Organize + Energize: 4 Common Mistakes People Make in the Organizing Process

Organize + Energize: 4 Common Mistakes People Make in the Organizing Process

There are many mistakes that can be made during the organizing process. These mistakes will lead to your project taking longer than expected, or sometimes it will never get finished. You want to be as efficient and productive as you can be in this process. You want to get in and get out with the end result being a well-organized space that can be easily maintained. The more I can educate you in this process, the more productive you will be and you’ll conquer these projects that have been hanging over your head.

In the past, I’ve written about the 5 biggest organizing blunders. Today, I have 4 more to add to that list.  

Bouncing around. During the organizing process, I encourage my clients to stay in the room we are working in. Energy is wasted when you bounce around the home. People want to move from room to room transferring items and an hour later they wonder why they are exhausted.  Focus on the room you are in and limit your distractions. Keep a bin in the room with you and then transfer those items throughout the home when your project is complete.

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Re-purposing.  I’m all for re-purposing items and furniture in your space, but the piece has to be right for what it’s going to be used for. You want to add a bookshelf in the space, but don’t have any books to put on it, but you really like the bookshelf and want to use it. If it doesn’t have a purpose in that room, don’t use. it. Think about what you have to store and what pieces you have. Just because you have this piece and you love it doesn’t mean it will function in the space. The items have to work in this piece or the organized system will fail.

Perfectionism.  I’m all for making things look perfect, but when you are in the process of decluttering, sorting and organizing; perfectionism has to take a back seat.  For those of you that have OCD, this can be a difficult process and can be the reason why most of your organizing projects take longer than expected or never get finished.  The organizing process isn’t the time to make them perfect. You’ll waste more time and energy focusing on if a shirt collar is tucked in and if it’s perfectly straight on the shelf rather that actually placing it in the closet. You’ll get distracted trying to make something look perfect. You can tweak everything after the system is set in place. I encourage you to make changes and tweak things after the project is complete. Once your systems are in place, then you can make it look like the cover of a magazine.  

Too much furniture. Just because a space is there, doesn’t mean you need to fill it. Too often, people see an empty space and want to fill it. Most of the time, you’ll fill it with unnecessary items, (see repurposing above). If you add this piece, you’ll feel the need to fill it with more stuff and before you know it, every inch of wall space is covered. I’m telling you that it’s ok to have empty space in your home.  If you really want to fill that space, decorate it with a plant.
You have to be able to head into your organizing projects with a solid plan, stay focused and limit your distractions. Add all of the above to the 5 blunders in my previous article and apply the tips. You’ll complete your organizing project in record time with a brand new outlook and purpose for your space.

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.