The 5 Organizing Mistakes I Want To See End
I want to start this by saying that making mistakes, especially when it comes to organization, is part of the journey. It’s so important to try different mechanisms, systems and steps. Some will work, and some won’t, but you will ultimately build an organization lifestyle that fits you, your needs, and your space the best! With all that being said, as a professional organizer, I tend to notice a few commonly made mistakes that can stunt your organization growth. Continue reading to know the 5 organization mistakes I hope come to an end, and why I want them to end.
Not Maintaining Organization Habits In Your Everyday Life
One thing I mention to the Life In Jeneral community often is the initial step of organizing your whole space is just the first step. Unless you follow up with steps of building new organization habits and making it part of your lifestyle, it won’t stick. I recommend starting with small organization rituals that you can continue to expand on. Maybe this is adding the step of making your bed in the morning, emptying the trash out of your car when you are getting gas, and/or editing one drawer or cabinet a week. I promise you that if you want to make a true difference, I highly recommend you incorporate these practices into your daily routine. In efforts to stay accountable and diligent on your organization habits, I love calendars and checklists like this digital planner and this monthly calendar.
2. Trying To Be Too Perfect
It wouldn’t be fair for me to state this without admitting that I have absolutely been at fault for setting the standard of perfection on myself, and then being disappointed when I fall short. With that, my ongoing journey is trying not to get caught up with the concept of perfection. When we focus too much on perfection, we end up prioritizing trying to have a perfectly organized space, so we likely end up overwhelmed by over spending money and time on the task. At the end of the day, it’s important to realize that organizing is about making things a little more simple and efficient for you, not about achieving perfection. My hope for all of us is to leave those days of striving for perfection behind!
3. Not Taking Advantage Of Vertical Space
I think we often define the size and storage accessibility of a space based on what meets our focal point. Due to this, it can be super easy to forget how much bonus space we get by using high and low spaces. Whether I have a client with a massive room or a smaller room, utilizing vertical space is essential. This can be storing shoes on a door hanger or pull-out drawers. Take a peek at a few of my favorite vertical space organizers:
4 Shelf Unit - $150
2. Mount Metal Storage - $10
3. Mesh Over The Door Rack - $140
4. Under Sink Organizer Rack - $31
5.Weathertight Tote Clear - $19
4. Not Using Labels
If I were given three items on a deserted island, a label machine would be my first pick (kidding, but also not kidding). I think people often consider labeling to be an unnecessary additional step, so they choose to skip it entirely. What I don’t think some people realize, is how much time labeling can save. It might only save a minute or two when you are looking for something (or restocking something), but those minutes add up. Not to mention, it makes everything even more aesthetic.
Circuit Maker - $399
Brother P-Touch - $60
Food Labels - $10
White Chalk Markers - $15
Bin Clip Labels - $10
Brother P Label Marker - $60
Expiry Labels - $8
5. Not Giving Yourself Enough Time To Complete The Organization Process
I think one of the biggest mistakes one can make when organizing their space is not thinking through their plan. When you don’t think through your plan, you end up not allocating enough time to actually finish the process. The steps to organization are so incredibly beneficial, but they can also be time consuming. I highly recommend mapping out exactly what you plan on doing before you even begin. This will prevent any chance of you getting half way through the task, and having to abandon the job (ultimately leaving everything only partially finished). Map out a plan and be realistic with how long it will take you.