Generally speaking, as our lives become busier or our families grow, it may seem like clutter and disarray evolve into the central theme of our homes. But when we eventually buckle down and decide to organize, it can feel like a huge accomplishment and weight lifted off our shoulders. However, to avoid doing more harm than good, take a look at these common mistakes that homeowners make when it comes to organizing.

Purchasing Storage Accessories Before Organizing

It can be challenging to know where to begin when tackling an overwhelming project like organizing a cluttered home. It’s easy to get carried away and buy an abundance of organizational products and accessories all at once because doing so might lead us to believe that we have all of our ducks in a row.

On the contrary, it can actually cause more chaos. Instead, sort through all of your items first before you purchase anything. By getting rid of anything you don’t need and planning how you want to arrange the things you intend to keep, you will have a clear idea of both how many and which organizational pieces – such as fabric drawers, bookcases or wire racks – you need.

Once you’ve sorted and purged your belongings, use storage items like a cube organizer to keep everything orderly.

Not Maximizing Your Square Footage

Taking advantage of extra square footage in a home by transforming spatial features can prove to be an excellent opportunity for functional storage and organization.

Open kitchens, for example, have fewer interior walls, allowing for an open entrance to other areas like dining rooms. However, dining rooms don’t typically include any built-in cabinetry. Given this, consider moving items like decorative dishware from your kitchen cabinets to a dining room hutch. This will allow you to free up room in your kitchen cabinets for items you use more regularly.

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Be sure to keep your newly available kitchen cabinet space organized by implementing custom storage solutions. To keep the costs associated with kitchen projects like cabinet makeovers low, opt for updates instead of overhauls—like installing kitchen cabinet organizers instead of installing completely new cabinets.

Failing to Use Vertical Space

If there’s one thing most homes have in common, it’s piles – piles of clothes, piles of paper, you name it. Kitchen countertops act as one of the most frequent drop-off places for collections of paperwork, mail and other belongings, including sets of keys.

To reduce these stress-inducing and eyesore piles from stacking up, work with what you already have in your home – vertical space.

Between walls, cabinet door interiors and the backs of other doors, there are plenty of ways to stay organized. Hanging organization solutions, such as wall-mounted racks, are inexpensive options for reducing and systematizing paper piles.

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