Organizing Traps: What The Container Store Isn't Telling You
To be clear, I do enjoy shopping in the Container Store (when I need to). The beautiful wall of an incredible array of glass jar options makes my heart go pitter patter. But let’s get real here for a second. What I don’t love are the unnecessary pressures people feel when they go into a store like this (or any store with organizing and storage solutions) and then they end up spending an obscene amount of money on products they don’t actually need. And guess what? Their organizing issues still aren’t solved and they still have clutter making life and daily routines harder than they need to be. Here we’re going to unpack a few organizing traps that are easy to fall into, and what to do instead so you’ll be well on your way to organizing bliss in your home without that hefty price tag. Well…shall we?!
Declutter before you shop.
By the time you step foot into an organizing hot spot like the Container Store, Target or one of my personal favorites, Daiso, you need to declutter the space you’re wanting to add more order to. That’s always step one. This will help you gain clarity on your next steps and what exactly needs more organizing. By the way, none of the stores are going to coach you on how to do this! Here’s a quick checklist of things to make sure you do before you layer in any organization solutions from your favorite stores.
Declutter the zone you’re focusing on thoroughly and ruthlessly.
Remove things that don’t belong in that spot. Toss, recycle, donate, giveaway items as you see fit.
Assess the space you have and identify any organizing challenges you’re having.
Is it a deep shelf? You might need a pull out bin so nothing gets lots in the back.
Do you have a drawer that you need to store a wide variety of items in? You might need to subdivide the drawer with smaller, shallow trays or containers so everything isn’t lumped together and you can see everything you have at a quick glance.
Measure the space you have and sketch a plan for the items you might need to improve that zone with a little as possible organizing product.
Shop your home first.
Shop your home first before you buy a single organizing item. Trust me. Often the best solutions to your organizing dilemmas are already hanging out right there in your home, without you ever leaving the house or spending a dime. Of course the stores won’t tell you this tip!
Look in other rooms, drawers, desks, closets, etc. for organizing items that could solve your current organizing challenges without you leaving the house or spending a dime.
Consider swapping things between rooms that could better fit the zone you’re working on.
Be resourceful with your organizing solutions. Consider boxes, packaging, trays, jars and containers from products/foods already hanging around in your home. Boxes can be cut down and sized to fit drawers.
Plastic fruit containers from the produce area in your grocery store can be cut into two pieces (the lid and the containers base) and great uses as drawer dividers for small items.
They’re also great to corral small office essentials and kids crafting supplies of all kinds.
Price check before you shop.
The reality is that there’s a lot of stores offering similar products to solve the same organizing challenges. Some stores carry different sizes of the same things, some are exactly the same, and others carry a very specific line of product that you can only get there. Before you commit to buying anything, take a few minutes to see what each store has in stock, check the dimensions against what you’re needed, and verify the material(s) used to make the product.
While you’re price checking the items you want to buy, make sure you’re cross checking that with the measurements/quantities you need. A slightly different size might not fit as well in your kitchen drawer, even if you save a few bucks.
Don’t forget overstock stores like Tuesday Morning, Marshalls, TJMaxx and Homegoods (those are just a few of my favorites) for organizing solutions at discounted prices. These stores are best shopped at in person.
Container Store is an excellent stop for highly specific organizing solutions because they’ve thought of every nook and cranny in your home! Depending on what you’re buying, if the cost seems higher, make sure you check the material quality. I’ve never had an issue with quality on items I’ve purchased at Container Store.
Also consider the cost of shipping to your home versus hopping in the car to pick up what you need.
Don’t forget your local thrift stores for organizing solutions. Once you know what you’re looking for, the world is your oyster! Go with a list and measuring tape and see what you can find!
Shop for solutions, not by store labels.
The websites and stores will direct you to the kitchen section for kitchen storage, bathroom area for bathroom storage, etc. This is all fine and well, but, it’s only part of the story! There are so many solutions in every store that could solve your organizing challenges that can be found ALL throughout the store. Here’s a few examples of how I’ve shopped for organizing solutions/products in various shop categories.
I’ve used vertical paper organizers found in the office section for pantry organizing
I love looking in the bathroom section for bins and storage ideas that can go all over the home, like toy storage and pantry containers, especially these Brightroom options from Target with hand cut outs so they’re easy to grab and move around.
The sushi trays, plates and tools from Daiso (shop in store for their full selection) have been my go-tos for organizing shallow drawers in our home because they work just like a tray and are so versatile and wipeable!.
I hope you’ll find these tips handy and inspiring the next time you find yourself needing to add more order and organization to a space in your home. After all, the answers might already be sitting in your home!
If you’d like MORE HELP decluttering, organizing and resetting your home, here’s a few great places to start.
