Mistakes people make when trying to get organized.

“Clutter is nothing more than postponed decisions.” – Barbara Hemphill

Experience the expertise of Colorado Springs professional organizers in action, as they diligently work to transform a client's home. Witness the precision and dedication as they optimize space, declutter surfaces, and create an efficient and functional environment. Trust in their skill to bring harmony and organization to your living space.

When I meet with a potential client for their initial consultation, one thing I hear often is “I tried to organize this on my own but…” followed by one of a few reasons I hear regularly. They feel silly for calling in a profession for something seemingly simple. They think organizing a pile of paperwork or cleaning out a closet shouldn’t be difficult, but they just get stuck somewhere in the process.

By the time I arrive, there are usually papers scattered on the floor or clothes in piles in an attempt to sort, and a client that feels defeated and overwhelmed.

If you have found yourself feeling the same way about getting organized, you are not alone. Here are 5 reasons most people get stuck in the process of trying to get organized.

REASON #1 WE DON’T HAVE A PLAN

One of the biggest differences between a Professional Organizer and a person who struggles to stay organized is: professional organizers are planners.

We plan our schedules, our meals, our activities, and our projects ahead of time; often with great detail. I personally need to plan because I get anxious if I don’t know what I ‘m doing or what to expect. I like to see the big picture, and know the path ahead of time. I’m not going out there all Bird Box style with my eyes covered hoping that something sticks, no.

Observe the meticulous attention to detail as a professional organizer meticulously transforms a cluttered closet. Witness the precision in arranging clothes, optimizing storage solutions, and decluttering shelves. Experience the expertise and dedication of the organizer as they bring order and functionality to the space."

I MAKE A PLAN FIRST.

When trying to get organized, some people just dive in on a whim because they just watched an episode of Tidy Up with Marie Kondo and they get all excited and think “I’m going to clean out my closet… RIGHT NOW!”

After 20 minutes they’ve got a huge pile of clothes on their bed that stays there for a week and becomes a new pillow top to their mattress.

Or, they empty their entire file cabinet onto the kitchen table, which hinders family dinners and causes arguments between spouses about why they have a 500 page JC Penny catalog from 1989 still in the house.

THINK OF IT THIS WAY: You wouldn’t host a dinner party for 20 people without planning a date, a menu, a guest list, etc. Without planning first, you may have those 20 people show up at 7pm on a Tuesday when you are already in your pajamas and all you have to serve is leftover pizza. Disaster!

If you want to start organizing your home, you NEED A PLAN. Estimate how long it will take you, what spaces you want organized, what day or time do you have available to work on the project, when you want it done by, etc.

IF YOU ARE NOT SURE HOW TO PLAN AN ORGANIZING JOB, CLICK HERE to get our FREE Guide to get started.

REASON #2 WE OVER PLAN

Maybe you read reason #1 and thought to yourself, “but I’m a GREAT planner. That can’t be the reason I can’t get organized!” Well I need to tell you that there is such a thing as TOO much planning.

I’m often guilty of what is called “analysis paralysis” In other words, I over plan, or over think things sometimes, and it paralyzes action. This can be the reason you are unable to get organized. If you find yourself planning, re-planning, adjusting your planning until it is perfect, but not actually taking any action, you too may be suffering from “analysis paralysis”.

Often times I have to tell my self to just get started.

DONE IS BETTER THAN PERFECT.

For some people, the planning is the fun part, but the actual doing is a buzz kill. I get it!

I love planning vacations for my family. I always have a daily itinerary that includes where we will eat each meal, what sites we will see each day, even what outfit I will wear each day during the trip. I have a packing list, and unpacking list, a detailed daily budge, and even a plan for handling toddler melt-downs. Part of the fun of taking a trip though, is going with the flow and exploring. Be a little flexible. Don’t strive for perfection. Like the slogan for a famous shoe brand says:

JUST DO IT!

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REASON #3 WE GET OVERWHELMED

The NUMBER ONE reason we get overwhelmed with a task or project is simply we try to take on too much.

If you have been wanting to organize your entire house, don’t try to do it all in a weekend! Start small, with like one drawer, or a small closet. Make a to-list of all the spaces you want to organize, and check them off as you go. Checking items off a to-do list feel so good!

The truth is overwhelm is a reality and fatigue from the process will happen from time to time.

LEARN TO TAKE BREAKS. NOT QUIT.

Have you ever been to an all you can eat buffet in Las Vegas? OMG, they are INCREDIBLE!!!

In fact, when my husband (fiancé at the time) gave me $100 to lay down at the roulette table during my bachelorette weekend, I opted to spend it at the buffet instead. What can I say, I love food, and Vegas did not dissapoint.

