I strongly believe that the most important aspect of any organizational system is its usefulness: if the system doesn't do what you need it to do and isn't easy to use, it's not doing its job. The first thing to consider when doing any sort of organizing, then, isn't how a system looks but how it functions.

That said, once you have a functional system in place, adding some finishing touches that make it more attractive or more pleasant to use can help ensure that you stick with the system. I call these touches icing on the cake. Here are five such projects to get you started.

#1: Install drawer dividers
Though basic drawer dividers can often be part of a foundational orgaizing system (especially in the kitchen, where drawers can easily sink into chaos without things like silverware holders), they can also come into play once you have basic systems in place. In the kitchen, for example, you might use drawer dividers not only to keep forks with forks and spoons with spoons, but also to create separate compartments for baking supplies, spatulas, mini gadgets, and other tools that could otherwise end up as a mishmash in a drawer.

Drawer dividers can also bring an added touch of order to dresser drawers, allowing you to corral socks, undergarments, t-shirts, and other types of folded clothes. This can be especially handy if you're sharing your dresser space with a spouse or partner!

#2: Line your shelves
To the best of my knowledge, no organizing system has ever broken down because it included shelves that weren't covered in shelf paper or padded lining. Such liners are truly nice-to-haves, not necessities, but they really can bring a special touch to your kitchen or linen closet. If you're a fan of a particular scent, you might consider adding fragranced shelf liners to your linen closet, which will help give your sheets and towels a touch of the scent you enjoy. Alternately, you can use Contac paper to add color or patterns to your shelves.

In the kitchen, shelf liners can help protect glassware, china, and other fragile items. You can choose from vinyl, mesh, or foam liners, most of which are easy to measure, cut, and install.

#3: Standardize your file folders and labels
If you've ever lived without a functional filing system, you know that even getting some basic, usable files in place--regardless of what they look like or how beat-up the folders might be--can make a tremendous difference. Once you've lived with your filing system for a while, though, consider bringing it up to the next level by replacing worn folders and standardizing your labels. My preferred file folders are those with straight-cut tabs, which run the full length of the folder; third-cut folders, which have tabs on the left, center, and right, are also a good option. (If possible, steer clear of fifth-cut folders, whose tabs are often too small to label well.) For the files you use most often, consider investing in folders with double-strength tabs, which will stand up well to repeatedly being pulled out of and put back into drawers.

If you have neat handwriting, you might opt to write your labels; if not, or if you prefer the look of machine-made labels, pick up a simple label maker from your local office supply store. These little gadgets allow you to make labels one at a time, which makes it easy to add to and modify your filing system as you go along. If you're planning to make many labels at once, you might also consider using the label-making feature in your word processing program.

#4: Replace your basic bins, boxes, and containers
In most situations, a basic container will work just as well as something fancier to hold items and serve as part of an organizational system. But upgrading your containers--especially those that are out in the open--can bring a new sense of cohesiveness to your system and can up the visual appeal.

There's a nearly endless array of options as far as containers go, from the basic plastic ones you can find at Target to the colorful models Ikea stocks to the upscale bins, baskets, and boxes on the shelves of the Container Store, West Elm, Pottery Barn, and other stores. Fancy containers can get expensive fast, so it pays to shop around and splurge mainly on those that will be most visible (e.g., on top of your dresser or in your main entryway). You can also dress up basic containers by covering them with decorative paper or other interesting materials.

#5: Upgrade your storage furniture
Finally, look for ways to make small but impactful upgrades to the furniture you use for storage, such as shelves, stand-alone cabinets, and filing cabinets. With storage furniture, having something functional is, of course, better than having nothing at all, but there's also something to be said for having pieces that fit in with the overall look of your home or office and are enjoyable to use. So ditch that filing cabinet that always takes two or three good tugs to open, or that tips over when the top drawer is pulled out, and replace it with one that's sturdy and has smoothly functioning drawers. If you've been living with the same bookshelves since college, consider either refinishing them with a new paint or stain or passing them along and investing in a new set.

These five mini projects aren't crucial to any organizing system, but they can do a great deal to help you enjoy the systems you create, and to make it more pleasant to stick with them. Because in the end, your systems should be more than functional: they should also be fun.