Avoid This Organization Mistake

The funnest part about decluttering and organizing for most people is shopping for new organizers—tools, bins, shelves, containers, baskets, etc. Because of this, it can be easy to skip ahead to shopping, but I’m urging you to resist the temptation.

Your organizing session might go from…

...to...

…really quickly, and here’s a few important reasons why:

• You might buy organizers for items you don’t need or use anymore—which will make it more difficult to get rid of those unnecessary items, and ultimately add more clutter to your clutter.

• You’ll waste money on solutions that may not work well for your space, family, and/or lifestyle.

• You’ll waste time either (1) trying to make use of the items you bought, or (2) going back to the store to pick out what you need instead.

• You may not be able to use the space to its fullest potential, and isn’t that a critical motivation for wanting a decluttered space in the first place?

• You may end up with a space that still isn’t working for you, which will likely require another organizing session down the road (wasting even more time and money).

Before you head to the store, I highly encourage you to do these 3 things first:

1. Declutter your space.

Lucky for you, I have an entire 5-blog series outlining and guiding you through this very process!

2. Plan the placement of all the items you need to store in that space before buying anything.

Organizers aren’t meant to be the hero of your space. Instead, they are meant to complement and maximize a good organizational plan by using the space you already have to its fullest potential.

3. Consider what types of organizers will make the best use of the space you have.

Think outside the box and don’t forget to take into account the height and depth of a space (which often gets overlooked). You may end up missing out on the opportunity to use the space well. Here are a couple quick tips for making the best use of exceptionally deep or tall spaces:

• Add stacking shelves or drawers to take advantage of the height of a space.

• Store lesser used items in the back where it's harder to reach and see; it's the perfect place for things you need to hold on to, but don't use very often.

• Store frequently used items in the front so they are easy to access, but most importantly, easy to put away.

• Use clear or labeled containers that allow you to see and remember what’s in the space without having to physically reach back to remove it.

Once you've completed these 3 things, it's safe for you to head to the store and start having fun selecting organizers. However, if picking out the perfect organizing solutions sounds like a daunting and time-consuming task, I've got you covered! Perfect Piece Organizing's all-inclusive plans take care of everything—including measuring, custom labels, shopping, and returns—so you can rest easy.