8 Resolutions Pro Organizers Are NOT Making This Year - And, frankly, neither should you.
The new year is here, which means we should all be promising to spend time, money, and effort making our homes better than ever, right?! Well, sure, if that's your thing. But some resolutions — especially when it comes to organizing – are far better than others. We asked organizing pros what we shouldn't waste our time on this year, and these are the resolutions they say to skip:
1. "I'LL BUY FURNITURE THAT OFFERS TONS OF STORAGE."
Despite it being a popular belief, buying another filing cabinet, bin, or storage ottoman will not help you organize your home. "All too often Ia home is full of baskets and bins and 'storage' furniture that's filled with 90% junk, If you've got too much to organize, you have too much stuff — so start by down-sizing first. Afraid to take the plunge? Here are 10 things you can get rid of without thinking twice. Poof! You're instantly more organized.
2. "I'M GOING TO GET RID OF CLOTHES I HAVEN'T WORN IN A YEAR."
You've heard this rule so often, it sounds like a broken record: if you haven't worn it in a year, get rid of it. A more thoughtful approach – after all, just because you didn't have the opportunity to wear your evening gown this year, doesn't mean you won't have a bash to attend the next. Take closet organizing as an opportunity to toss any items that are in poor condition — and be honest with yourself. If you're not wearing something because its an unflattering cut or color, donate it.
3. "I'LL TRY ALL OF MY FRIENDS' BEST ORGANIZING TRICKS."
Frankly, staying tidy is a pretty personal practice. Just because it works for your friends, doesn't mean it'll work for you. "Everybody functions differently . "Don't buy a certain product or organize a certain way because your friends are telling you to."
Essentially, doing this is a little like putting the horse before the cart — you've identified a solution without checking to see if you've really got the problem, too. In deciding what areas of your life need a little more structure, first try walking yourself through your day. Are you missing a hook near the door that would be the perfect place for your hat? Do you need a bigger cubby to store all of your shoes? Your trouble spots are likely very specific to you — so find specific solutions for them.
4. "I WILL DEVOTE A FULL WEEKEND ORGANIZING MY HOUSE ONCE AND FOR ALL."
"It's unrealistic to think you will be able to declutter, sort, and store all of your belongings in such a short amount of time. Instead, set smaller goals over several weeks: "Start by decluttering your closet one weekend, culling your book collection the next, organizing your jewelry the next, and so on.
Smaller projects also mean you'll feel accomplished week after week — which will give you the motivation to keep checking them off your list.
5. "I'M GOING CREATING A HYPER-ORGANIZED FILING SYSTEM FOR BILLS."
People spend too much time filing paper they don't actually need. If you know what you actually need to hold onto ,you should only need one file drawer filled with folders. People are really afraid of losing something or not being able to retrieve it later. The truth is that 80% of the papers we file, we never use again. Thanks to digital bank statements and bills, there's little you need to keep for the long-haul — and if you do like to receive financial records on paper, you can often toss last months' when the latest appears at your door.
6. "I'LL FINALLY OPEN ALL OF MY E-MAIL AND PURGE MY INBOX."
Thanks to improved search functions and the evolution of inexpensive data storage, you can likely get away with a slightly cluttered inbox. Just tag or file email you need to act on so it doesn't get lost in the slush pile We experience decision fatigue every day — avoid wasting valuable energy on micromanaging your email.
Plus, when it comes to e-mail management, the best defense is a good offense. Instead of deleting unread messages, use that time to unsubscribe from newsletters or promotional e-mails you simply don't need. (Plus, if you don't know that Kohl's is having yet another sale, you won't be tempted to buy anything impulsive. Win!)
7. "I'M GOING TO LABEL EVERYTHING IN MY HOUSE."
Sure, a label maker sounds handy (and kinda fun),but the labels are often too small to read, the machine requires yet another cord to store, and overall the gadget just isn't worth it: "It's a waste of money, time, and creates clutter."
8. "I'M GOING TO MAKE EVERY SINGLE SPOT IN MY HOME BEAUTIFUL."
If getting organized is your goal for the year, you might want to (gasp!) put decorating on the back burner. I won't do what looks good, I'll do what works! And if it looks good in the process, even better." Now that's a resolution we can get behind.