Free Declutter Guide Donate for Good Links + Resources Learn the basics of Decluttering Organizing Basics Shop all Declutter + Organize Guides/Products
Organizing Mistakes You're Making in Your Home + What To Do Instead: Part II
We’re back at it discussing organizing mistakes commonly made in your home and what to do instead. Is there a better DIY topic that exists on the planet right now? I think not! If you missed PART I, you can check it out HERE and then come back to us for PART II below!
We’re back at it discussing organizing mistakes commonly made in your home and what to do instead. Is there a better DIY topic that exists on the planet right now? I think not! If you missed PART I, you can check it out HERE and then come back to us for PART II below!
MISTAKE #4: You’re locating things in the wrong place.
One of the key components to a highly organize and efficient home is locating things in the RIGHT place to make life easier for you. No one has ever argued with me that they want life to be harder, so let’s keep reading! I know this might seem like a really obvious one, but when we get into the nitty gritty of everyday life, we get into autopilot mode. Here’s a few things to consider to make sure an item has truly landed in the right spot.
✓ Does the item or group of items support a task or goal for this spot in your home?
✓ Does the item or group of items make the task or goal easier and more efficient to complete because it is here? (Example, laundry detergent directly above the washer, verses on a shelf off to the side you have use a stool to get to, then get it down, etc. That’s too many steps!)
✓ Is the item or group of items essential in this location (accessed often, helpful, useful, valuable) or could it go away and life would remain unaffected by its absence?
Answer these honestly then remove or move items that don’t support the task or goals you have for that zone. Yes, decluttering is forever and ever! But it gets easier, trust me! Stick with me friend!
MISTAKE #5: You’re not giving your items breathing room.
You can have a well organizing drawer with lots of little compartments and containers, but if you don’t need half the items in the drawer (ie. they’re never used) or if everything is filled to the brim and you have to dig around in each container just to grab your favorite pen or washi tape, we still have an issue. Organizing is about keeping what you use and love, AND giving it space to live and breathe. Consider the follow tips to give your items you’re organizing a bit of breathing room.
✓ If you ever have to dig (aside from inside a LEGO bin) for something, you have too much. You either need to edit more, or you need to make additional categories to spread out the things you have.
✓ In most cases, you should be able to see everything you have in a drawer at one glance. This means you should avoid stacking things vertically if possible in drawers (or bins) to avoid the “out of sight out of mind” epidemic. If you can’t see it, odds are you won’t use it or you’ll forget you have it.
✓ On shelves, in cabinets and in closets, you should be able to see, grab and pull out anything easily. This means you need space to reach things and remove them without having to move 5 things. If you hold to this rule, you’ll avoid over-stuffing any and all of these spaces.
Just like in graphic design (and in all forms of design) white space is often the solution to solve many design issues. It is the same throughout your home. In this case, the “white space” is the “breathing room” that the things in your home desperately need, just like you need it!
MISTAKE #6: You haven’t shopped your home first.
True story. 9.5 times out of 10 I can solve any organizing issue with the things in my home before I ever even entertain running out to buy something. I want you to look at this like a choose your own adventure game. The next time you encounter an issue with an area in your home that you know needs more order, consider looking throughout your home thoroughly to see if you already have what you need (then prepare to be amazed at what you’ll find). Try these tips.
✓ Declutter the zone in question first, then assess what is left. If you have lots of small categories, hunt around for trays, reusable bags, small jars, tops of shoe boxes, etc.
✓ If you’re dividing up large or deep spaces like a kitchen cabinet, consider something you can pull out similar to a drawer like a bin, a container or a box. You can use a cardboard box and cut out your own handle then swap this out over time if you’d like - but take the time to understand what you need first. If you need to divide the space up further, think “containers within containers”. Drop several smaller boxes inside a larger box to create several small zones in whatever configuration works for what you need.
✓ Make swaps with things in other rooms. If you’re going to corral/organize something in a spot that is more visible and you care what it looks like, consider swapping an old box that will go deep in a cabinet for the nicer basket that will help elevate the aesthetics of your space and be highly visible.
→ Now comment below on which one of these 3 Mistakes feels most common for you? I’ve been guilty of all of them!
I hope these first 3 common mistakes were eye-opening for you + will inspire you to take concrete organizing action in your home. My goal here is to help you save time, money + energy. See you soon in Part III of ‘Organizing Mistakes You’re Making + What To Do Instead.’
PS. The Organized Home Masterclass is coming at the END OF MAY! If you’d like a little sneak peek into what this program is all about, you can check it out HERE! To say I’m excited about this new program is an incredible understatement. Stick here with me + I’ll continue to spill all the beans for you.
