Are You Making This Common Organizing Mistake?

You know that feeling you get when you organize something to make it look so pretty? You know, that deep feeling of satisfaction and relief? (It’s not just me right?) Well, as amazing as it feels to make things look pretty and organized, but you might be making a very common organizing mistake.

So what’s the mistake?

You’re organizing things that you don’t need to keep! 

Believe me, I’ve made this mistake plenty of times. I’ve got tons of labeled manila folders to prove it. I spent hours organizing papers that I NEVER needed! I wasted time trying to figure out how to store stacks business cards when I only ever needed a few. (And I saved that info in my phone anyway.) Not to mention all the time spent rearranging things in my kitchen to make space for things I never actually used.

It’s definitely time wasted.

I’m all for a pretty space, but I’m more for not wasting time.

Here are three questions to ask to make sure you’re not wasting your time organizing something that doesn’t need to be organized.

01. Have I ever used it or referred to it in the last year?

Yeah, those business cards –I never used them. I live in the age of the internet so I just look people up. If it was somebody really good that I’d refer to anyone, I’m pretty sure their contact info already saved in my phone.

I also had a really nice wok that someone gave us as a wedding gift. We didn’t ask for it, and I had no idea how to use it. It kept getting moved wherever I could find a space..

02. If I really needed it, how hard would it be to get the information or borrow/replace the item?

I used to get my credit card statements in the mail, file them every month, and never look at them again. Then I realized I could just get my statements online and stop taking up space in my drawer.

03. How would my life change (or not change) if I didn’t have this thing?

Some things make us happy. I had a client keep a European coffee set simply because it made her happy. That’s totally fine. I have stuff like that too.

On the other hand, shifting that wok from place to place was making me miserable. I’d feel guilty every time I saw it because I never used it once. I felt way better when I gave it away.

Are you making this common organizing mistake and wasting time and energy? This is why decluttering is so important! It’s about asking yourself the right questions and really reflecting on it to make sure you’re heading in the right direction.

Use this daily organizing checklist to keep your home organized once you’ve decluttered all the things you don’t want to keep.