1. OVERDOING IT ON ORGANIZATIONAL ‘HELPERS’
From kitchen and living room organizers to the best makeup organizers, there are a lot of trendy products on the market promising to make your life easier. While some are worthwhile investments, there’s an awful lot that you just don’t need. Berry baskets, banana hooks, jewelry trees, excess amounts of Tupperware and plastic containers just because they’re pretty… we could go on and on.
2. LOOKING FOR QUICK-FIX SOLUTIONS
From storing Christmas decs in egg cartons to organizing a bookshelf by rainbow shades, DIY organizational and cleaning ‘hacks’ are very ‘of the moment’. We’ve got TikTok to thank for that. Falling for the latest viral trend is all well and good, but if it’s not effective or sustainable in your home, what’s the point? Finding long-term solutions that work for you and your home – regardless of whether they’re ‘Insta-worthy’ or not – is a far better approach to take.
3. ORGANIZING BEFORE DECLUTTERING
Yes, stylized displays do have a place, but if it’s an aesthetically-pleasing and well-functioning home you’re after, clutter of any kind is a big no-no. Unnecessary clutter is still clutter, regardless of how neat it looks. This is particularly relevant when it comes to ‘on-show’ organization – think open shelving, for example, or surfaces of any kind.
4. LABELING EVERYTHING IN SIGHT
Arguably one of the most useful organizing techniques, we’re certainly not dismissing labeling altogether, more the incessant need to label absolutely everything. Label makers, at Walmart, are fun to use, we admit, but you need to know where to draw the line.
5. FANCY FOLDING TECHNIQUES
Some techniques we can get on board with – knowing how to fold shirts to keep ironing to a minimum, or how to fold towels and sheets so they look stylish and stack neatly, for example. But trying to maintain folded socks, undies and dishcloths… it’s just unnecessary. Baskets and bins are just as efficient for keeping items like this in order. Folding takes time, which we know is precious, so prioritize yours for the items that need it most.
6. PRIORITIZING FORM OVER FUNCTION
There’s a reason why stylish stage homes always look so neat and tidy… because no one lives in them. And quite frankly, who would want to? Yes, perfectly precise pantry shelves may be satisfying to look at, but the upkeep? Not so much. Luckily, function is the new form. The most characterful of homes are those that find organizational solutions that suit day-to-day life and the needs of those who move within them.
7. SPENDING A FORTUNE ON STORAGE
We’ve all fallen prey to a lovely-looking (and seriously overpriced) basket in our time, but if you’re doing it regularly, without a proper purpose in mind, now’s the time to stop. It’s just not trendy anymore, and you’ll save yourself a fortune. We often see people buying ‘stylish’ storage solutions as a first step to getting organized, however, if you don’t end up needing or using them, they simply become costly clutter. Make a plan first. Edit your belongings, decide how the space will be used, take measurements and then start shopping for what you need’, says Shannon Krause.
8. AIMING FOR ‘PERFECTION’
You should be able to relax in your own home, but you’ve got no chance if you’re constantly striving for perfection – it’s exhausting. Luckily, according to professional organizer Laura Barnes, CEO and founder of Let Laura Jean, perfectionism is out – ‘it just isn’t a reality’, she says.
9. PLACING STYLE AHEAD OF SUSTAINABILITY
The problem with following organizational trends is that you end up believing that what you already have just isn’t good enough – which is simply just not true. As the saying goes, ‘if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it’. Swapping out for the ‘next best thing’ results in unnecessary waste, not to mention expense on your part, and chances are the ‘next next best thing’ is right around the corner, too.