Stop! Don't Buy That Organizing Product!
You may have noticed that I don't focus on products around here. In fact, when I see friends and family asking about organizing products I typically just scroll right past.
Let's start with the best advice anyone can hear about organizing products: Products only help after you have decluttered. Otherwise you are organizing junk.
Buying products before you have decluttered also means wasting time and energy and money. Once you have gotten rid of the things you no longer want or need (declutter) you will likely find that you already own the products you need to help organize.
Here's what it might look like in your home.
Opens pantry. "Okay, I've had enough. It's time to get this into shape. I'm going to need bins and labels and baskets and shelves and risers and..."
Gets on internet. "Hmm, there are a lot of options here. I guess I'll just get one of each." Clicks "add to cart" on 10 different items. "But I'll probably need at least 5 of these bins" Goes to cart and adds 4 more bins. "Wait, this is a better price. And these are super cute. And how about these?" click, click, click
Clicks "proceed to checkout" and "place your order" "Done!"
Multiple packages arrive four, five, and seven days later.
With each package's arrival you open the package and wonder where to use it. You put a few baking ingredients into one and use the pre-printed label for "baking" only to find out a few minutes later that you don't have enough room in that bin for all of your baking ingredients. Frowns. "That's okay, I'll just put it in this bigger bin." Smiles with optimism and continues working. You put all your baking supplies in the larger bin and manage to make the original baking label look almost new on the new larger bin. Pushing food aside, you put the baking bin on the shelf and step back. "Hmm, it sure is hanging off the front of the shelf a lot. I wonder if the door will shut." Tries to shut door. It won't shut.
The $20 bin that you bought for the pantry won't fit in the pantry. Now you have a beautiful bin that won't fit in the space you bought it for. You have a few options. You can return the bin (but don't do it yet, you are highly likely to have other organizing products that won't work either) or you can search your home for another place to use it - more work and energy to spend.
That is just one small example of what goes wrong and how time, energy, and money is wasted when you try to declutter and organize out of order.
Let's do a replay in the right order.
Opens pantry. "Okay, I've had enough. It's time to get this pantry into shape."
Takes everything out. Puts all like items together (baking, mixes, snacks, canned goods by type, etc). Throws away all expired items. Puts food you won't eat but isn't expired into a bag for the food pantry. "An empty pantry!" Gives a quick wipe of the shelves and sweep of the floor.
Figures out where on the shelves those foods should live.
Stages food for bins.
"Wow! This looks better already!"
Measures the spaces for each type of food. (Length, width, height.)
Measures again and writes it all down.
Opens internet browser to search for specific sizes of bins, risers, etc. double checking the sizes.
Orders exactly what is needed. "These are beautiful! I'm excited for them to come in so I can finish up my pantry."
Packages arrive 4 days later.
Looking at plan, puts all food directly in appropriate bin.
Applies labels.
Stands back and enjoys newly organized pantry. "Done!"
Welcomes oohs and ahhs from family and friends.
Doesn't that feel better? I have confidence that anyone can do this. If, however, you feel like you just won't get it done without the help of someone else, get in touch and I'd be more than happy to help. I LOVE this stuff!