Organizing Bins- Not the first step, but the last!
The Biggest Organizing Mistake
As a professional home organizer in Pittsburgh, one of the biggest mistakes I see that clients make when they are trying to tackle home organizing, is going to buy pretty bins or baskets. Starting by shopping at the Robinson, PA HomeGoods or the South Hills Village Target, will not set you up for success.
Did you know?
Buying bins is one of the last steps in the organizing process!
Bins should provide containment, boundaries and better access to things on hard to reach places. Whenever you’re organizing a space, it is most important to declutter and either relocate, donate or trash items that do not belong there. Then we need to decide how to utilize the space best. Finally it COULD BE (notice I didn’t say IS) time to implement some bins.
What Bins Are Actually For
1) Boundaries
When you designate a certain amount of space, whether it be a drawer or bin for a category, it gives us a limit as to how much of something we can own. Think of a category such as kids markers. If they get too many for the bin, it is time to eliminate the ones we are no longer using or that might be dried up. Or perhaps socks! If your drawer is overflowing, it’s time to declutter!
2) Containment
Bins can be used to keep things in order, as opposed to being scattered all over a shelf or within a drawer.
3) Access
I use many bins for better access to things that are on upper shelves in kitchens, pantries or closets. It gives you an easier way to bring down all of your items, search through them and put the bin back… while keeping everything tidy.
My Challenge For You
Do you find yourself starting an organizing project by buying bins first?
I challenge you for the next project to declutter, rehome, tidy… and THEN implement bins (most importantly labels).
