sometimes i get overwhelmed by organizing. which is weird, right? since i write about it all the time. the thing is, even though i love organized spaces, sometimes it is still hard for me to start a project. usually it’s because i’m telling myself something that’s not true. it’s easy to get sucked into some of the misconceptions that are associated with this topic. these lies keep us from even starting projects, have us believing we can never be good at it, and cause us to have unrealistic expectations.
despite the fact that it sometimes feels overwhelming at first, organizing is still a LITTLE thing for me. this is because i’ve learned that when i organize something to meet my family’s needs, it opens up space in our life to do more of the things we love. rather than taking away time {as many people think}, getting something organized gives me more time with my kids, a less cluttered head {and space!} to be present in the lives of people i love, and a greater appreciation for the things i have.
i’d like everyone to experience this breathing room. so in an attempt to clear the air, here are 5 lies about organizing you should stop telling yourself.
also, because i know i can’t be the only one who feels this way, i created this cheat sheet with 5 easy steps to organize any space. these are the exact steps i use to organize a new space, every single time. they help me fight the overwhelm. getting started is always the hardest part. but when you’re done, and you’ve created an area for your family to breath a LITTLE easier, you’ll wish you had started sooner. snag your own copy here in the LITTLE printable library. cultivate a home where joy can thrive!
{1} everyone else’s house is more organized than mine.
it’s not. and you should probably consider why you think that. is it because you’ve seen pictures of other homes on social media that look like no one lives in them? is it because you went to a friend’s house and her kids’ toys were actually put away? that does not mean their homes are more organized than yours.
here are three pictures i’ve posted either on the blog or on social media. next to each picture is what the same space looks like right now, on a random tuesday morning. i know. the basement!
here’s the truth. the insights we are given into people’s houses on social media are not what they look like every single day. also, just because something is organized doesn’t mean it can’t be messy. this is hard to remember, i know. we have to remind ourselves that social media posts are snapshots in time and there is ALWAYS life behind that tiny square that we don’t see. and if there’s not? then who cares if their pillows are perfectly arranged on their bench. if their kids aren’t allowed to ride their hoverboards in the hall, that’s no fun! really, truly we do not want houses like that.
here’s something else we forget to remind ourselves. we all straighten up a LITTLE bit before we have guests. even good friends get a quick how much can i put away in 7 minutes tidy. if you walk in my house, and you’ve given me any notice, it is probably 7 minutes cleaner than it was before i knew you were coming. if you show up unannounced, well then you wouldn’t even believe the lie that everyone else’s house is organized, because you would plainly see that’s not true.
disorganized is not the same as messy. this morning, my house is messy. it’s not dirty, it’s not disorganized, it’s just messy. because we live here. the exact same is probably true for your house. and this leads me to my second myth.
{2} once i organize something, it will stay that way.
i wish this was true, but it’s just not. for anyone. but, once i organize something the first time, it IS much easier to maintain than it was before i gave it any attention at all. take another view of my laundry room for example. my laundry room is organized. right now, though? it’s messy. the lighting is also ALWAYS terrible because, no windows. so sorry about the blueish picture.
for the past week no one has used the organization that is in place in this laundry room space, including me. it’s freezing here so we have all the coats out. probably, though, we don’t need every single one of the coats on our hooks, and some could go up in our closets. my kids get the batteries down from above the washer/dryer at least 37 times a week. they never put them back. ever.
the point is, this space IS organized. it is just messy right now. this is probably true for a few spaces in your house. to return this laundry room to it’s picture perfect state would only take me 20 minutes. and a new light fixture. ha. all i have to do is put in the 20 minutes. which brings me to my next myth.
{3} organizing takes too much time.
on the front end, yes, organizing a space for the first time takes longer. but not THAT long. after that? it is SO MUCH EASIER to keep something organized once you’ve done the initial overhaul.
i have learned that organizing actually frees up time. recently, i reorganized my junk drawer. it took 10 minutes because i’ve already organized it before. even if it had taken an hour, that would have been NOTHING compared to the time it was taking me to find the things i needed in that drawer before i decluttered.
if the problem is you’re not sure where to start, grab your 5 steps to an organized space cheat sheet from the FREE resource library. i’ve taken all the guesswork out of the process for you. these 5 steps are quick, to the point, and will make room in your life for the things you really want to do!
{4} organizing is too expensive.
this does not have to be true. i didn’t spend ANY MONEY on my home last year and it is still organized {sounds crazy, right? read more about how that turned out here}. in my dreams, i would LOVE to get all of my organization bins/baskets/file boxes/containers/etc. from IKEA or the container store. if i did that, you’re right, it could get expensive. most likely, you already have things in your home that you can reuse in new spaces. if not? i get many of my organization tools at the dollar store!
i will admit, dollar store organization tools are not always the colors i want, but there are ways to make things cuter. these buckets in my freezer are from the dollar store. i don’t like the color AT ALL. but i do like chalkboard labels. the labels help me like the buckets a LITTLE bit more. i have the same colored buckets in my pantry. i would LOVE these buckets to be all white, but that is not in our budget right now.
for now, dollar store organization is better than no organization! and sometimes, SOMETIMES they have aqua like the baskets you see in my laundry room pic {especially in the spring!}. there are always ways to make it work! which brings me to my final myth.
{5} you’re either good at organizing or you’re not.
back in college, if you would have asked my roommate beth if i was organized, she would have answered with a resounding NO! in college, i had stuff everywhere, on every surface, and all over the floor. i didn’t care, firstly, and secondly i hadn’t yet learned the value of organizing. i also only had to worry about myself. now, as a VERY BUSY mom of three, my reality is very different.
organizing is NOT a natural born ability. if it was, i wouldn’t be organized. organizing is a step-by-step process ANYONE can follow.
now, what’s probably true is that not everyone LIKES to organize. most likely because it seems hard, you don’t know where to start, or you believe one or more of the lies here. if this is you, it’s time to forget the lies and pick one space or routine in your house to organize this week. remember, organizing is a system anyone can learn, you just need the right information to get started. while you’re in the resource library grabbing your 5 steps, snag a copy of the 5 questions to ask yourself when you need to organize a space or routine {but you’re not sure where to start}. these two will set you up for success on any project!
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