News

Aug 02, 2023

5 Home Organizing Mistakes and What to Do Instead

Experts share common blunders, and the clever ways they fix them

Experts share common blunders, and the clever ways they fix them

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When it comes to home organization, there is no shortage of advice out there. We’ve certainly covered our fair share of the topic, touching on issues like how to arrange a pantry, quick ways to declutter an entryway, and how to maximize the storage space under a bed. And from what I’ve learned, there isn't a one-size-fits-all approach to any of it.

Determining which type of person you are—and by extension, the type of organizer—is crucial to finding the right solution for the process, says professional organizer Anna Glielmi. "It's not a matter of which type is better. It's about tailoring solutions to how you think."

Sure, it's easy to get swept up by the idea of an immaculately stocked refrigerator or a pristinely arranged laundry room, but upkeep is fundamental.

A professional organizer once told me that the best way to maintain an organization method is to make sure it's easy to maintain in the first place. So we’re taking it back to the basics to arm you with the tools you’ll need to start off on the right foot.

We turned to professional organizers to learn about the most common mistakes they tend to see—and how they fix them.

Rome wasn't built in a day and neither was that beautifully organized kitchen that mercilessly haunts your Pinterest feed.

"A common mistake I see people make when they are organizing their homes is to attempt to tackle too much all at once and lose focus of one area or one goal," says Nicole Mahmood, founder of Los Angeles-based Homefront Organizing. Not only is it unrealistic to organize a room (let alone an entire house) in a day, but it's pretty improbable—if you want to do it correctly.

Solution: Make Small, Manageable Changes

Mahmood typically advises her clients to work in 2- to 4-hour chunks to prevent burnout or making rash decisions such as throwing out too much or too little. "Don't try to organize your closet after a long, bad day at work. Cut yourself some slack and pick a time you have some energy and as few distractions as possible," says the professional organizer. "In the future, you won't view organizing as a terrible chore that takes all your free time and you’ll be more likely to maintain the space."

It can be tempting to go on an impulse shopping spree as the first step of an organization project, but let it be known that you won't be doing your wallet any favors.

"I see a lot of people who buy organizing products before they’ve sorted and decluttered," says Drew Price, founder of Drew Price Organizing. That's not only a waste of your time but also a waste of money. The last thing you want is to spend cash to store junk or items that will later be discarded.

Solution: Sort, Then Purchase

I’ve interviewed dozens of organization experts who echo Price: Declutter first and buy your storage solutions after.

To start, sort everything into piles and get rid of anything you no longer want or need. After that, Price recommends assessing what's left and determining what sort of storage pieces will be necessary. "Often people find they don't have to make additional purchases to organize their stuff after they’ve gotten rid of items," Price adds.

Parting with items is never easy, but the reality is, not everything you own deserves to remain in your home.

"The biggest organizational mistake I see is when people have more stuff than space to house it," says Elese Denis, founder of Denis Organization. The fix here is to reduce the amount of clutter and be more methodical about how and where everything is stored.

Solution: Let Items Go

Denis abides by a three-pronged approach wherein she advises clients to sort their belongings into three categories.

Yellow: High-priority objects that are used every day and should be kept within reach—think flatware, plates, and cups.

Blue: Items used sparingly, such as a roasting pan that comes out during the holidays or special occasions. These items can go on higher shelves with less accessibility.

Red: These are items that are used once or twice a year, such as a bread maker or novelty attachments for stand mixers. These can be stored in bins or boxes and kept out of sight.

Anything that's leftover can be sold, donated, or recycled, Denis says. "I ask clients to look through the stored bins and boxes six months to a year later and hopefully they will find that they can get rid of a lot of those things as well."

Denis's go-to storage items are Sterilite clear latch storage boxes, which come in a wide variety of shapes, sizes, and colors.Shop: Sterilite 32qt Clear View Storage Bin with Latch, Purple, $32 at Target

If you’re not using all the space afforded to you, you’re missing out. This means making the most out of all the available storage opportunities—and yes, sometimes, it will take a little finagling to do that.

Take garages, for example. "When the storage space in the garage isn't maximized vertically, items being stored tend to spread out into the garage and not up the wall," says professional organizer Tanisha Lyons-Porter of Natural Born Organizers. "This organizational mistake dramatically reduces how much you can keep, so you end up finding storage in the house for items that should live in the garage."

Solution: Utilize Vertical Space

To remedy this mistake, Lyons-Porter recommends employing built-in cabinets, installed shelves, or free-standing shelving racks to generate more space. With a garage or basement, you could create the opportunity to store bulk purchases, rarely used small appliances, party supplies, and more.

Lyons-Porter's favorite free-standing storage rack is this five-tier version that's streamlined and primed to hold an array of bins and accessories. Shop: Muscle Rack 5-Tier Heavy Duty Steel Garage Storage Shelving Unit, $179 at Home Depot, $169 at Wayfair

There is no organization task too minor to tackle. Even the most seemingly insignificant areas can cause a ripple effect of mess throughout a home.

In high-traffic areas like entryways or mudrooms, it can be tempting to drop off coats, bags, or packages without taking the extra step to stow belongings in their designated spots. And when these items have no place to go, that's when messes begin to accumulate.

"One common mistake I always see is when people open their mail—they keep the inserts, the envelope it came in (which adds bulk), and unwanted solicitations," says productivity specialist Pamela Mims.

Solution: Tackle Messes at the Source

Finding ways to curb smaller messes can go a long way. For example, one solution to avoid mail pileups (junk or otherwise) is to open your mail the same day, be near a recycling bin, and immediately toss any inserts, donation requests, and new credit card offers you are not going to donate to or apply for, Mims says. Utilizing a file folder holder can also be a great way to keep important pieces of mail in one spot.

Mims recommends this minimalist file holder to keep bills, documents, or receipts easily organized and accessible.Shop: Acrimet Horizontal Triple File Folder Holder Organizer, $25 at Amazon, $26 at Walmart.

Anna Kocharian

Anna Kocharian is a shopping editor at Consumer Reports who focuses on home, organization, and the consumer marketplace. She previously covered interior design, product reviews, and market trends as the digital editor of Domino. Anna has over a decade of experience in lifestyle journalism and has written extensively on the subject matter for publications including Apartment Therapy, Food52, and more. She currently resides in New York City.