Are you confident you know what it takes to stay on top of clutter and chaos? Put your
skills to the test. Can you spot these common organizing mistakes?
1. Buying Storage Products Before You Sort: It’s exciting to get organized, and it’s tempting to buy bins, baskets, and drawer dividers right away. But without first knowing what you’re organizing, how much you have, and where it needs to go, you risk
buying the wrong size or type of product...or too many.
Start by decluttering, grouping like items, and measuring your space. Only then should you shop for containers that truly work for your needs. 2. Assuming You Need More Furniture: Before you invest in new
bookshelves, cabinets, or storage ottomans, take a look around. There’s often untapped storage space hiding in plain sight, like the area under beds, high-up shelf space in closets, or even the backs of cabinet doors.
Think creatively and make better use of the
storage you already have. A simple closet shelf adjustment can make a big difference.
3. Forgetting to Maintain Your System: Organizing isn’t a one-time event. It’s something that needs upkeep. Just like dishes pile up if you don’t stay on top of them, your organized systems can fall apart if you stop using
them.
Schedule regular check-ins to purge what’s no longer useful and tweak systems that aren’t working anymore. Maintenance is key to staying clutter-free.
4. Overstuffing Drawers and Containers: Stuffing all your utensils into one drawer or cramming every paper into a file folder might feel efficient, but it isn’t. Overfilled storage makes it hard to find anything and often results in messes. Give your belongings a little breathing room. If your space is too full, take that as a cue to declutter.
5. Skipping the Planning Stage: Organizing without a plan is like decorating a room without knowing what it’ll be used for. Think through how you want a room to function before you dive in.
Ask yourself what you want to keep in the space, what activities happen there, and what isn’t serving a purpose. Assign a job to every zone in the room to avoid simply moving clutter from one spot to another.
6. Not Assigning Logical Homes: Shoving items anywhere they fit might
give the illusion of tidiness, but if you can’t find them later, it’s not working. Organizing means assigning each item a home that makes sense.
Keep like-items together and store things close to where they’re used. For instance, keep your hair products in the
bathroom, your measuring cups near the stove, and your tools in one designated spot in the garage.
7. Using One Huge Storage Space: Oversized closets or deep cabinets may seem like organizing gold...but without structure, they quickly turn chaotic.
Break up large spaces into smaller zones with the help of bins, baskets, or shelf dividers. When everything has its own designated spot, it's easier to find what you need and return it when you’re done.
8. Storing Everyday Items in Hard-to-Reach Places: If you’re constantly climbing on a stool to get your favorite pan or digging through boxes to find your planner, something’s off. Keep everyday items within easy reach. Store rarely-used items, like holiday décor or keepsakes, in out-of-the-way places, such as high shelves or under-bed bins. Save your prime real estate for things you use all the time.
Organizing doesn’t mean perfection. It means creating systems that work for you and your household. Avoid these common mistakes, and you’ll be well on your way to a home that feels calm, clear, and totally manageable.
On another note...
Are you prepared for the school year ahead? You'll find backpacks,
school supplies, lunchboxes and more on these two links:
and/or