This post may contain affiliate links. See here for full details

Many of us want to get organized, but soon find out that it feels more challenging than we initially thought. And while getting organized shouldn’t be difficult, many of us make certain mistakes that make getting organized harder than it needs to be.

With that said, here are the top organizing mistakes that crush your organizing efforts:

1-) Skipping decluttering

If you are trying to get organized without first decluttering, you are doing yourself-and your space- a big disservice.

Why? Well, part of being organized is only keeping around what you need and use. The rest, by definition, is clutter!

In addition, when you get rid of things you don’t use or need, finding items when you need them becomes instantly easier. That means more time and less stress for you!

So take the time to declutter before you organize your belongings…mmmkayyy?

2-) Starting too broad

This is a mistake I think we’ve all made at one point or another. We get really excited and ambitious about cleaning and organizing and we decide that we’re going to organize the whole house like, right now.

So we go full force tearing apart the whole house only to lose steam half way through. And what are we left with? A messy house.

If we want to avoid that situation we have to reign in that energy and focus on one space at a time. Depending on how organized your home is to start and how quickly you lose motivation, it may be as small as a drawer or as large as a room. Do whatever works for you, as long as it’s a single defined space that you can focus on.

3-) Setting unrealistic expectations

For many of us, when we decide to get organized we want it to happen to be done today. But as nice as that would be, it doesn’t happen that way! We have other obligations such as work and kids that mean we can’t spend every waking moment working on getting organized, and we need to take that into account.

If you’ve caught yourself setting unrealistic goals or expectations in the past, it’s time to make some changes! Set your self up with a plan that you can stick to given your goals and obligations. You’ll be much more focused and will be setting yourself up for success rather than failure!

4-) Pretending that “out of sight” equals “organized”

Have you ever shoved all your clutter into a closet when you suddenly were expecting guests? (Don’t lie…we’ve all done it 😉 )

While that works as a quick fix for guests visiting in ten minutes, it becomes a problem when we pretend that hiding our clutter is a permanent solution to our disorganization.

So how do you stop yourself from falling into this trap? I personally do the reverse…if an item doesn’t have a good home I leave it out where I will see it every day. That way I am forced to take the time to find a home for it. And trust me, it works!

5-) Purchasing organizing tools prematurely

While purchasing shiny new organizing solutions is tempting, it’s important to wait until you’ve decluttered and have come up with a system to buy them. Otherwise you may find that the super cool organization solution you purchased doesn’t actually fit your needs and you will be left with what becomes organizing clutter.

6-) Not using the space based on your needs

Organizing should feel somewhat personal. When you get organized you should consider your lifestyle, how much you use different items, and even your height. At the end of the day your organization system needs to suit you and your family’s needs. So if you find your organizing system looks nice but you have to climb a ladder every time you want to cook, it may be time to come up with a different system.

7-) Skipping vertical space

If you have bare walls it’s time to start using them! Vertical space is prime organizing real estate, and can make even tiny spaces instantly become maximally organized.

In addition, the options for vertical storage space are endless! From simple command hooks to open shelving, baskets, magnets, artistic peg boards, and even custom built-ins, there’s a solution for everything!

8- ) Working without a plan

Working without a plan tangles with a lot of the other tips here, but it also deserves its own space. When you decide to organize your home you should come up with a plan that defines the space to work on and the vision you have for that space. Once you have these two pieces it’s a lot easier to stay focused and lay out what needs to get done to achieve your vision. Without that, you are working blindly and are less likely to stay motivated.

9-) Believing organizing is “one and done”

You finally finished organizing your home, and now you can relax for good! Right?

Well, not exactly. Staying organized is a long term commitment, similarly to staying fit. While you can and should celebrate your organizing successes, you also need to keep up with your space to prevent it from becoming disorganized again in the future.

So take a breather once you finish getting your space organized. But don’t forget to come up with a system that will help you stay organized long term!

Those are the top organizing mistakes that crush your organizing efforts. What do you think of these mistakes? Let us know in the comments!

For more organizing tips, check out How to get Organized: 9 Attitudes You have to Change, Reduce Visual Clutter and Improve Any Room’s Appeal, and How to Organize a Small Pantry