Hello Simplified Professional Organizing | Raleigh | Portsmouth
  • Home
  • About
  • Services & Rates
    • Home Organizing Services
    • Unpacking and Organizing Services
  • Portfolio
  • Blog
  • FAQs
  • Contact
Hello Simplified Professional Organizing blog

Pro Organizing Blog

10 Things Not To Do In Your Home

5/26/2023

0 Comments

 
Organizer filing paper away in office bin.
At Hello Simplified, we know that no two clients are alike and that every home and lifestyle has unique challenges. That's why we cater plans unique to each person's end goals. We have some rules we live by, tried and true methods, and on the flip side, we have some advice for what not to do when organizing your home. Read ahead for ten things you should stop doing for an organized home!

1. Making Your Home Pretty but Not Functional

We all want pretty homes - especially entryways that are aesthetically pleasing and make good first impressions. However, when we sacrifice looks for functionality, we are left with a dysfunctional home (and unorganized)! Make sure even beautiful spaces tie in function, such as an entryway table with a bowl for keys, a coat rack next to the door, or even a shoe rack. If you’re going to take your shoes off at the door, no matter how pretty you’re trying to keep the space, put the shoe rack there! It will look better than a pile of shoes in the corner. ​
entryway with command center and coat hooks.

2. Organizing Before Decluttering

​One thing that won't solve your disorganization problem is buying a bunch of organizing products. That's part of the solution, of course, but in order to organize your space, you need to get to the root cause, which is almost always too much “stuff”. Editing and decluttering your home, then organizing, is the only way to maintain an organizational system successfully. You’ll be able to find the items you actually use and love, vs. always sifting through clutter and searching for those items.
Baskets stacked on office floor organizing products

3. Skipping Labels

Organizing your items in bins and packing stuff away is great - until you need to figure out what's what and where is where! Make sure you label your containers and baskets. This is not only important for remembering where stuff goes, but it also keeps you accountable. For example, if you have a bin labeled oil in your pantry, then there is no excuse not to put the oil back in that bin.

​Labeling also helps keep the rest of your family accountable for helping too. If you’re the only one who knows where everything goes, you’ll be the only one putting it all away. Let others help you maintain the organization you took so long to create!
pantry hyacinth baskets with black chalkboard labels pasta

4. Not Corralling Cords

Even a tidy space can appear undone if there are messy cords. Using a cable box cord organizer is easy and can keep your electronics safe, make maintenance more accessible, and remove the eye sore that a bunch of cords causes!

5. Putting Off Tidying Up Until Tomorrow

​Everyone has hectic days and seasons of life that are busier than others. However, we also know that letting a mess go unbothered will result in more of a mess, and eventually, it will become too overwhelming to tackle. Instead of letting things get out of hand, dedicate an hour or two a week to decluttering, tidying up, and putting things back where they belong. Even better if you can do this for a few short minutes daily!
Organizer checking oatmeal expiration date next to pantry drawers.

6. Trying to Organize it All in One Day

You know the saying, don't bite off more than you can chew? This applies to home organizing! It can be very overwhelming to organize; the larger the space, the more time you'll need. Make sure you set time aside to do portions of your home, then take a break. If you feel decision fatigue (the deteriorating quality of decisions made by an individual after a long session of decision-making), then it's time to step away and come back later when you're refreshed. ​

7. Not Completing Tasks

​On the other hand, after you've sorted your items and decided what's happening to each item, complete the mission as soon as possible. This means never keeping bags of clothes for charity or boxes for friends inside your home to deliver later. If possible, do it now and finish the process. Take the trash out, text your friend's photos of the items you think they’ll want, load your car with donation boxes, etc... You've already come so far - don't be bottled down now by donation and trash clutter.
10 large black trash bags in hallway.10 bags of client clothing donations. We take donations that day so you don't have to worry about it!

8. Trying to Sell Instead of Donate

We often fall into the trap of, ‘if I loved this item it must have a lot of value’. Unfortunately, that’s not usually the case. It’s easier to say we’ll try selling the item later or hold a yard sale, and it goes right back into storage (with the giant task of a yard sale now looming over our heads).

