Professional organizers say you shouldn’t buy these 9 home items

You might get a little rush after buying a storage product that promises to ‘fix everything,’ but professional organizers swear there are some home items you should stay far away from.

The hopeful stack

You probably do this first. You see a clean wall of matching storage bins in the store. Then, you buy six. But you don’t have a system in place. The bins just sit in your home, completely empty. Why? Because you haven’t sorted anything yet.

The truth is, you should sort your storage system out after you’ve decluttered, not before. It’s not organizing otherwise. You’re simply putting your clutter somewhere a little nicer. That’s not making things better.

The mystery box

Sure, opaque bins look good in the store. It’s a different story three months later at home. You can’t easily tell what’s inside. You probably don’t even remember. You’ll be stuck opening five identical boxes when you need to get something inside, which is a waste of time.

It’s better to stick to clear containers. You could also try using labeling systems. When you can’t see it, you stop using it properly. It’s as simple as that.

The tilted promise

It’s hard to see the problem with tapered bins. It’s not exactly obvious. They seem fine from the outside because they’re square. However, the sides slope inward. You’re losing valuable storage space. It’s even worse when you put four of them on a shelf.

You’re left with awkward gaps, and that’s why it’s better to avoid them. A shelf is straight. So is a cabinet. There’s really no good reason to buy containers that waste corners and edges. It just gets frustrating.

The big drop

You might think big toy boxes are a parenting win. You’d be wrong. Chances are, they’ll become filled with every LEGO and puzzle piece. Every action figure and stuffed animal goes inside. Then, your kid can’t find anything. You stop sorting.

Your kid’s going to turn the whole thing upside down to find what they’re looking for. They don’t care that you’re trying to be organized. Instead, you should go for smaller bins. Organize those by type. The cars go in the car box, and the blocks go with the blocks.

The soft tower

The problem with fabric hanging closet shelves comes from real life. You start by leaving nice sweaters folded in them. You put some handbags in there. It’s all good. But then the shelves sag.

It only takes one or two heavy sweatshirts for the whole thing to start leaning. Soft shelves don’t do well with weight. You can keep these shelves if you really want to, but you should only use them for light accessories. Don’t put too much in there.

The matching circle

Honestly, it feels grown-up buying prefilled spice racks. You’ve got matching jars. You’ve got nice labels. What’s the issue? It’s the fact that you probably won’t use half the spices. The ones you do use aren’t in there.

There’s no reason to buy someone else’s idea of cooking habits. No, it doesn’t matter how neat it looks. You’re better off sticking to the spices you actually use. It’ll save you a lot of space. It’ll save you a lot of wasted spices, too. 

The chilly add-on

Product photos make extra fridge drawers look so great. You can clip them under shelves. You can use them to really organize your fridge. But try putting groceries in there. You probably can’t. These drawers take up a lot of space and reduce your usable fridge height.

It’s pretty annoying in small refrigerators. You add storage, yes, but you also lose space. Stick to getting some open bins to put stuff. 

The little landing zone

You probably bought a catch-all tray with good intentions. They’re where your keys and sunglasses go. They’re where you put your wallet. That’s okay. However, it won’t take long for receipts to start showing up. Then a random battery. Then more coins.

Now, your tray looks like you dumped your pockets all over it. Organizing trays need to have rules. They stop being organized when you don’t have rules, and just become more kinds of clutter. Make rules. Stick to them.

The pretty maybe

So many people fall for decorative baskets. It makes sense. They’re soft. They’re stylish. They look essential. But maybe you should ask yourself a question before buying them. What are you actually using them for? Unless you’ve got a concrete answer, you should stay away.

Decorative baskets usually end up as clutter hotspots. They’ll be full of things nobody in your house claims. You’ve got to have a purpose for them. Are they for blankets? Laundry supplies? You need to know.

Sources: Please see here for a complete listing of all sources that were consulted in the preparation of this article.