Don't Miss: 6 Home Organization Experts Share Their "Golden Tips" for Passover Eve

Passover is almost here, and we are all busy with last-minute cleaning and preparations. But what happens for women who organize and tidy homes all year round?

We reached out to five leading women in home organization to find out how they prepare their homes for Passover during their busiest work season, and most importantly, what their winning tips are for home organization. The results are in. Even if you can't implement them this year, it's highly recommended to save them for next year.

Ayelet Greenberg: "Don't Go Big"

Ayelet Greenberg, 56, mother and homeowner, author of the book 'Get Out of the Mess' published by Steimatzky, a guide for home organization. "I've been in the field for about 18 years and am proud to be among the first in the country in this innovative field. My motto is: 'Mess at home is also mess in the head, and the result is a mess in life. Order and organization improve our quality of life."

(Background: Shutterstock)

My Passover

"When I was a student about thirty years ago, I worked in the days leading up to Passover cleaning in the ultra-Orthodox neighborhoods of Jerusalem. One thing I particularly remember was that one of the homeowners told me she began her cleaning already on Tu Bishvat. Every cabinet she finished cleaning got a small sticker on it as a sign it was clean and ready for Passover.

"This tip has stayed with me ever since, in my work and in my own home, especially during these days leading up to Passover. The task of cleaning 'the whole house' at once is overwhelming and even discouraging. But when I know that I polished the medicine cabinet in the bathroom two weeks ago and the sideboard collecting dust last week, I immediately feel great relief. This way I go through the whole house bit by bit."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

The Winning Tip:

"Here are some tips for organizing closets, in hope they help everyone:

• Excellent Closet Tip: Hang hangers backward in the closet (meaning turned inward). Each time we return clothes from the laundry and hang them again, hang the hanger 'normally' with the hook facing outward. By the end of the season, we can see which items we didn’t use at all.
• Clean - It’s very important to store clean clothes! This greatly reduces the risk of finding them eaten by moths and full of stains the following year.
• Moth Prevention - Place moth-repellent materials in the closet. There are now products with a mild scent in the market, unlike the heavy smell of naphthalene which many people find unpleasant.
• Scent - It’s important to replace scent sachets and fragrant soaps. They have absorbed dust and moisture and should be replaced every few months. Don't overdo the quantity.
• Folding - Fold clothes according to the shape and depth of the shelf. Often a narrow fold that utilizes the entire depth of the closet allows an additional pile of clothes on the shelf, effectively increasing space utilization by thirty percent.
• Baskets - These are used inside the closet for subdivisions. To store socks, head coverings, etc. They are also very efficient inside dresser drawers, for instance, providing internal organization.
• Nylon Socks – You can simply wind them and make a loose knot. This way the pairs won't scatter.
• Dry Cleaning - Remove plastic covers from clothes returned from the dry cleaners. The clothes continue to emit substances after cleaning and it’s important to air them and not leave them in bags. Also, often laundries wrap several items together. If you don't remove the plastic, you can't see all the items."

Bat-El Eliav: "Divide Tasks"

Bat-El Eliav, 32, home organization expert, accompanies families and mostly women to an organized home and orderly life through virtual guidance via WhatsApp and Zoom. She provides the guidance and motivation, and they organize on their own.

My Passover:

"I start cleaning and organizing about a week and a half before Passover. Until then, I’m supporting and accompanying women, so I can't get to it earlier. Nonetheless, because the house is tidy and well-maintained throughout the year, there’s relatively little work which really calms me down every year before Passover. I progress gradually according to each area/room and achieve a lot thanks to this focus."

My Winning Tip:

"I highly recommend preparing small notes and writing the tasks that need to be completed before Passover. Each color represents an area, and everyone takes a note and completes the task until all notes disappear and all tasks are completed."

Inbal Saham: "Start Cooking Early"

"I am Inbal Saham, head of a firm providing organization and tidying services for individuals and businesses. I believe that order and organization help us manage life because when everything around is organized, we can focus on goals rather than constantly searching or clearing things. Moreover, when everything is orderly, cleaning is also more pleasant and easier."

My Passover Eve

"Since I usually host during the holiday and have to manage to clean, tidy, and cook, my Passover eve is characterized by much prior planning. I have precise plans regarding the shopping I need to complete and the cooking tasks on my plate, and I distribute the tasks according to available time. I usually finish my workday around evening and then focus on my personal home. Generally, I start working on the house ten days before the holiday, investing in each area in a focused manner each time. I never undertake a 'whole closet' or 'the entire room’, but rather a bit and then a bit more each time."

