Get Organized Month 2009 - #1 Biggest Organizing Mistake

People are in love with organizing containers. Many of my clients rival The Container Store in the number of containers they own!

Owning organizing containers is not a bad thing. The #1 organizing mistake, however, is buying organizing containers without a clear picture in mind of how you can use them. For example, I was organizing an office yesterday and our initial conversation indicated that we might need to purchase or make something to hold finished projects. As we worked through the office, though, we found a solution with existing furniture.

I always organize first, buy organizing containers last, if needed. Many times, my clients already have storage - we may just need to think outside the box in order to find it.

So, as tempting as it is, refrain from purchasing organizing containers until you know what you need. Yesterday we purchased upright Christmas wrap containers to hold rolls of work-in-progress - but that was AFTER we determined what we needed. We knew exactly what we wanted, and we felt very fortunate to snag the last two at an after-Christmas clearance sale.


What unusual storage solutions have you used? (If you receive this blog by email and want to comment, this link will take you back to my blog.)


More blogs on similar topics:
National Association of Professional Organizer's Best Residential Product for 2008
Storage for Your Garage
Products we Recommend - KangaRoom Stackable File Box


As you declutter, consult Three Steps to Decluttering if you are overwhelmed.