| Top Ten Storage Mistakes |
 |
| By By Ramona Creel |
|
| Organizing is a very personal experience -- your methods and techniques
should be customized to your particular situation and needs. But
there are some basic guidelines you should follow. As you work,
try to avoid the following list of common storage mistakes: |
|
STARTING WITHOUT A PLAN
Imagine taking a trip to a new city without directions to your final
destination. How would you ever get there? That's what organizing
without a plan is like. Know what you want to accomplish, what steps
you need to take to get there, and your TIMELINE for accomplishing
each step before starting out. |
|
NOT CLEANING OUT BEFORE YOU ORGANIZE
Organizing involves more than just moving your stuff around. Organizing
is all about devoting your space to those objects you use most and
clearing out the rest of the clutter. If you want your organizing
experience to be a successful one, expect to make some hard decisions
about what to keep and what to get rid of. |
|
USING OPAQUE STORAGE CONTAINERS WITH NO LABELS
All the space in the world won't do you a bit of good if you can't
see what you're storing. Your best choice is a clear container that
allows you to see what's inside. If you have to use an opaque tub
or box, be sure to label its contents. |
|
SAYING "I'LL PUT IT HERE FOR NOW"
One of the biggest mistakes you can make with your storage is creating
"in-between" spots for your belongings. Rather than just
sitting something down in the first place you see, make sure you
have a SET home for each item -- and a logical reason for putting
it there. |
|
FAILING TO SUBDIVIDE BIG OPEN SPACES
A lot of storage spaces are so big that they become almost impractical.
Just dumping your stuff into a huge gaping closet or cabinet doesn't
make you organized. Sometimes it's better to break large spaces
up into smaller components -- using shelves, racks, and containers. |
|
IGNORING YOUR DEAD SPACE
You actually have more room out there than you think -- if you look
in the right places. Dead space can sometimes double or triple your
available storage. Don't forget about the areas under beds, on the
backs of doors, near the ceiling, and on the floor. |
|
FAILING TO MAKE ADJUSTMENTS
Remember that your storage is a dynamic system -- it's always changing,
as your interests and lifestyle change. The system you set up today
may serve your every need right now, but will it still work for
you in a year or two? Be flexible, don't be afraid to make changes
when necessary, and always keep an eye out for systems that need
a little tweaking. |
|
FILLING YOUR STORAGE TO CAPACITY
Do you ever plan to buy anything new ever again? If you stuff your
storage spaces to overflowing, where will you put your purchases?
As you organize, think about leaving some free space -- room to
grow. |
|
STORING ITEMS TOO FAR AWAY
It may seem like common sense, but we don't always think to put
things nearest the point where we will use them. Make an effort
to look at your storage with a critical eye -- and feel free to
move objects around if your current system doesn't make sense. |
|
SKIPPING THE YEARLY PURGE
Don't think that once you have set up your storage spaces, you are
done. You need to take some time at least once a year to sort through
your belongings -- pulling out anything that is broken, hasn't been
used in the past 12 months, or has become obsolete. |
|
| Ramona Creel is a Professional Organizer and the founder of OnlineOrganizing.com
-- "A world of organizing solutions!" Visit www.onlineorganizing.com
for organizing products, free tips -- and even get a referral for
a Professional Organizer near you. And be sure to pick up a copy
of "Ten Easy Ways To Organize Your Home" for more information
on cleaning out the clutter. If you would like to reprint this article,
please send in an e-mail request to mailto:articleGO02017@onlineorganizing.com.
And if you would like to receive more of these kinds of articles
each month, sign up for a free subscription to the monthly "Get
Organized" online newsletter at http://www.onlineorganizing.com/Client_Newsletter.htm.
(Copyright 2000-2001, Ramona Creel) |
|
|
|
![](../../images/wsSpacer.gif"){kind=spacer}