Don’t Do’s in Organizing Top 5

There are many things we need to consider when we embark on organizing a space. Therefore I have put together a list of Don’t Do’s in Organizing. I am sure this will help you start on your next organizing project AND be successful.

Don’t Do’s in Organizing No. 1

Shopping Ahead

The top don’t do in organizing project is do not go and buy a bunch of things to get organized with. As much as the Container Store is my favorite place on earth. Please don’t buy a bunch of items and organize into them. Organizational bins and items should be purchased once you know what you are trying to contain and in what quantity.

Don’t Do’s in Organizing No. 2

Work in a Mess

You want to clean up a bit first. Don’t work on top of a huge mess. Cleaning up obvious garbage and dishes is a good start. For this reason you may also need to take everything out of the space you are going to be putting everything back in to. But basically you want to have a clean space to work. This will allow you to easily sort in to piles of like with like. Then you can really know what you have.

Don’t Do’s in Organizing No. 3

Time Management

Don’t assume you can do a large project in a small amount of time. Consequently, if you plan to do your craft room and you have 5 years worth of projects, craft shopping trips, etc in there. You will not get it done in a few hours. But you can chunk it in to segments. For instance, taking everything out and sorting the like with like will take you the longest. Try chunking that down into segments like cleaning up, check. Next would be cleaning out the closet. Then cleaning out the shelves. Accordingly you allow ample time for each stage and taking breaks will allow you to keep going and get the best result.

Don’t Do’s in Organizing No. 4

Set Yourself Up for Failure

You need to be honest about who you are. Don’t set yourself up for failure. If you need help sticking to getting organized. Therefore you would need to hire a professional or enlist a friend to help you stay on track. Giving yourself small rewards along the way always helps. Or a big reward of adding a machine to the end of the project.
Also you need to know what type of organizing works for you. I talked about that in the article, Open or Closed. This will let you know if you want open shelves with items all in view or if you want more bins or drawers with labels to hide the actual projects behind.

Don’t Do’s in Organizing No. 5

Forget to Plan Ahead

One of the biggest issues I see when working with clients and a big don’t do in organizing, is only organizing what you have. You need room and space to expand. For instance, if you have 100 acrylic paints give yourself 10-20% more room to expand your collection. Purchasing organization items that you can buy an extra of can also help. I always have an extra of my favorite organizing bins on hand.

Now that you know the 5 biggest things to avoid before getting started on your organization project. You can definitely complete it successfully!

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