​Make the decision now; either post the item to sell or let go of the guilt and donate it. It can help to set a limit, such as, if I can realistically sell this item for $50 or more, I will post it. If not, I can let it go. Your time is money. Don’t waste hours setting up a yard sale or posting items online if you’ll only make a few dollars and stress yourself out in the process.
Yard sale pile of trinkets with toy clown doll on top.

9. Expecting Instagram-Level Results

​Who doesn't want a closet that looks like a boutique or a pantry straight out of HGTV? However, the reality is most of us have to organize within the confines of what systems we already have. And that is perfectly okay! Being organized and clutter free is better than perfect.
white custom primary closet with black hangers

10. Organizing in an Unattainable Way

If your kids are not going to put their toys away by color - don't organize them like so! Make sure you create systems that make sense for you and your family and how you do daily tasks. This goes for all areas of the home; even if you saw a closet on Pinterest that you want to emulate but know you'll never be able to sustain, don't do it. Find a system and routine that works for you and one you can commit to keeping up with.
Girl white built in closet with gray baskets and pink elephant figurine.

Is This All Too Much? Hire a Professional Organizer Instead!

Wow, that was a lot of steps to get your home organized. We get it! Taking the time to declutter, sort, and organize every space in your home sounds totally overwhelming. That's where we come in!
​
​We'll coach you through decluttering so it's a breeze and then your team of organizers will do the rest. We'll create systems in your home that are functional and beautiful. Sound too good to be true? It isn't!
Read our guide to learn more about how we can help.
0 Comments

Your comment will be posted after it is approved.


Leave a Reply.

    About Us

    At Hello Simplified, we specialize in organizing,  decluttering, packing and unpacking services. Read through for tips on how we help our clients feel less overwhelmed and more in control of their busy lives and homes.

    Archives

    April 2025
    March 2025
    February 2025
    January 2025
    December 2024
    November 2024
    October 2024
    September 2024
    August 2024
    July 2024
    June 2024
    May 2024
    April 2024
    March 2024
    February 2024
    January 2024
    December 2023
    November 2023
    October 2023
    September 2023
    August 2023
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    April 2023
    March 2023
    February 2023
    January 2023
    December 2022
    November 2022
    October 2022

    Categories

    All
    Home Organizing
    Our Process
    Packing/Unpacking
    Project Reveals

Hello Simplified | Professional Organizers | Organizing and Decluttering Services

Our organizing business provides home organization, decluttering, unpacking and home setup services in the Raleigh, NC and Portsmouth, NH areas.

[email protected] | 919-346-4725 | Monday-Saturday 9-4

North Carolina Areas Served Include:
Angier, NC; Durham, NC; Chapel Hill, NC; Apex, NC; Carrboro, NC; Cary, NC; Clayton, NC; Fuquay-Varina, NC; Garner, NC;  Holly Springs, NC; Knightdale, NC; Morrisville, NC; Pittsboro, NC; Raleigh, NC; Research Triangle; The Triangle area; Wake County; Wendell, NC; and surrounding areas.
​
New Hampshire and Maine Areas Served Include:
Dover, NH; Durham, NH; Epping, NH; Exeter, NH; Greenland, NH; Hampton, NH; Hampton Falls, NH; Madbury, NH; New Castle, NH; Newfields, NH; Newington, NH; Newmarket, NH; North Hampton, NH; Rye, NH; Rochester, NH; Rockingham County, New Hampshire; Portsmouth, NH; Rollinsford, NH; Seabrook, NH; Seacoast New Hampshire; Somersworth, NH; Stratham, NH; Strafford County, New Hampshire; Eliot, ME; Kennebunk, ME; Kennebunkport, ME; Kittery, ME; Kittery Point, ME; North Berwick, ME; Ogunquit, ME; South Berwick, ME; Southern Maine; Wells, ME; York, ME; York County, Maine; and surrounding areas.
Book a Complimentary Consultation
Privacy Policy & Terms of Service
Proudly serving clients since 2017. ©2025 Hello Simplified, LLC- All Rights Reserved.
  • Home
  • About
  • Services & Rates
    • Home Organizing Services
    • Unpacking and Organizing Services
  • Portfolio
  • Blog
  • FAQs
  • Contact