Organizing is far more than throwing things in a bin on a shelf or inside a cabinet and calling it a day.
When we don’t have a rhyme or reason, it won’t be a functional or lasting system. Some of the more common roadblocks I see in my clients’ homes are listed below:
- Don’t buy bins that under-utilize the full depth of a cabinet or shelf. Bins that are too shallow for a space cause items to get lost deep inside a shelf or cabinet.
- Don’t label your bins with generic terms such as “miscellaneous”, “stuff”, “extra” or “random”. This will leave you with a space full of unidentifiable items that will eventually need to be re-sorted through or decluttered.
- Don’t buy organizing products that limit what you can store in it.
- Stay away from overly childish organizing systems. As children age, the once adorable character bins will fade in cuteness and you’ll have to spend time and resources to replace all your containers.
- Stay away from bulky hangers. This limits the amount of clothes that can fit in a closet.
- Stay away from bins that cannot stand up on their own or collapse into themselves. This typically leads to items on the floor or near the bin, unable to make their way back inside the container. Additionally, floppy bins limit the contents that can be stored inside, as anything with weight will deform the bin and cannot be kept upright.
If you are trying to organize a space in your home, always measure your space and think about systems that can withstand time and use. Once you apply these principles, you are on your way to a successful and functional system!
