Organize + Energize: 5 Organizing Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make

Tuesday, January 19, 2016

Kristin MacRae, GoLocalWorcester Organizing Expert

I constantly see people making organizing mistakes that cost them time and money. Remember that getting organized is a lifestyle change and it’s just not about making a space look pretty for the moment. It’s not about clearing spaces once a month, wasting time and energy. It takes motivation, dedication and persistence to start the process and keep it going.

Here are 5 common mistakes:

Not planning for your project. You can’t decide on a Thursday afternoon that you are going to jump into an organizing project, especially if you have somewhere to be in a few hours. Not planning will set you up for failure. Write out your priorities, mark your project on the calendar, set aside 3 hours, and limit your distractions. You’ll finish your project in record time and won’t leave a half-finished project.

Placing things in a temporary spot. You’ll put something in a temporary spot and say you’ll get to it later. If you are great at procrastinating, this will never get done. Other things in the home will take priority and this will get pushed aside. If you have something in your hand, decide where it should live and then develop a routine around putting it back once you’ve used it.

Not letting people know about your systems. Most organizing systems fail when the person who designed them doesn’t let the rest of the family in on it. Have a family meeting and walk them through the home and all of the new systems. Follow up with everybody to ensure they are maintaining them.

Thinking a product will fix the problem. So many people get excited to get organized and they rush out to the store and spend hundreds of dollars on organizing product that don’t work. You have to think about how you want to function. Organize the space, measure the space and then head to the store with measurements in hand. Never go unprepared to a store to purchase supplies. The big box stores will sell you anything to make a sale, knowing that you probably won’t return it if it doesn’t work in the space. If the product doesn’t work, the system won’t work.

Having your friends help you. Your friend will tell you that she can help you organize your entire home, but leaves out the fact that she’s going to organize it according to how she functions. Your organizing systems have to be designed around how you and your family function. Everybody functions differently which is why there so many variations on organizing systems.

Don’t set yourself back by making these mistakes. Take the time to really think about how you are going to tackle your project instead of jumping in head first. You’ll have a better handle on it and be able to make solid decisions that will get you closer to your organizing goals.

Kristin Carcieri-MacRae, the founder and owner of Organizing in RI, has always enjoyed finding creative ways to streamline the environment around her. She has appeared on air on Patricia Raskin's Positive Business Radio and her articles have been published in the Rhode Island Small Business Journal and New England Home Life. Kristin's CD, Organizing Basics, is a 1-hour guide for the person who wants to get organized but doesn't know where to start. She is also available for organizing workshops. Tune into her weekly radio show, Organize, Energize! on talkstreamradio.com.

Related Slideshow: 10 Minute Organizing Projects

Declutter and Organize

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Spices

As you take all of the spices out of the cabinet, check for expiration dates and smell for potency. Categorize and itemize your spices to how you utilize them. Contain them in a spice rack that fits the space where they are kept. Don’t purchase a spice rack until you are finished organizing. You want to measure the space and make sure the rack fits and holds all of your spices. There are a variety of spice racks out there. Choose the one that best suits what you need it to hold.

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Makeup

How many items do you touch in the morning to find what you need? You want to be as efficient as possible in the morning and having your makeup organized will be a big time saver. Do you have difficulty deciding what to keep or toss? When is it time to throw away makeup? Aline Sarkis, a Providence, RI-based makeup artist, states lipstick can be used for 2 years or until it starts to smell like a crayon. Mascara is good for 2-3 months. Eye shadow is good for 2 years and foundation is good for 1-2 years. Aline also states that some makeup and skincare will be marked with an expiration date of 6-12 months. Begin counting once you start using the product

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Women: Purse

Depending on the size of your purse, and what you keep in your purse, this may take you a little longer than 10 minutes. Empty the entire contents of the purse on a table. Declutter, categorize, and itemize the contents. Break this process down and take it one category at a time. Develop a system going forward so the inside of your purse doesn’t look like a cyclone hit it. Contain receipts, gift cards, money, and makeup.

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Men: Wallet

It’s time to empty all of the receipts out of your wallet. Do you also store receipts and random items in your car? While you are tackling this project, head over to your vehicle and declutter the center console and glove compartment.

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Underwear drawer

If you aren’t using drawer organizers, you should start now. They are very inexpensive and will maximize the space in the drawer. How many of you wear the same item over and over again? With drawer organizers in place, you will be able to see everything you own and can categorize and itemize. Nothing will ever get pushed to the bottom of the drawer again.

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Under the bathroom sink

If you haven’t taken everything out of this area in awhile, you may find some scary items under the sink. Empty the contents, itemize, and categorize. Throw away anything that you can’t recognize. Contain items in containers that fit the space like a puzzle. Once again, utilizing containers will maximize the space and allow you to store more items. Develop a simple system where you can locate items and locate them quickly.

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Pets

Ninety percent of my clients have a pet. It’s time to organize their belongings. Medicine, leashes, bandanas, clothes, dishes, food, etc. Take this time to also organize any paper work related to your pet. Set up a filing system for your pet. Keep their medical records, rabies and vaccination information categorized in these files.

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Junk drawer

Nobody says you can’t have a junk drawer. Junk drawers can be organized. You just have to think about if you need everything in this drawer and if there is a better place to store the items. Remember, store like items together. If you have tools in the junk drawer, maybe you should keep them with the tools in the basement.

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Office supply drawer

So many people have office supply drawers that are out of control. Money is wasted on purchasing duplicate office supplies. It’s very difficult to figure out what you need to purchase if items are scattered all over the office and are disorganized.

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Top of your office desk

If you can’t see the top of your desk, take this time to focus on this area and categorize and itemize what is there. Do you have a working filing system in place? If so, once your desk is cleared, make a habit of filing once a day or a couple of times a week. If your system isn’t working for you, it may be time for you to re-evaluate your system and make it work for the way you function.