7 Common Organizing Mistakes You Might Be Making

Inside: 7 common organizing mistakes many people make and what to about them so you have an organized, well-kept home.

You likely want to have an organized home but often find yourself struggling to make it happen.  Despite your best efforts and good intentions, you are constantly battling clutter and disorganization. So what gives? Why the futile effort? Part of the problem may be you are making common organizing mistakes, which undermines your effort and makes it difficult to achieve lasting, sustainable results.

Organizing does not come naturally to everyone — and that’s okay! We all have different strengths and natural tendencies. Organizing does take time and effort to make it worthwhile; however, it can be done by anyone. You just need to know the tricks and tips for making it work (and what not to do).

Below are 7 common organizing mistakes you might be making at home.  Review the list to see what you may be doing and how you can avoid these to get the organized, tidy home you long for.  When you know the most common organizing mistakes, you can better avoid them to truly move forward on your organizing projects.

Benefits to Organizing

Before diving in to the organizing mistakes people often make, let’s remind ourselves of why it’s worth getting organized in the first place.  What are the benefits to an organized home…why bother?  Check out the list below to get you in the right mindset for setting straight easy mistakes and make organizing worthwhile.

• Reduced stress levels for you and your family so you aren’t scrambling to find items or looking at visual clutter
• Increased productivity with more clear-headed thinking and clarity inside a tidy home
• Saved money as you aren’t buying duplicates or things you can’t find in a messy home
• A more welcoming environment for you, your family and guests

7 Common Organizing Mistakes and How to Fix Them

Utilize the tips below for your organizing journey towards getting the home you want and deserve. You’ll be able to release stress and welcome more joy and productivity. Let’s get started!

Organizing Mistake #1: You don’t declutter first

One of the most common mistakes when it comes to organizing is failing to declutter before organizing efforts. It’s tempting to jump right into organizing, but if you haven’t gotten rid of the excess stuff, you’ll just be rearranging too much stuff.

Common reasons for not decluttering are (1) you are too overwhelmed with the clutter and/or (2) you don’t have any time.  The good news is there are many tips and tricks to decluttering your home when either overwhelmed or low on time.  Avoid the common organizing mistake of holding on to unused items, then organize what is left.

Organizing Mistake #2: You are trying to make it perfect

It is easy to scroll through Instagram and TikTok thinking “why doesn’t my home look like that?” or “if only I can get organized and have my home look that way.”  I do the same! 

These social media platforms influence us into thinking good organizing means are homes should and can look perfect. But perfection is not reasonable or sustainable.  Wanting like our tidy, clutter-free to look perfect is a common organization mistake.  

Don’t aim for a beautiful, social media-worthy pantry or bookshelf.  Organization can be done in a variety of ways.  As long as the clutter is removed and the leftover items are contained in thoughtful, intentional ways – this is what matters.  The baskets may not match or the shelving unit may not be from a designer retail store, but you have a system that works for you.

Organizing Mistake #3: You shop for containers first

Along the lines of making things perfect is buying containers, bins and wire baskets before you know what you actually need.  This organizing mistake is very common because – hey! – its fun to shop and get the pretty, new containers and then we think, now I will organize.  

Avoid this mistake (and save yourself time and money) by looking around your home for items you can use to organize your things.  Use everyday items to corral your stuff; then, if needed, you can see what type of containers you need and will be truly helpful to your organizing efforts.

Around-the-house items you can use as organizing containers:

• Mason jars (pencils, pens, makeup brushes, kitchen utensils)
• Trays (paper items (link), mail, entryway items, magazines)
• Old tupperware or those with no lids (bathroom storage, pet supplies, pantry items)
• Rubber bands (mail, magazines and catalogs)
• Tote bags (blankets, reusable grocery bags, sports equipment)
• Ziploc baggies (school supplies, makeup items, purse or handbag contents)
• Laundry hampers (hand-me-down kids’ clothing (link), throw blankets, extra towels)

Organizing Mistake #4: You are waiting for the perfect time to start

You want to get your home organized but you are waiting for the kitchen remodel, a new season for clothes, your kids to get out of school, etc.  Waiting on the perfect time to organize your home is a common mistake.  The best way to organize (like any goal) is to start!  

If you procrastinate the start of organizing, you increase the chances of never doing it. Start small with one project area that is bothering you the most. Your momentum will increase as you see progress.

Organizing Mistake #5: You try to do it all at once

Avoid the common organizing mistake of doing your whole home (or even an entire room) all at once. This can be incredibly overwhelming, especially if you have a lot of house or areas you need organized.

Break down your organizing needs into manageable areas so you can keep moving forward.  Start small and complete one area before moving on to the next.  What’s bothering you the most?  Your pantry?  Linen closet?  Kids’ playroom?  Create a priority list of what you want to organize and start with area number 1.  This approach allows for a more manageable workload and helps prevent burnout.

If you aren’t sure where to start organizing prioritize items or areas based on their usefulness and frequency of use. For example, items that are used on a daily basis should be easily accessible, while items that are used less frequently can be stored in a less visible or accessible location.

Organizing Mistake #6: You don’t make organization a priority

One of the most common organizing mistakes is the lack of prioritization. When people start organizing their space, they may get overwhelmed or lose interest and end up giving up. This leads to frustration and burnout, as well as a lack of progress.

To avoid this mistake, it’s important to prioritize organizing and keep up with it.  Work this task into your home cleaning and maintenance schedule.  Also keep in mind the benefits of an organized home as discussed above to stay motivated and focused.  

Ideally you tidy daily for a truly organized home.  Getting into this routine of cleaning and organizing on a regular schedule helps avoid clutter hotspots and should be part of your overall home organization strategy. Many people make the mistake of not maintaining their organized spaces. They may spend a lot of time and effort getting everything in order, only to let it all fall apart again in a matter of days or weeks.

Organizing Mistake #7: You “over-organize”

So you finally organized but you almost did it too good!  This perfectly clean space is now difficult to maintain and the area quickly becomes cluttered again, causing another round of frustration.  You want to create organizational systems that are functional, not overly put away and done.

For example, you put all the kids toys away in fabric bins inside a large cubby storage unit. Everything is put away and out of sight — but no one can find anything! If you “over-organize” by storing things in difficult to reach or out-of-sight areas it creates a different type of frustration which defeats the purpose.

Avoid this common mistake by creating the type of organization that works best for you. Consider items your family uses on a regular basis that need to be reachable and are placed back-and-forth. You don’t want things you need stacked in the back of a closet or deep inside a garage or basement just for the sake of organizing — be sure your routine items are accessible and easy to put back in their place.

Conclusion to Common Organizing Mistakes People Make

Transforming your home into an organized oasis is not just about creating a clean appearance – it’s also a way to show love and care to those around you. By implementing simple systems, you can reduce stress and free up your time to focus on the people and experiences that matter most. Whether you’re starting from scratch or fine-tuning your approach, avoiding the common organizing mistakes listed above tips will guide you towards success in creating the peaceful sanctuary you deserve.

In summary, there are several common organizing mistakes that may be holding you back from your organization journey.  By discovering which one(s) you are doing, you can shift your efforts and get on track.

Organizing Tools

Always look around your house first before purchasing new organizing containers, baskets or tools (as discussed in mistake #3 above). If after adjusting for the mistakes above, you find you need new tools at home for keeping your organizational efforts in place, consider these Amazon items below.