The nature of My Custom Closet has us inside customers’ homes all the time. This has allowed us to see common design themes over the years regarding how our clients keep their homes. It’s also shown us mistakes people often make when organizing their homes.
Today we’re breaking down each of the most common mistakes so you can better organize your home. Plus: you can practice some of these home organization tips to keep your dwelling looking and feeling more zen.
Mistake #1: Not Having a Designated Space for Items
There is a huge difference between a clean space and an organized one. If you’ve cleaned surfaces and dirt but still have piles of stuff everywhere, that’s not organized. We see this all too often with our own clients and our first piece of advice is to go through each pile 1 by 1. Designating a space for everything will help make your cleaning process easier so that when it’s time to put things away, you know exactly where everything belongs.
Mistake #2: Having Too Much Clutter Out
People often think that their visitors will be interested in all the knick-knacks, photos, and memorabilia they have scattered around their rooms. But less can often mean more! Consider keeping only your favorite items or ones that have an engaging story behind them out on display.
Mistake #3: Keeping Counters Fully Clear
This may seem counterintuitive, but having too many clear surfaces can actually make it harder to keep your home organized. Too much open space means stuff can easily start piling up. Our solution for this is to use baskets or bins on countertops to contain items and keep them from scattering. This will still leave some open space for decoration or useful items while avoiding clutter.
Mistake #4: Overabundance of Storage Bins
Storage bins aren’t just a place to dump any items. They should be used with intention! Our solution for keeping bins organized is to buy dividers for each. That way everything inside the bins has its own proper place.
- Bonus tip: Using labels for individual units within storage bins can go a long way in training your brain to keep it organized. Consider investing in a label maker; we guarantee it will inspire you to stay productive!
Mistake #5: Forgetting About the Nature of Glass-front Cabinets and Furniture
It’s all too easy to forget that glass-front storage gives visitors a direct view inside each corner of a cabinet! Our clients often stuff these spaces with the good intention of maximizing their storage area while forgetting that everyone can still see how cluttered it is. To avoid this, keep these spaces simple with only a few of the most necessary items.
Mistake #6: Not Having a System for Bills, Mail, and Important Documents
Lacking a system like this can lead to missed payments or losing important paperwork. Our solution is to create a filing system for all of your bills and documents! A system like this could include:
- Throwing away junk mail immediately
- Filing bills and important documents in designated folders
- Placing reminder notes for things that need to be addressed
Mistake #7: Too Much Stuff Where Feet Should Be
You want your entryway to be functional, but if it’s cluttered with stuff this will make walking difficult. The solution? Only keep the necessary items in your hallways, such as a coat rack and maybe a small tray for keys and mail. Use storage solutions like hooks or baskets to contain any other necessary items, such as shoes or umbrellas.
Mistake #8: Pinterest vs Reality
When deciding to redesign your closet so it matches a specific look, ask yourself if this will let you use it in a functional sense. All too often, people see something on Pinterest or other social platforms and want to modify their closet so it looks the same. But most of the time, these closets are staged and unrealistic for everyday use. Our solution for this is to:
- Stay honest with yourself as you browse through “inspo” categories
- Consider a custom closet. These can be designed to your exact specifications so you can have your closet look any way you want
Mistake #9: Cord-Filled Floors
No one, and we mean no one, likes seeing excess cords hanging around on the floor. This can easily be avoided by artfully positioning furniture to cover the loose cords and wires. The other solution we recommend is investing in an entertainment center. These often come with holes in the back so it’s easy to hook up electronics while feeding excess wires into the back of the system.
Mistake #10: Not Sticking to a Schedule
Our most organized clients typically have a schedule they adhere to. So when it comes time to clean up and organize their space, they naturally flow into it. Intentionally making time for cleaning 1 thing every day will help you avoid a pile-up of work and chores.
- Bonus tip: This especially applies to laundry. It’s all too easy to leave piles of unfolded clothes around the house. The key to keeping laundry organized is to do it immediately and efficiently. If you commit to putting it away right away you will be less likely to leave mounds of it where it doesn’t belong for extended periods of time.
Following these home organization tips will help you keep your home clean and clutter-free. Like we said, it’s okay if you make a few of these mistakes. They’re the most common oversights we see our clients make!
A custom closet can sometimes be the easiest way to make the most of your space and stay organized. If you’re interested in building your dream closet, pantry, or storage space, contact My Custom Closet today for a free consultation!
