Don’t Make This Home Organizing Mistake

So you have decided to tackle the project of getting your house organized. Woohoo! What’s the first thing you do? Is it:

a. Go to the container store and buy a bunch of organizing bins.

b. Pick one area of your house and pull everything out to painstakingly go through each item.

c. Hire a professional organizer to do everything for you.

If you picked b, congratulations, that would be the correct choice!

Most people think they must purchase bins and organize products before starting an organizing project. However, purchasing any organizing products before decluttering is a mistake. Instead, pick one area of your home, pull everything out of the cabinets, drawers, closets, etc., and go through each item individually. Make five piles (keep, trash/recycle, donate, sell, undecided). Be honest as you go through your things and add each item to the appropriate pile. It is a time-consuming process at first, but it will save you time in the long run. Maybe I’m a weirdo, but I love this process. I find it so satisfying and therapeutic. Turn up your favorite tunes, ensure you have a block of several hours free and get to it! When you complete one area of your home, move on to the next. Continue the process until your whole house has been organized. The key is to declutter in sections and complete one section before moving on to the next to prevent feeling overwhelmed. You will feel so good when you are done, I promise. 

Now I’d like to address the other two options. The problem with choice A (purchasing organizing containers) is that it may be unnecessary. If you purchase organizing tools before you know what you need, it worsens the problem. Also, bins can sometimes encourage you to hold on to items you don’t need or use because they are out of sight. Just because you have a place to store something doesn’t mean you should. 

The problem with option C (hiring an organizer) is that to be truly effective; an organizer needs the client to go through the process with them. Most people will hire an organizer thinking they don’t have to be involved and their house will magically be perfect. While it is possible, it’s just not very effective. Why? Because YOU need to make the decisions about what stays and what goes. Organized clutter is still clutter, and a crucial part of the organizing process is eliminating that clutter. An organizer can help you with the process and hold you accountable, but the client's participation is necessary. 

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