stages to maintain a smooth flow without overwhelming piles," says Meaghan. She finds that the Kanban method is a nifty hack to employ if you're learning how to organize a laundry room.

On the surface, the Kanban method may not seem like an organizational genius but in a way, the fact that it operates off organization only makes the output stronger. And if you ask us, making a Kanban board is a clever first step to organizing your living space.

The flexible yet planned approach to organization is precisely what makes it a trusted technique among plenty of professional organizers, including both Di and Meaghan.

With the foundation all laid out, you can also make your own Kanban board and begin your home organization journey. And if you start now, you'll clear tons of tasks off your roster by the time the holiday season is in full swing.