The Winning Tip

"You can split tasks; you don’t have to finish e-v-e-r-y-t-h-i-n-g in one day. Regarding hosting during the holiday: it's tough enough welcoming Passover with a clean, organized, and kosher house. When hosting the Seder night, there’s generally a significant burden due to cooking. Here it is important to remember that it’s okay to enlist the help of the guests. Share the load and assign responsibilities to them. By the way, it’s highly recommended to start cooking as early as possible and freeze what you can. Even if the kitchen isn’t entirely kosher yet, you can do it with electric burners, and the time and mess saved is tremendous."

Galit Socher: Organizing by Categories

"I am Galit Socher, 'Galit the Organizer', specializing in home organization, packing, unpacking, and arranging during moves."

My Passover

"During Passover eve, the number of projects I undertake grows, as people wish to perform a serious cleanup at home and release the closets of clutter. I personally see how people become slaves to their objects and during this holiday want to free themselves a bit. I also make sure during this period to refresh every area in my private home and consider what is important to keep and what no longer serves me and can serve someone else".

The Winning Tip:

"My house organization method involves organizing by categories. Remove all contents from a closet and assess each item individually. Only when the items are outside the closet can you see the quantities hidden within our closets for most of our lives. In my work, I often encounter women with five bags of pasta, each in a different cabinet, or who have purchased seven hair conditioners again and again because they couldn’t remember where they put the previous conditioner. Remember: 'A place can always be found for important objects at home; if it doesn’t have a spot, it's probably not really important.'

(Photo: Shutterstock)

"And another tip for parents with children: give each child three bags and ask them to go through the closet in their room and put inside the bags clothes that don’t fit them, toys, and games that aren’t suitable anymore, and so on. When they exercise their judgment, they will succeed in emptying their closets and sense the cleanliness and freshness in their personal room."

Orit Pinchasov:

"I am Orit Eliyahu Pinchasov, married, and a mother of four, owner of the business 'New Order', a company specializing in home organization and moving. I entered the field out of my profound love for order and people, and a desire to create a calm and peaceful environment for people by organizing their home and teaching them the rules for maintaining order."

My Passover

"Since I sort all year long and get rid of unused items, my preparations consist of thorough cleaning only. The first step is early planning that includes the goals, how much time is available, and who can help. In the second step, I break the big task of preparing the house for Passover into small, short, and achievable sub-tasks. As the period before Passover is very busy with clients wanting help in organizing their homes, as well as clients moving and wanting to complete the move before the holiday, I start working on my home about a month before the holiday. On short workdays, I dedicate time to cleaning a whole room, while on long days, I finish by cleaning a single closet.

"I clean the children's rooms in cooperation with them; this is a good opportunity for quality time and to foster independence, allowing them to make decisions about their belongings. The kitchen, I leave for the days right before the holiday, allowing us all to still enjoy chametz a bit longer."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

The Winning Tip:

"Anyone reading this article has probably already finished organizing, so I'll focus on tips for the seven days of the holiday: after we've worked and cleaned, we want the order to remain during the holiday too, so it's wise to divide tasks among household members in advance, to help with clearing, folding, cleaning, and whatever else is needed. If you’re hosting, you can also enlist the help of the guests. They'll be happy to participate. Additionally, prepare ahead plastic containers to distribute leftovers to guests. There will always be someone happy to take food home, and you won’t end up with a stuffed fridge."

Mazi Tamim: "Don't Accumulate Unnecessary Items"

"I am Mazi, owner of the business 'Orderly Luck'. I was born to order, and I love organizing; I've been engaged in it since childhood. About 11 years ago I founded my business out of the belief that even if people find it hard to live in order, they should know how to sort and care for their belongings because order at home impacts all life areas."

My Passover Eve:

"I strive to manage time wisely, dividing it between work and my own home. Since generally, my home is very organized throughout the year, I only need to ensure its koshering according to Jewish law and remove any chametz. Thus, it’s all simpler, and still, of course, just before the holiday there's inevitable stress; I don’t think it can be escaped."

(Photo: Shutterstock)

The Winning Tip:

"My tip is actually for after Passover – after we’ve cleaned, polished, and invested so much in the house, we should train ourselves to continue living in order: not to buy items we don’t truly need, even if there are promotions like 'Buy 4 and get 5', sometimes it's better to pay a bit more for each item rather than stockpile a warehouse at home; If you decide to buy a new item or piece of furniture, it's highly recommended to throw away the old one or give it to someone else; It’s a good idea to establish a daily routine once a day – go through the house and clean a bit more, once a week to do so significantly, and once a month invest in thorough cleaning; And of course, if you feel that things aren’t working out and you have the financial means, don’t be ashamed to seek external help. It can be very beneficial, and after such a one-time assistance, you may be able to continue on your own."