7 Home Organizing Mistakes Most People Make—and How To Avoid Them

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Achieving an organized home tops the list of common New Year’s resolutions among homeowners and renters alike—but it’s also one of the hardest goals to accomplish and maintain in the long run.

There are a number of stumbling blocks you can hit that make finishing—or even starting—the organizing process much harder. To help set you up for success with your next home organization endeavor, we’re shedding light on the most common mistakes that tend to trip people up.

Whether you’re taking on a small-scale task like tidying up a junk drawer or focusing on something larger like cleaning out your garage, avoid these all-too-frequent mistakes.

1. Trying to organize your entire home in one weekend

One of the biggest mistakes people make is thinking they can organize their whole house in just a few days.

“Similar to losing weight, getting organized takes time and many minor adjustments,” says Katherine Lawrence, certified professional organizer with Space Matters in Richmond, VA.

To fix this, Lawrence suggests focusing on smaller goals, like clearing out one room a month or one cabinet per week.

“Think [of it as a] lifestyle change,” Lawrence says.

2. Not purging before organizing

Reducing the number of items you actually have to organize will make the process feel more manageable.

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Juliana Meidl, founder and owner of Serenity at Home Detroit, recommends paring down household items before organizing them.

“The key is to purge first and then organize what remains,” says Meidl.

Meidl suggests decluttering your household items “ruthlessly and frequently.” This might look like getting rid of clothing that doesn’t fit, donating toys your children no longer play with, or tossing old kitchen gadgets.

Reducing the number of items you actually have to organize will make the process feel more manageable.

3. Not dropping off donations right away

Drop off your donations as soon as you have them ready to go.

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How many times have you set aside items to donate only to have them sit in your house or car for months? Good to know we’re not the only ones!

Instead of procrastinating, Eryn Donaldson, founder and CEO of The Modern Home, suggests dropping off donations as soon as you have them ready to go.

“Once you have your donations bagged, I recommend placing them in the front passenger seat of your car,” says Donaldson. “This way you will immediately remember to drop them off at the donation center.”

4. Buying storage products first

Oftentimes, you can repurpose and use containers you already have.

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It might feel exciting to buy new storage containers, boxes, and baskets before kicking off a home organization project. However, you might want to hold off until after you’ve decluttered.

“You’ll need to do the prep work to ensure you buy products that will work for your space long term,” says Michelle Urban, founder of The Organized House in Portland, OR.

Urban explains that when you save the buying for last, it helps you pinpoint the size, shape, and placement of storage items.

“Often, you realize you can repurpose and use containers you already have,” Urban says.

5. Not taking advantage of vertical storage space

Instead of storing everything under beds or in closets, be sure to take advantage of vertical storage space. Getting items off the floor will help make a room look more open.

“Vertical storage is a great way to make use of the space on walls,” says Chris Alexakis, an interior designer and the founder of CabinetSelect in Venice, FL. “Think about adding shelving, hooks, and other vertical storage options.”

From there, you can use baskets or boxes to corral the items you intend to store on shelves.

6. Keeping items ‘just in case’

If you’re on the fence about an item, it’s best to just let it go.

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Many people make the mistake of holding onto an item because they think it will be useful someday.

“Unfortunately, when that day comes, the object is usually buried under so much clutter it may be impossible to find,” Lawrence says.

There’s also a chance that day will never come and you’ll end up wasting valuable storage space. If you’re on the fence about an item, it’s best to just let it go. A good rule of thumb is to eliminate anything you haven’t used in over a year.

7. Thinking if you had more space, you’d be more organized

Some people get stuck in the trap of thinking that if they had more space they would be more organized. However, this is not necessarily true.

“More space means more places to hide clutter; it may even decrease efficiency,” Lawrence says.

If you’ve ever been in this headspace and considered renting a storage unit or moving to a bigger place, Lawrence recommends taking these measures only after you’ve reduced clutter and used up your current space.

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