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At the beginning of each new year, tons of articles are published about what’s in and what’s out for the new year …organizing included. These are some of the organizing trends you’ll see in these articles …or one article in particular.
Three of the five trends that are “out” in this article were never in with me to begin with! Around here, I only embrace the techniques and products that make sense.
These are the organizing trends I agree with and disagree with for 2024.
In: Acrylic Hangers
The first on the list are the black velvet hangers. The article states that acrylic hangers are “in style.” Ok, fine. Then it goes on to suggest using other color velvet hangers instead.
I disagree with shooing out this trend: why should I spend money replacing something that works just fine? What if I like the black? What if I’m more concerned about the function? Plus, I could find differently colored velvet hangers before this article said “black is out.”
Verdict: Don’t run out to buy all-new hangers. Save your money.
Out: Stacking cookies in clear cookie jars
Next are the clear cookie jars —and I can jump on this one. I never believed stacking cookies in a jar Khloe Kardashian-style was a good use of time.
Verdict: I leave the Oreos in the packaging and stuff them in a ziplock bag to keep them fresh.
In: Clearly printed labels
Labels are still in (they’re practical). But the types of labels have changed.
After adding chalkboard labels to my jars, I realized I preferred a clean, minimal look —the latest trend. Fortunately, it’s easy to make the switch.
If you have a basic label maker (I have a Brother P-Touch), there’s no need to look for hand-written fonts. The basic, clean fonts are in.
Verdict: Thank goodness …I don’t have time to figure out fancy fonts on my label maker. But if you like chalkboard labels, by all means, keep using them! It’s your stuff!
Out: Decanting
The article calls it “extreme decanting.” I’ve never been on board with this simply because moving foods from one jar to another seemed like a waste.
But here’s what I do think about decanting:
Many foods stay fresh longer by decanting, especially those in bags. Even ones that toute “resealable bags” don’t tend to stay closed.
If I get nuts that are already in a jar, that’s where they’ll stay. But most everything else, like flour, sugar, crackers, and cereals, I decant so that they last longer.
But I also mentioned that I store Oreos in a Ziploc bag, so honestly, who cares how you store things if it works?
Verdict: In the end, it comes down to how much space is available and the convenience of having things decanted.
Out: Rolling carts
Oh, man! Now they tell me rolling carts are out after I got my daughter one for her art supplies!
Seriously, rolling carts aren’t necessary everywhere but some things work better when they can be moved around.
Case in point: my daughter’s art supplies. We had art supplies all over the house that she would have to track down to paint in different places. The rolling cart is a perfect solution for this.
Verdict: Rolling carts aren’t completely out when they’re used for the right situation.
Out: Microsorting
I’m on board with category-sorting, and I always have been. Sure, micro-sorting every little thing looks great in pictures. But it takes so much time to sort everything into teeny compartments. It’s a waste of time.
My idea of micro-sorting is using shoebox totes for broad categories. There’s no need for individual compartments for chapsticks and dental floss. Put them all in the “oral care” category.
Verdict: Save time. Don’t micro-sort.
Out: Tapered bins
They say tapered bins are out …yet I use tons of them around my house. (See the previous section.) I understand that tapered bins don’t maximize shelf space but I’m not about to replace what I have because it’s working just fine.
Verdict: Save your money and use what’s working for you.
Final Organizing Trends Verdict
My organizing philosophy is to use organizing products and strategies that work best for you and your family, regardless of what’s in or out. I’m all for products that can be used in multiple different spaces to save time and money.
Before adopting a new trend (because 10 Reels about it showed up on your feed), consider your current habits, lifestyle, and budget. If it might work, test it out. If not, ignore the trend.
Here’s something that’s always trending …good organizing habits! Download the free 10-Minute Tidy to start building your organizing habit.
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