Ready to make your home tidier? These are the organizing tips to avoid:
There are some great ways to organize your home that will help you keep it clean and serene for a long time, and usually, the best ones are those you can stick with for a long while. With this era of the internet, you can get your info from plenty of sources, but are they effective? While the organizing trends you read about in magazines or find on TikTok may be beneficial and engaging, they may not always be the easiest to maintain.
Before you start your next project to get organized, think about these short-lived trends and what you can use instead. Below, you can find some organizing tips to avoid and why, explained by the experts.
Over-labeling boxes
You probably saw that many people recommend putting labels on your boxes as soon as you organize them, you know, to remember what you have in them. But experts say that one of the organizing tips to avoid is overlabeling.
It will eventually backfire if you have too many categories for your items or create too many specific categories. Occasionally, it’s more beneficial to have broad categories for your bathroom products, such as “Medicine” and “First Aid,” rather than specific ones like “Cold Medicines.”
This is especially important when you’re restocking products and putting things back, because you might end up forgetting where the cold medicine box is. Don’t get caught in an enormous range of bins; limit yourself to one or two medicine boxes.
Stacking items way too high
Despite their tidy appearance, high piles of boxes, bins, or even folded towels are a potential fall hazard. And trust me when I say that if you’re not in your 20s anymore, it will be harder to bend over or reach up, especially if you are living alone. Store items low and easily accessible; heavy lifting or swaying towers are not necessary.
Using solid-colored storage bins
Vividly colored storage bins may look good (especially in the kids’ room), but they’re not always useful. Experts say that without a label, they all have the same appearance, making it nearly impossible to record what’s in each bin. If you prefer to keep items visible, you might consider using a clear acrylic bin or labeling each transparent bin.
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Reverse decluttering
It’s set: you’re doing the long-awaited spring cleaning, but you haven’t even started; you’re already bummed out because it’s too much to sort out. You’ve seen the reverse decluttering method, and you wanted to try it.
The goal of this method is to focus on the things you want to keep and put them aside, rather than what you want to get rid of. It’s a more optimistic take on the classic take-and-toss technique, especially for those who are a bit lazy when it comes to organizing.
By concentrating only on what should be kept, people frequently overlook the important insights that result from tackling collecting patterns and fail to properly think through the reasons behind their unnecessary holdings.
Spending too much on labels
Although labels are an excellent tool to keep your stuff in order, fashionable labels may not always be the most useful. Chalkboard labels, for instance, were popular for a while, but the ink from the chalk pen rubs off easily, making them messy or challenging to read.
Using a simple label created by a label maker is still the norm and is always in style. Why? They don’t rub off, and replacing the label is a piece a cake task.
Arranging your closet like the ones from stores
It may look fancy, but this is one of those organizing tips to avoid. Although it took over the internet, this ’boutique-style’ closet system is essentially no organization. You are basically putting your favorite items in the middle of the closet, in a “display” kind of thing, without a specific rule. This tip might be good for people who are always in a hurry in the morning and must have everything ready; otherwise won’t work in the long run.
Getting caught up in fancy pantry systems
A fancy-looking pantry is the dream of every woman in the world. But is this goal achievable? Labels, baskets, and jars that all match may look beautiful in magazines, but they are very hard to keep up.
This is one of the organizing tips to avoid unless you really enjoy spending Saturdays moving around dry goods. Instead, make sure that everyday items are easy to grab and go. Keep everything tidy by checking the expiration date for your stuff, and always make sure you stock up only on the spices you’re actually using for cooking.
Putting everyday items out of sight
Have you ever heard of the expression “out of sight, out of mind?” It’s one of the organizing tips to avoid, because putting important things like glasses, medicine, or keys behind cabinet doors or in layered organizers can be annoying every day.
You don’t need a scavenger hunt to find the things you use most often; to clear the path and get rid of the clutter, make sure to keep only the things that you’re using regularly.
Solely relying on organizing products to solve the space issues
As previously mentioned, thanks to apps like TikTok, everything seems easier now. From dinner recipes to organizational advice, we think we can do everything. In many cases, we were encouraged to use various boxes to tackle spacing issues. But honestly, when you’re working with a small space at home, the easiest and most effective tip is to simply own fewer items. This way, your home will feel much more open and welcoming!
That’s why one of the organizing tips to avoid at all costs is to buy too many boxes instead of sorting things out and decluttering. Start easily with a list of all the things you’re not using anymore and see what you can donate and what ends up directly in the trash.
Ignoring clear pathways around furniture
Having neat shelves isn’t the only aspect of an organized home; mobility is also important. Seniors should prioritize this because cramming furniture, baskets, or organizers into already small areas can create tripping hazards. There should always be plenty of open space, particularly in living rooms, bedrooms, and hallways.
Decanting laundry products
Although it may seem nice, decanting your detergent and laundry pods can end up being a chore that most people don’t want to do. Experts advise against this idea because removing laundry pods from their original containers, which have safety locks, can put kids and pets at risk.
Following random trends
What is popular now might not be useful in the future. Although open shelving, rolling carts, and pegboards may seem like fun, they will only gather dust if they don’t fit your lifestyle. Conclusion? It’s better to pay attention to what simplifies your life, not what’s popular on the internet.
Related article to check out: 8 Dirtiest Places in Your Home.
