Happy almost New Year, friend! It’s that time of year where people are setting goals and making resolutions and it’s for this reason that I typically start to see an uptick in clients during late December and early January.

People have enjoyed their holiday gatherings, the Christmas decor is about to come down and they’ve committed to making the new year different. 

They tell themselves that this is the year they’re going to take control of their clutter tendencies and keep things organized in their home and ultimately in their life. 

So, they might invest in the help of a professional organizer to get the process rolling and then a few weeks after the initial process, things slowly start gliding back into how they were before. 

Items in linen closets aren’t neatly folded, the living room is covered in clutter, what once was a well-labeled pantry is now mis-matched and messy, the list goes on. 

And I get it! Life happens and you’re busy. Because of that, sometimes keeping the house clutter free and organized isn’t at the top of your priority list. 

While I truly do understand, the thing that many people overlook when it comes to an organized home is that the point of it goes far beyond having a Pinterest-worthy house.

There are so many benefits tied to an organized home that truly improve your quality of life, so if you’re ready to truly commit to this simple act this year and embrace the motto of “new year, new you,” you’re in the right place!

With over 14 years in the industry, I’ve come to realize that there are a few common mistakes that people make when it comes to organizing, so if you know what they are, you can actively avoid them and instead take action on the right things that will make this process much easier for you.

Common Organizing Mistakes & What To Do Instead

Buying Organization Items Without First Examining Your Space

I get it! The pretty acrylic bins and the beautiful woven baskets are all the rage these days. You see them on TikTok and Instagram and you think that those containers are the magic key to an organized pantry, kitchen or laundry room.

While those items can absolutely help in your organization process, they aren’t the magic thing that will create a clutter free space for you. When you buy these items without first examining your space, you’re shooting in the dark – meaning you don’t know what you’re aiming for or what the goal is.

So instead of binge purchasing these items on Amazon, when you see someone post about them, first examine the spaces you want to organize and then determine exactly what you need! 

This will save you time AND money in the long run. To help with this, I’ve listed my favorite space saving products in this blog!

Trying to Organize Before Purging

This one is SUPER common and it typically happens because people have become so fed up with their messy organization that they frantically decide they’re going to change their ways and attempt to organize every space of their home without first taking inventory.

In order to really organize your home, you must purge a few items first! At the end of the day, no amount of organization can solve the problem of too much stuff. As humans, we naturally accumulate a lot of random items over the year, so this is totally normal. 

The key is that you proactively purge what you no longer need so that you can truly organize your spaces in a way that is effective! In this blog, I list my 4 step purge process so you can easily complete this step before attempting to organize your home.  

Attempting to Mock What You See on Pinterest

Another very common mistake I see people making is trying to mock what they see on Pinterest or Instagram. While these platforms are really great sources for inspiration, oftentimes the photos you’re seeing are staged, meaning no one actually lives like that. 

And if people do actually live in the spaces you’re saving to your Pinterest boards, just remember that they are showing you the parts that they want you to see! They aren’t showing you the colored crayon that their kid took to the wall or the piles of laundry all throughout the house. 

Instead of trying to mock exactly what you see on Pinterest, use those as guides and inspiration and then add your own twist so that your personality and style really shines!

Trying to Do it ALL at Once

Lastly, one of the mistakes that I see people make when it comes to organizing their home is trying to do it all at once. This often goes hand in hand with #2 because so often people get frustrated and decide to quickly jump in with no real plan or process. 

When you do this, you will likely end up rushing through the spaces in your home and completely defeating the purpose of organizing in the first place. 

My suggestion is to determine which area or room in your home is causing you the most stress and overwhelm and start there. This oftentimes will be the spaces that you use the most, like your kitchen, office or closet. 

When you solve the problem of your largest frustration first, you’ll start to experience momentum and want to keep going! On the other hand, if you try to do everything at once and start skipping around from room to room, you’ll quickly become overwhelmed and may not finish the process.

If you avoid these mistakes, I can almost guarantee that you’ll be able to successfully embrace “new year, new you” and live your best organized life in 2023 and beyond!And as always, if you need more guidance beyond what I provide on the blog, my team and I are here to lend a hand. 🤝