When Ashley Murphy and Marissa Hagmeyer—co-founders of NEAT Method and authors of The NEAT Method Organizing Recipe Book—stopped by our Brooklyn HQ recently, they didn’t just come for a quick hello. They came armed with drawer dividers, stylish bins, and a vision. In just a few hours, they transformed our most chaotic corners (think: a junk drawer overflowing with cords, a coat closet with mismatched hangers, and the under-sink abyss in our studio kitchen) into Pinterest-worthy spaces. But what stuck with me even more than the aesthetic glow-up? The way they made organizing feel approachable—even fun.
Their first ever book, which dropped in January, reads like a friend holding your hand through the chaos. It’s packed with more than 70 step-by-step projects, from refreshing your fridge to finally figuring out your bedroom drawers. “It’s about finding what works for you and what makes sense in your routine,” Marissa told me. “We thought the recipe concept would make it more bite-sized—you can follow the steps, take small doses within your home, and curate exactly what you’re looking for.”
I sat down with the co-founders to talk about the rise of organizing as a lifestyle, how to start small if you’re feeling overwhelmed, and why most people are actually using expired spices (guilty). As someone who’s admittedly more maximalist than minimalist, I found myself oddly excited to purge my closet—and, dare I say, organize my junk drawer. Here’s what I learned.
Jump to: Top Organizing Tips from Marissa & Ashley ↓
Meet the Founders Behind NEAT Method
Marissa and Ashley didn’t set out to build a national organizing empire—but when the two friends realized they both loved “creating order from chaos,” NEAT Method was born. Since launching in 2011, they’ve grown their brand into a go-to resource for home organization, with trained organizers working in more than 95 cities across the U.S. and Canada.
Both women grew up in homes where organization was the norm (yes, they had neat parents), but their approach goes beyond just aesthetics. “We do care about aesthetics,” Ashley told me, “but functionality is just as important.” That means building systems that work with your daily habits—so that staying tidy isn’t a constant uphill battle.
“We always start by asking: What are your high-traffic areas? What’s sitting out that doesn’t need to be?” Marissa said. “Create that sense of calm really does start within your home, because that’s where you’re starting your day and ending your day.”
And yes, they’ve seen it all: the jam-packed garages, the overflowing pantries, and the deeply skeptical spouses. “It probably happens every week,” Ashley laughed. “The person who hires us is thrilled, but the spouse is like… ‘Wait, we’re paying someone to organize the junk drawer?’ But by the end, it’s almost always that same person who’s like, ‘So, when can you come back to do the garage?’”
So, What Is The NEAT Method Book?
If you remember the Marie Kondo craze of the mid-2000s that had everyone wondering whether their mugs and sweaters sparked joy—same. I think that might’ve actually been the last time I bought an organizing book. But now? I’m adding another one to the shelf.
The NEAT Method Organizing Recipe Book is all about creating systems that actually work for your life—even if you have a lot of stuff.
“Our stance has never been like, ‘Oh, you have to get rid of everything, and you have to live this minimal life,’” Ashley told me. “For us, it’s more about mindful living—being aware of what you actually own.”
“You shouldn’t be buying things that you already have so much of,” Marissa added. “Nor should you be buying things that ultimately don’t fit in a space.”
Whether it’s a closet packed with nearly identical white shirts or a kitchen overflowing with bulk items you forgot you had, their step-by-step projects help you take inventory and reset.
This might mean getting rid of expired pantry goods (Marissa says spices are the #1 offender), or finally pulling all your clothes out of your closet to see what you’ve forgotten you own.
Their go-to organizing method looks something like this:
• Pull everything out
• Sort and assess—donate, toss, or keep
• Wipe down the space
• Add organizers (like bins, drawer inserts, or matching hangers)
• Label it!
The NEAT Method Organizing Recipe Book, $20
After over a decade of working in homes across the country, Ashley and Marissa have seen what works—and what definitely doesn’t. Whether you’re dealing with clutter creep or looking to overhaul a whole room, these pro tips are a great place to start:
1. Invest in the right tools
The duo swears by bins, baskets, drawer inserts, and especially matching hangers. “It makes your closet function so much better,” Ashley said. “Ours are super thin, so you can fit more. Everything hangs in the same direction, nothing gets stuck on each other, and you’re not ruining sweaters.”
2. Check your expiration dates
“Hands down, the most expired stuff we see is in people’s spice drawers,” Marissa said. “People just don’t realize how long they’ve had them.” A quick pantry sweep can make a big difference.
3. Get honest about what you use
Whether it’s your coat closet or kitchen tools, if you forgot it existed, you probably don’t need it. Pull everything out, take a hard look, and make decisions from there.
4. Labels are your best friend
They’re not just cute—they help keep everything where it belongs. Label bins for seasonal clothes, extra linens, pantry staples, or even your holiday decor. “It’s one of the easiest ways to stay organized once a system is in place,” Ashley said.
5. Start small, but start somewhere
Feeling overwhelmed? Don’t aim to redo your entire house in a weekend. Both Marissa and Ashley recommend starting with the kitchen, closet, or multipurpose and going from there. “You could be like, Okay, I’m just gonna start with just the Tupperware drawer or the water bottles or utensils, or, you know, multi purpose drawer. And it’s like, if you took those one a week and just tiny little projects along the way, your whole space would get done
A Fresh Start (That Actually Lasts)
Sure, we can’t all hire the NEAT Method team to swoop in and work their magic IRL—but this book? It’s the next best thing. Their method is equal parts motivational and manageable. It’s about building routines that actually work with your life—and, okay, maybe also getting those matching hangers.
What are your best organizing tips & tricks?
