Jun 21 - Are You Sabotaging Your Own Organizing Goals?

Jun 21 - Are You Sabotaging Your Own Organizing Goals? - GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter

Published: Sat, 06/21/25

Updated: Sun, 06/22/25

Get Organized Now!

In Less Than 5 Minutes!

by Maria Gracia

June 21, 2025

GetOrganizedNow.com

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Before you organize anything today, take five minutes to remove a few things you no longer use or love. Starting with less makes organizing easier—and you’ll build momentum without even opening a single bin.

Are You Sabotaging Your Own Organizing Goals?

A good friend of mine—we’ll call her Penny—was determined to get her home office in order. She bought cute bins, new folders, even a stylish rolling cart. But every time she tried to organize, she got stuck. “I don’t know why this isn’t working,” she told me. “I’m doing everything right!”

But as we talked, I realized Penny was unknowingly sabotaging her own efforts. She hadn’t decluttered first, so the bins just hid the chaos. She kept setting huge weekend goals she never quite got to. And she was hanging on to stacks of old papers “just in case.”
It’s something so many of us do—we set organizing goals, but then trip ourselves up without even realizing it.

Here are a few surprising ways you might be standing in your own way—and what you can do to shift the pattern:

1. You Keep Waiting for the “Perfect Time”
“I’ll tackle the garage when I have a full weekend free.” Sound familiar? Waiting for a perfect block of time is a great way to ensure things stay messy. Life rarely hands us uninterrupted time, so it’s far better to take small steps consistently—even if that means decluttering one shelf a day.

2. You Buy Organizing Products Before Decluttering
Baskets, bins, and drawer dividers can be helpful—after you know what you're keeping. But buying them first is like icing a cake you haven’t baked yet. It creates clutter and can make you feel worse. Focus on editing down what you have before trying to contain it.

3. You Set Unrealistic Expectations
Wanting to have your entire home organized by the weekend? That’s a fast track to burnout. When your goals are too big, it’s easy to feel defeated and give up. Instead, aim for a clear, reachable win—like organizing one drawer or cleaning out one bag of donations.

4. You Compare Yourself to Others
Scrolling through perfectly labeled pantries and color-coded closets can be inspiring—but it can also make you feel like you’ll never measure up. The truth? Most people don’t live that way. Focus on function over perfection. If your home works better for you, you’ve succeeded.

5. You Avoid Emotional Decisions
That box of old love letters, your child’s baby clothes, or your dad’s tools? Holding onto items for emotional reasons is natural. But keeping everything isn’t the answer. It’s okay to keep a few meaningful pieces—but letting go of the excess can actually honor the memory more by allowing you to truly appreciate what you kept.

6. You Say “I Might Need It Someday” to Everything
This one sentence has prevented millions of things from leaving homes. But someday is not a date on the calendar. Be honest with yourself. If you haven’t used it in years—and can’t even picture when you would—it’s likely safe to let it go.

7. You Don’t Celebrate Progress
If you only focus on how far you have to go, it’s hard to stay motivated. Give yourself credit for every little win. Cleaned out one drawer? That’s progress. Shredded a stack of old paperwork? That counts. Progress builds momentum, but only if you notice and celebrate it.

You’re not lazy or disorganized—you might just be sabotaging your own goals in small ways without realizing it. Recognizing those patterns is the first step toward changing them. So be kind to yourself, take it one drawer, one decision, one shelf at a time—and don’t forget to celebrate along the way.

On another note...

Beauty on a Budget...
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The Secret Life of Sand Dollars

One of my favorite Christmas ornaments is a delicate white sand dollar with a tiny red ribbon loop. I received it as a gift years ago, and I remember being curious—was it just a pretty shell, or did it have a story? That little ornament sent me down a rabbit hole of learning, and now that it’s beach season, I thought I’d share what I discovered.

Sand dollars are a type of flattened sea urchin that live in sandy, shallow waters—mainly along the coasts of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. So, if you’ve walked the beaches of California, the Carolinas, or even parts of Florida, you may have spotted one.

The ones we find on shore are actually their skeletons, called “tests.” When alive, they’re covered in tiny purple or reddish spines that help them move along the ocean floor and sift for food.

Here’s the part that fascinated me: if you gently shake a dry sand dollar, you might hear something rattle. Inside are tiny jaw fragments that some people call “doves.” There’s even a legend that these represent peace and goodwill, which made my ornament feel even more meaningful.

It’s amazing how something so small can carry both natural beauty and a little bit of magic. Keep an eye out if you’re visiting the beach—you never know what the tide will bring in.

Enjoying my newsletter? Please REPLY and let me know! Also, please forward this newsletter to 5 of your family members and/or friends and share the love!

Here's what just one GON reader had to say...

"Thank you! Very good advice and inspiration!"
-- Mary, Barrington, RI

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GON Summer Bucket List

This isn’t your average bucket list — it’s a collection of simple pleasures, joyful adventures, and relaxing escapes. 25 hand-picked ideas to help you slow down, soak up the sunshine, and savor everything the season has to offer!

Also, if you don't already have it, my 2025 Monthly Organizing Calendar is still available. Jump in today and start tackling those organizing tasks.

To access these free resources, click here

Last Chance to Vote! Your dryer cycle just ended. What do you do? Vote in my GON Reader Poll on my website home page and let us know

Results of Last Month's Web Poll: How many books do you read in a typical month? Access the results of this poll including a bunch of GON Reader Comments

June Organizing Challenge: Uplift Yourself and Others: Includes a series of small actions designed to boost your mood, strengthen your relationships, and bring positive energy into your everyday life. Take the challenge here

June 2025 Organizing Checklist: Kick off summer with my June 2025 monthly organizing checklist packed with quick, effective tasks to help you declutter, clean, and more

"We all have vulnerabilities that can sidetrack us from reaching our goals. Recognize the times when you're most likely to give into temptation, and make it harder for a single moment of weakness to sabotage your best efforts."
-- Amy Morin

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Warmly,

Maria Gracia
GetOrganizedNow.com

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-- Maria

Maria Gracia,

Get Organized Now!

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