4 storage mistakes I don’t want you to make!featured
I care about you people. And I really, really care about the functionality of your storage situations. (Some people say it with roses, I happen to show my “I care” behavior with linen closet concern.) In my line of work as an organizer I’ve recently helped multiple families- ahem- undo some of these well-intentioned offenses. SO. Here are some real life storage mistakes solved by absolutely doable storage solutions!
Mistake #1: Buying the wrong size bins
Listen, I get it! If you think I’m gonna pass judgement on anyone who’s ever walked into The Container Store for one drawer organizer and left with a wholly matching (and ridiculously adorable) set of storage baskets, then you are incorrect, sister. There’s something so appealing about buying new bins at the onset of an organizing project! That said, it’s totally setting you up to fail. I know, I know, I know. I didn’t want this one to be true, either.
Here’s what to do instead:
Do the darned project first. (I know, I know, I know.) Get those piles sorted, do every last bit of your decluttering, and then measure (and measure again) for the correct storage options to use in your fresh & so clean clean spaces. Truth time: If you buy ’em first, you run the very real risk of shoving entirely too much stuff into a small bin (and causing another clutter pileup) or storing smaller items in a whopping bin, potentially losing them forever. Buy your baskets and bins last!
Mistake #2: Using the wrong material for your storage
Sounds bonkers, but this is an actual issue that comes up again and again! Sure, those soft-sided, cutely patterned bins are great for aesthetic appeal, but if you’re trying to shove a Costco-sized box of Cheez-Its (for- ahem- example) into a droopy container alongside cans of soup? MAYHEM.
Here’s what to do instead:
Hard, tall-sided storage containers are the best way to contain bulk food and household goods, while canvas and its buddies are good for linens, fuzzy toys, and things that don’t need to be squeezed or stacked on a shelf. Glass and clear plastic is best for stuff you need to see on the regular- and actually plan to keep sorted!
Mistake #3: Never, ever using labels
I get it. Sometimes over-labeling can be just as obnoxious and hard to maintain as having zero labels, but a happy middle-ground exists. (I promise it does.) Wide open baskets for shoes? No brainer. You don’t need a label. (You don’t.) But if a shared entryway requires the littlest members of the family to store (and find!) their own mittens- you’re gonna need to label. Same with playroom bins, same with next-size-up clothing, same with winter gear, and same with anything you can’t point to and immediately know its contents. (Looking at you, Tupperware of tea bags.)
Here’s what to do instead:
Worried you’re not the Pinterest-y, hand-written calligraphy type? No worries, Sharpies work for virtually everything, as does card stock secured with twine, as do peel-and-stick labels, as does that incredibly satisfying plastic label maker that’ll let you emboss everything from ribbon boxes to the dog’s face (but don’t).
Mistake #4: Asking way too much of your closet storage
Say it with me, friends: A walk-in closet is not a laundry chute. If you can’t reach the back of it, it’s not exactly “walk-in,” is it? Conversely, if you’ve got a tall, skinny closet and jam all of your squat, bulky storage into it, you’re setting yourself up for a quick trip to Tears City (Population: You).
Here’s what to do instead:
Use the space you’ve got wisely. Tall closets? Build up, pals. Keep as much off the floor as humanly possible! (Piles breed piles; they’re like crumbs attracting ants. Don’t let ’em even start.) If skinny and shallow is the name of your storage game (as opposed to a reality show contestant), find containers tailored to that size and space- and declutter accordingly.
Or, my personal favorite: Hit up your favorite organizer to do it for you. (Hey, I know one!)
