Organizing your home – Mistakes to Avoid
Organizing your home may feel like a daunting and overwhelming task, but it does not have to be. Here are a few easy guidelines to help you be more successful and avoid common mistakes.
Photo Cred: Casper Interiors
Not having a game plan:
How often do we spin our wheels when we do not know what we are trying to get out a situation or project? Having clear objectives allows us to ensure we stay on track, guide us, hold us accountable, and monitor our progress.
What is the intent of organizing this space?
Why do I feel the need to organize this space?
Being intentional about our needs will help us stay focused and prevent us from wasting time and energy. When we tackle a home organization project, we need to remind ourselves what is our game plan:
Why does that space need organizing?
How does that space make me feel?
Am I ready to let things go to help create a space of calm?
Ensure you understand and prioritize what needs to be done. Understand the time commitment that may need to be made for the tasks at hand and utilize proper time management skills to stay on track and complete the project.
Photo cred: Casper Interiors
2. Functionality takes a back seat to aesthetics
How many times do we see that Instagram post of someone’s pantry that is perfectly staged? Minimal food contents, Evian water bottles, and multiple empty shelves. This is not reality people! Those pictures are staged for Instagram moments to show an aesthetic, a look, give you a feeling. Oftentimes, those pictures make us feel bad because we know we cannot achieve that in our reality. Our lives are filled running from one event to the next, children coming and going (oftentimes leaving a mess or trail behind them), and just trying to stay afloat.
When we try to live in an overly perfect environment – we are doomed to fail. Its too much. We need to know what our reality is. How does your family live each day? How does your family function? What is best for your family?
When we answer these questions honestly, we can still achieve a level or organization that works for your needs, ensuring we are able to maintain that longer term.
Photo cred: Mojo Boutique
3. Ignoring problem areas or awkward spaces
Photo cred: Casper Interiors
How many times have you tried to avoid that “awkward” space in your home? Thinking there is nothing that can be done and it quickly becomes a dumping ground for everything. When we think about home organization, it is all encompassing of every square inch of our home, unlocking the potential in all areas of our home.
Avoiding these areas can lead to potentially wasted space in our homes not being utilized and an overall practical home. While it may feel overwhelming initially, the intent is to create a functional space across our entire home so we can enjoy efficient spaces and bring calm to our lives.
4. Ignoring how your family lives day to day
We have all seen those pictures online ranging from celebrity homes to pictures in magazines or our Instagram feed.
Everything in the house is perfectly staged and doesn’t look lived in.
Everything is picture perfect.
The pantry has empty shelves and half full baskets of snacks.
Closets are color coded and spotless.
When organizing your home, it is important to understand each member of your family. How do they live their daily lives? How do they go about their daily routine? What will work for them to help keep them organized? We often want to take the lead to get it done quickly and organize a space based on what we would do. This oftentimes results in the space going back to disarray and feelings of frustration. Inviting members of your family along on the journey is a great way to achieving long lasting home organization success.
Photo cred: Casper Interiors
I remember when my daughter was younger, and we needed to get control of her closet. Instead of doing it myself, we sat and talked about the clothes she had, how we could organize them, and what made sense for her when she got ready. After sitting down, we organized her clothes into various piles and put things in bins and she excitedly made her own labels. This made her feel like she was owning the process and making the decisions. Is it “Pinterest” perfect? To some, yes, to others, no. But I saw it as a sign of success that would ensure my daughter would keep her clothes organized and made her smile because she saw the labels she worked so hard on, on those bins.
Ensuring you understand how your family lives daily is critical in the long-term success of keeping spaces in your home organized. It may take a little longer, but the reward will pay off!
5. Unwillingness to let things go
Photo cred: ASDNext
We live in a society where everything is immediate. From our internet speeds, streaming shows, editing selfies, to fast food options – immediate gratification is everywhere.
Many times we scroll through Pinterest or Instagram and see pictures of perfectly staged rooms, pantries, or closets and get motivated to mirror that for our space. We go out and buy containers, organizers, or baskets similar to what we saw without truly understanding our space or doing the work.
In order to achieve that “look” or “Pinterest picture” we saw, we need to embrace the first step: declutter. Start by removing unnecessary items that take up space in your home. This will help you see the space better and ensure you can properly organize the space with the proper organizational items. If you buy those items first, you may buy things you don’t need, so do the work first! It may be challenging at first or for many of you, but pushing forward and doing that work will become easier over time.
6. Rushing the process
Photo Cred: Adobe stock
How many times have we underestimated the amount of time something may take? From running a quick errand, grocery store shopping, or a work project. We need to make sure we allocate the proper amount of time to complete a task. Dedicating a few hours or a full day to organizing a space may not result in an immediate visible reward, but small amounts of time saved looking for something or cleaning something up because it is not in the proper space will add up quickly. We will also see the benefits on how we feel. Calmer. Lighter. Less frazzled.
Sometimes, we need to remind ourselves: things may get worse or harder before they get better. For those large or overwhelming projects – it may take a huge effort to stay dedicated to completing the project. It may feel impossible, but staying dedicated to completing the project and remembering the why behind why you started will help and keep you on track.
Now you have a few tips and tricks to arm you with the confidence to tackle that tricky space you have been avoiding and restore calm to your lives.