You’re doing it wrong: 5 Reasons why DIY organizing doesn’t last (and how to do it better!)
It has happened to so many of us. You see a blog post or Instagram reel and feel that surge of motivation: “I am FINALLY gonna get organized!” You set aside the time, hit up The Container Store for all the bins you didn’t know you needed, and dive in.
Some work at it for a few hours, find themselves in a bigger mess than when they started, and give up. Others see it through. They keep at it until their space is Instagram-worthy. They share the sparkling “after” photo with pride and vow, “Today is the first day of my new, organized life!”
Sometimes it lasts a week, sometimes only a few days. For the strong-willed, it may last a month. But sooner or later, your space mutates back to its cluttered, overrun state that sucks your energy and weighs on your soul.
You blame your spouse. You blame your kids. You say, “Excuse the mess, they’re making memories,” while secretly resenting having to live in a space that drains your vitality and calm. And you think, I guess I just need to get over it.
Well, guess what? You’re actually doing it wrong.
There is a reason people pay professional organizers. It’s because we know stuff. We know how to stage a space so it works for you, instead of against you, long after the session has ended. We learn about your habits, routines, and preferences, and help your home support you, rather than enrage you.
Maybe you’re not ready to invite someone into your home, or maybe ou just don’t have the budget right now. That’s ok! Here are five ways you might be doing it wrong when you DIY. I see these home organization mistakes over and over again. They undermine all the hard work you’ve done and keep your home from staying organized. Break these habits, and you will set yourself up for organizational success.
1. You have too much stuff
This👏is👏the👏big👏 one!
We all have too much. Things are easy and (relatively) cheap to acquire, and we’ve fallen into the trap of owning more and more stuff. Some studies suggest the average home has about 300,000 items. When you have to be responsible for the care, maintenance, and storage of 300,000 (or more!) things, staying organized is gonna be tough.
Usually people say they need to “get organized” when in fact, they need to declutter first. Organizing clutter is insane. Why keep moving things around that you don’t even need in the first place?
“Clutter” is anything that is not currently serving you. An item can serve you in many ways. It might be an overt service object (a fire extinguisher, a fork, your kitchen table) or it might be more subtle (your favorite band tee, your grandmother's china, souvenirs from a vacation). Only you can determine what is truly serving you, and to do so, you might need to dig deep. But once you have removed the clutter and unnecessary items from your home, you may find it’s not disorganized at all.
How to do it differently:
When decluttering, a lot of people ask the question “do I use it?” but I like to ask “what could I use instead?”. Sure, you use all the sizes of muffin tins, but what would you do if you didn’t have the mini muffin tin? You would probably just make regular sized muffins. Is that such a hardship?
Sentimental items are a little different. I will never again use the onesie I brought my baby home in, but I will never get rid of it! For these, Marie Kondo’s concept of what “sparks joy” is the best measuring stick. She says, when you hold an item that sparks joy you will feel “...a little thrill, as if the cells in your body are slowly rising.” Maybe that's a little woo-woo for you, but the idea is to recognize the emotions attached to objects and be honest with yourself about why you’re allowing them real estate in your home.
Only you can ascertain the importance of each object to the lifestyle you want to live, but asking these questions for each item you own might help you to see the excess surrounding you. Get creative. Be ruthless. Do you want ALL the muffin tin sizes, or do you want to be able to smoothly open and close that cabinet without everything toppling out? It’s up to you.
2. You're buying product first
Here's an industry secret. Buying organizing products (like baskets and bins) is step LAST!
You know the phrase “measure twice cut once”? That's the mindset here. While it is fun and exciting to stock up on new baskets and bins, hold yourself back until you know what you have, how much of it you have, and how you want to contain it. Organizing isn’t just downsizing, it’s also rightsizing. When you buy first you risk buying too small. Bins that are overstuffed and crowded are frustrating and messy. You might buy too many and have to return some (or you forget to return and you’ve added to your clutter!). You might not buy enough and now can’t find matching ones.
You might realize the material is not ideal for what it needs to contain. You might decide to move a category to another part of the house and now the bins don’t fit on the shelf they need to. You get the idea.
When you buy first you end up forcing your organizing systems to conform to the space instead of creating a space to support the system.
How to do it differently:
Do not buy anything until you have decluttered, categorized, and brainstormed how you want to store something. This is where a professional organizer (or their content!) can really help you find creative solutions that fit your needs and lifestyle. Once you know what you need to store, measure it and find the ideal vessel to contain it.
3. You’ve been watching organizing porn
We all like a little visual stimulation.😉 I am talking about those Instagram accounts you follow that show impeccably sorted toy rooms, bookshelves arranged by color, and meticulously arranged refrigerators with matching glass canisters. These spaces are beautiful, sterile, expensive, and unrealistic. Who thinks “today I want to read a yellow book”?!
Being organized is to have your space arranged in a systematic way so that you (A) know what you have, (B) can find what you need, and (C) can maintain it. If intricately folding your child's underpants and decanting all your produce into acrylic crates sounds like a time suck, it probably is. Being organized should free your time, not consume it.
How to do it differently:
Don’t try to fit a round peg in a square hole. Pay attention to your habits and find systems that compliment your routine, instead of interrupting it. This is another place where a fresh set of eyes, like a professional organizer, can lend a hand. We will ask you questions and observe your behaviors to help you find a system that works for you. Learn more about this with my 5 Nonnegotiable Rules for an Organized Home.
4. You allow for “miscellaneous”
Most homes have the proverbial “junk drawer". It’s the space where they throw random things that have no other home. Do you know what’s in there? Does anyone?
Any organized person will tell you the key is to group like items together, and keep categories specific. What the categories are depends on you, but allowing for a “miscellaneous” drawer anywhere in your home is the antithesis of organization.
“Miscellany” is an assortment of things lacking order. It can be anything and everything. By having a “miscellaneous” drawer or area, you lose all accountability to keep items tidy. It has no rules. It’s total chaos. It’s anarchy.
How to do it differently:
Create categories that everyone in the home will remember. Instead of “random kitchen tools” divide them into “short handled” or “long handled;” separate by type of cuisine; sort by color. What feels miscellaneous today might feel very specific another day, leaving you baffled about the best place to keep it. Set yourself up to maintain your system by grouping items in a way that makes sense to you and how you use them.
Take it a step further by adding labels. Labels hold everyone accountable for putting things back where they belong, and help less frequent users find items without rummaging through a mess.
5. You think you’re “done”
Think of organizing like going to the gym. You can learn the moves, go every day, lose the weight, and get fit and strong, but if you stop working out, you will not stay that way for long.
Unless nothing additional ever enters your home again (which seems unlikely) you will need to practice some maintenance to keep your space organized and tidy.
Once you have completed your initial purge and sort and given a home to each item you own, your space will feel amazing! But in order to keep it that way, you must curb your habits and practice returning things to their home at the end of the day, or all your hard work will go out the window.
Think of your professional organizer as the personal trainer for your home. We can cheer you on, teach you technique, and hold you accountable, but only you can actually keep the weight of your clutter off.
How to do it differently:
Creating maintainable systems is the key to staying organized, and something a professional organizer is great at. But once that is done, you must practice mindful consumerism in order to keep going. Go through your clothing a few times a year and purge unworn items; follow a “one in one out” rule.; start a “no gifts, please” policy at children’s parties. Work with your family and household members to return things to their specified home at the end of the day.
Changing our habits is HARD! My favorite book on the topic is Gretchen Rubin’s Better than Before. Once you get in the groove, though, it becomes muscle memory. You will find your space easier to maintain, and you will spend less time cleaning and tidying.