So far in our ongoing series called Biggest Organizing Myths & Mistakes, we've covered over-organizing, doing it the right way, it's genetic and it's too expensive. Today the topic is one near and dear to a lot of hearts out there and it's (ta-da!) SHOPPING!
OOH FUN! I know you like to shop for organizing products. So do I! Who doesn't love The Container Store?? (I know, right?) Zoinks. The mistake isn't buying organizing products. Heck, I do that all the time. The mistake is buying first, and planning second.
Organizing any space is likely to require the purchase of products and tools in some fashion. It could be something as simple as a drawer divider or pencil cup but it might be a full blown new closet system. Regardless, don't buy a thing until you've got your plan in place.
I've worked with way too many clients who have secret stashes of organizing products lurking about the house and office. It's like The Island of Misfit Organizers (and nobody wants a Charlie In The File Box). Would you go to the grocery store, load your basket with random items then come home and go online to try to find a recipe that contains them all? Of course you wouldn't. You find the recipe you want to make, THEN you go buy the ingredients.
Organizing works the same way. Plan your project -- or hire a NAPO Professional Organizer in your area to help you put together a project plan. Once you know your goals and the parameters, it will become clear which products you need to buy. Shopping deliberately with a plan in mind and a use for each product helps you avoid wasting time, money and prevents your home or office from being the place containers go to die.
Join me next week for Organizing Mistake #7!
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