These overhyped organizing tools are just not worth it!
Organizing and clearing out even one tiny area of your house makes it prettier and more practical. Not to mention, a tidy house is always better than a messy one.
If you love tidying up your home, you’re probably interested in every new tool that can help you organize the stuff you have. However, just because some overhyped organizing tools claim to do a tremendous job doesn’t mean you should buy them.
Some of these supposedly genius products don’t actually work all that well, while others wind up wasting space or causing more clutter in the long run. The result? You’ll have to throw them out, which is basically equivalent to a waste of money.
This being said, here are some overhyped organizing tools professionals would never buy!
1. Shoe organizers that sit on the floor
According to experts, floor shoe racks are overhyped organizing tools, especially when it comes to those you keep on the floor of the closet.
Organizing professionals make a good point about those tools that tend to take up the whole floor of the closet: It’s too dark there to actually see your pairs of shoes. Plus, they note that some of your clothes hung in there most likely obscure the shoes.
Instead, experts say the best way to store them is in a shoe organizer placed at eye level and hung from the rod in your closet. If you’re interested in investing in a new storage system for your shoes, Amazon has plenty of vertical options!
2. Suction-cup shower organizers
Another example of overhyped organizing tools are suction-cup shower organizers. Real estate is limited in your shower, and if you’re someone who likes lots of lotions and potions, you’re likely looking for a solution.
While you may be tempted to go for a no-drilling version because you think it’s a good idea, it actually isn’t. You’re now happy with your new suction-cup shower organizer, and the next day they start sliding down under the weight of shower gel and shampoo bottles.
Experts prefer a more secure option, like a shower organizer that stays put with the help of water-resistant adhesive strips. Say farewell to bars or bottles of soap sitting on tub corners or on the windowsill.
3. Filing cabinets
Purchasing a filing cabinet may seem tempting while organizing paper stuff and documents. However, certified organizer expert Ellen Delap confirms what we all suspected: “Documents and other papers go into filling cabinets, but they rarely come out.”
This being said, these cabinets are rather overhyped organizing tools. They can easily get cluttered, often making it difficult to find the paper you’re looking for. So, instead of space-hogging file cabinets, professionals prefer a more decorative and functional option.
Purchase single-file boxes, store important documents inside, and label them by year. Experts recommend dedicating another box to annual tax returns and their supporting documents. The great thing about individual boxes is that you can stack them, so you can save more space.
4. Countertop spice racks
Another example of overhyped organizing tools, coutertop spice racks may seem like a great idea to keep your herbs and condiments in a single place. However, experts point out that using up limited kitchen countertop space to store a turnstile filled with small jars of rarely used spices like thyme and rosemary isn’t the best idea.
Not only will you make some room on your countertop, but your spices will maintain their flavors for a longer time too. Storing them close to a heat source will break down their essential oils, so your spices will eventually become tasteless.
Instead, store them in a nearby kitchen drawer and keep them organized with an expandable plastic spice rack. This is also a great trick to keep your jars splatter-free.
5. Mismatched food-storage containers
Food-storage containers can revolutionize your storage strategy. Not only are they great for storing food, but they also keep your leftovers fresh longer. But buying different food containers is often the perfect recipe for a cluttered kitchen cabinet.
Having containers in varying sizes and shapes and holding onto the mismatched takeout ones will likely create a mess in the drawer or cabinet where you store them. This is why experts call them overhyped organizing tools.
If food-storage containers can’t be stacked or nested, they clog up the space and fall out onto the floor. That’s why it’s best to store leftovers in rectangular glass containers that are space-saving and nesting, so you can easily store them. Organizing professionals suggest having small, medium, and large containers to suit all your storage needs.
Keep reading to discover other overhyped organizing tools!
6. Paper trays
Organizing experts aren’t much of paper trays fans. In fact, they deem those things overhyped organizing tools, which is why a pro would never buy one of those.
According to them, paper trays are more merely piling devices, and you never know what’s there until you go through each piece of paper. In other words, paper trays are more of a hassle than a helpful organizing tool.
Instead, experts suggest dividing papers into categories and buying a desktop incline file. That way, you can have a clear view of the papers you need to act on. This trick also works for mail.
7. A basic box for batteries
It’s always a great idea to have different types of batteries on hand so you have the variety you need when you need it. You buy batteries, but this isn’t where your duty ends if you want to actually use them when the situation requires it.
You most likely store yours in a basic box, but this isn’t the way to have them organized. You’ll waste money on buying new batteries because you can’t find the ones you already have, and it’s easy to overlook what you are running low on because everything is jumbled together.
In other words, a random box for batteries is one of those overhyped organizing tools that simply won’t do the job. Instead, keep your batteries securely stored in a special slotted battery organizer. Step up the game and buy one that comes with a battery tester.
8. Opaque storage containers
It’s pretty obvious why these are overhyped organizing tools. What’s the point of storing things in opaque containers if you can’t see what’s inside? This may work for stuff you rarely use, like Christmas decorations, but even then, if you have more than a few containers, you’ll have to take them one by one and peek inside until you find what you’re looking for.
That’s why clear plastic bins are by far the best for long-term use. They offer protection from humidity and water, stack easily, and allow you to have a clear view of what’s inside without unstacking and opening each one.
Organizing experts recommend investing in the 50- or 66-quart sizes, which are the perfect size for most of the things around your house. One more thing when you’re choosing between containers: avoid those with recessed interiors because so much space is unusable.
If you liked our article on overhyped organizing tools, you may also want to read 6 Amazing Ways to Get Rid of That Ugly Sentimental Clutter Now.
