Need a to-do list? 10 tips to make your home organized (and pretty)

When it comes to our favorite part of beautifying a home, storage and organization rarely rank high.

But science suggests that your messy home is more than just an eyesore. Researchers from UCLA's Center on Everyday Lives and Families found that women who live in a cluttered home have higher levels of cortisol, a stress-related hormone. In other words, those strewn dirty clothes could take a serious toll on your health, as well as the look of your home.

Convinced that it's time to tidy up? Follow these timeless storage tips to update your home — and bid stress bye-bye.

Use paint to unify clutter. If you have open shelving in your kitchen, paint your walls the same color as your pottery. Your dishes and glassware will stand out less, making the shelving look organized.

Invest in matching canisters. Storing all of your dry goods in one style of glass jars or other canisters is a beautiful way to organize your pantry, and it instantly makes your shelves look cleaner.

Use low storage. Keep your favorite cookbooks or your go-to appliances on a shelf just below your counters, rather than on the benchtop — they'll be much more pleasing below eye level, but still easily accessible.

Display nostalgic items. Transform children's books, toys and dolls into works of art by installing floating shelves on the walls to showcase them. Display the book rather than the spines.

Choose a color theme. Purchase magazine files and desktop accessories in a single color. Having a cohesive shade can alleviate some of the visual dissonance that inevitably comes with a desk full of paperwork, books and other odds and ends.

Disguise cables with artwork. Erin Swift, style director at One Kings Lane, says framed artwork can be a great way to cover unsightly computer cords in a workspace. Swift layers artwork against a wall to cover electricity outlets, and beautify an otherwise banal space.

Create a digital filing system. Set aside a few hours to scan documents, and recycle the strewn papers when you're done.

Create a closet code. Follow the organization-obsessed Khloé Kardashian, and arrange every item in your closet by color and type.