Well of course my eyes were bigger than my stomach, and I loaded up 4 plates of food right off that bat. Lobster, scallops, shrimp, prime rib, fresh fruit, eggs Benedict, bacon, foes gras (if you don’t know what foes gras is, try it first before you find out what it is. Trust me. It’s amazing!); I mean THE WORKS!

On top of that were the endless mimosas. Needless to say I didn’t make it to the burlesque show we had planned for that night. I put too much on my plate and I got SICK. I’ll leave it at that.

Often times, when we take on a project, we simply bite off more than we can chew. If you’re not sure how to even begin to organize even one small drawer, or closet, have no fear! I’ve got you covered.

CLICK HERE to download our FREE GUIDE TO ORGANIZING ANY SPACE. It will help you get started.

Gain valuable insights from professional organizers in Colorado Springs as they offer advice on avoiding common organizing mistakes. Witness their expertise in action as they provide guidance to streamline spaces and achieve lasting organization. Trust in their knowledge and experience to help you overcome organizing challenges and create harmonious living environments.

REASON #4 WE LACK MOTIVATION

For many people, organizing a closet doesn’t bring them the kind of joy that it does for us professional organizers. Whenever I see an overstuffed closet, or messy pantry it literally energizes me to think about organizing it.

MOTIVATION COMES EASY WHEN IT’S SOMETHING YOU ENJOY OR YOU ARE NATURALLY GOOD AT.

The opposite is true if it doesn’t come naturally to you or you just don’t like it.

For instance, I really hate working out. I’m one of those people who has a gym membership, but only uses it about twice a year: once in February when I’m trying to get a tan in the winter to prep for my Spring Break trip to the beach (our “gym” has tanning beds!), and right after Thanksgiving when I gain 5 pounds just from looking at the turkey.

I WANT to be healthy and feel good though, so I found myself an accountability partner who texts me every morning at 5 am to make sure I am awake, and a gym partner who goes to the gym with me three times a week. This keeps me accountable, and motivates me.

You probably WANT your home to be organized, but maybe you just need someone to motivate you and keep you accountable: kind of like a personal trainer.

As a professional organizer, I like to say I’m like a personal trainer for your home. I will help keep you accountable, and motivate you through the project; while teaching you how to be more organized and put systems in place to maintain it.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR IN-HOME ORGANIZING SERVICES (a.k.a “personal training” for your home)

Discover the expertise of professional organizers in our blog post image, as they shed light on common organizing mistakes. Witness the contrast between cluttered chaos and streamlined efficiency, illustrating the pitfalls to avoid. Explore our post for valuable insights and expert advice on achieving lasting organization. Let our visual guide empower you to overcome common organizing challenges and create harmonious living spaces.

REASON #5 WE JUST WANT TO BUY PRETTY CONTAINERS

Raise your hand if you basically own “Stock” from Target or The Container Store because of the amount of time and money you spend there. 🙋

Next questions: RAISE YOUR HAND if you have a closet or room full of empty containers that are not being utilized to organize your home.

Don’t worry if you raised your hand for the second question. First of all, I cannot see you; this is just a blog post, and I’m not spying on you through the camera on your laptop (although someone might be. Cover that thing up with a piece of tape!)

Second, this is common, so you are not alone. I’ve seen MANY clients with pretty (empty) containers in their spaces that they purchased in an effort to get organized, but realistically only added to the clutter. I GET IT! The shopping at the end for pretty containers is the fun part (and it’s my favorite part too).

Think of it as the icing on the cake though. You wouldn’t try to ice a cake before you baked it, right? That would be gross, and weird.

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Ok so here is the deal. The “put back” as we like to call it, where you arrange everything in pretty containers in your perfect Pinterest pantry, is the LAST part you want to do. If you want to get organized, DO NOT, please I repeat, DO NOT go buy pretty containers first. This only adds to the clutter. Here are the steps you need to do BEFORE you max out your TCS credit ok?

Empty, Sort, Organize, repeat. Then repeat, repeat, repeat, and repeat again.
Then you can plan out your space (measure, always measure.) Measure the space you want to out the pretty container or basket so that it fits nicely without hanging over the edge of the shelf, etc. Then gauge the amount of items you will be storing here, to ensure the container will hold it)
AFTER PLANNING you have our permission to shop for pretty supplies.

Did you know that sourcing and shopping supplies is included as part of our services?

We do not charge extra for the time to research, pick up, or drop off the supplies. Because we organize for people almost every day, we know what works and where to get it. So if you are trying to plan out a space, and you are not sure where to find the right organizing supplies for containers, we can help with that too!