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You are not lazy, but you’re probably overwhelmed. Just like I was a few years ago, as a mom of two. 

We spend time on social media apps every single day. So when we open up our phone and see hundreds of picture-perfect organising systems, colour-coded everything, all matching jars and bins and lids, it can feel like that’s the goal. 

While I still appreciate that kind of organising, I think that sometimes, a simple and functional approach can be really effective in dealing with daily messes. 

Here are some mistakes I used to make and how avoiding these completely changed my home and my life. Cliché, I know, but true. 

Keep reading below or watch the video:

1. Don’t try to buy your way out of it

Sometimes we look at our homes and we think we have an organising problem. But in a lot of cases I see, even in my “Simply Decluttered” program, it’s usually more of a clutter problem than an organising problem. 

Decluttering first and then looking at certain organising systems will work a lot better than throwing money at the issue, hoping it’s going to magically turn the home into this picture-perfect, clutter-free space.

I saw this in “The Minimalist” show on Netflix, where it’s mentioned how we’re often trying to buy ourselves out of a difficult situation. Obviously, sometimes that can help. But when it comes to clutter and our homes, it’s usually the opposite.

It’s getting rid of stuff, and maybe sometimes even getting some of our money back if we sell it, that’s going to actually help us a lot more than adding more stuff into our home.

For example, we might think getting more storage bins and storage containers is going to make our home clutter-free and organised. Yet if we have too much stuff, it’s going to be impossible to keep on top of it and to keep up with those organising systems. 

Another example given in the show is the baby sleep items. Newborns and babies are notorious for not sleeping well. So we’re often made to feel like buying the next baby sleep item is going to solve the problem. It’ll give us a good night’s sleep. In reality, things don’t usually work like that. Some things might help, but for the most part, it’s just about the babies growing and learning how to sleep on their own. 

It’s the same with clutter. We might want to buy more organising systems. Yet the most helpful thing we can do sometimes is to declutter first.

And if you need help with that, I have a free decluttering checklist for you. It gives you not only a checklist of items you can go through and ideas of what areas to tackle, but it’s also offers a lot of practical tips. In it, I also share exactly how I started and the mindset behind really efficient decluttering. Over 30,000 people have downloaded it already. Grab yours today!

2. Overly organising

This can also be a mistake many of us make. Overly organising can be really impractical. This kind of microorganising is when we look at categories, like toys or kitchen items, and we try to microorganise them into little tiny categories. 

Don’t get me wrong, I love a good organised drawer as much as the next person. But sometimes, overly separating things into too many categories can make it harder for us to stay on top of them. 

It does, however, depend on our personalities and how we function best. For me, I found that, for example, just having one bin where all the hats and gloves go is a little bit easier than having one bin for gloves, one for scarves, and one for hats. It’s one thing that made our days smoother. Just taking all of those items when we come back home, and putting them in the bin where they belong. And it’s also easier for my family to be able to do that, too.

I think it’s really important to keep in mind that sometimes we can microorganise a bit too much. I’m a big believer in finding a spot for things and making sure they have a basket, bin or area in the home where they belong. But when we try to organise too much, it can be really time-consuming. And it can prove to be ineffective in keeping up with those systems. 

3. Don’t nest things

I used to nest a lot of containers one within each other, especially when it came to things like food containers, glasses, and mugs. It sounded like a good idea. However, I found that it’s actually a lot more effective to store them stacked up, and the food containers with their lid on.

That means that when I reach out for a food container, I can easily grab one. I don’t have to take them all out to find the one in the middle, then find its matching lid, then make sure I put them all back together in the little nesting system. 

Nesting is supposed to save space. But I find that even with lids on, as long as I have a decent amount of containers and not a lot of excess I don’t use, the food containers don’t take up that much space. Plus storing them like this makes our days run a bit smoother.

The same goes for other things like glasses and cups. Instead of nesting mugs or stacking them into each other, I prefer to have some tiered systems in our cupboard. This way, they are all on their own level and it’s really easy to grab a mug when needed.

4. Open storage

I do think there’s a place for open storage. It can be nice to display things on a shelf when you really enjoy them, like books or just things you really enjoy seeing daily. We do have some open shelves in our home as well.

Yet if you are struggling with visual clutter and with keeping things looking tidy, having closed storage can help a lot. This is why we opted for closed storage in a lot of different areas in our home. I just find it easier to keep on top of things, plus it makes things look neater. It also means less dusting to do compared to open shelves that get a lot of dust on them.

For example, when the kids’ books and the kids’ toys are behind closed doors, or when we have all of our tech cables, printer and everything like that in our under TV unit and they’re all behind closed doors, it just makes the space look more airy and tidy without having to try too much. 

If you already have a lot of shelves and there’s nothing you can change, like in a rental, then one thing you can do is use baskets. This is something I’ve done in the past too, and still do. Baskets can be really handy in keeping all of the items together. 

I use baskets sometimes on our Billy bookcase shelves. Some of the random little items that I don’t want spread all over the shelves are all stored in one basket. This just makes things more organised, and the shelves look a bit neater, too.

5. Create drawers

I find that drawers are some of the best organising systems. They’re easily accessible and they come out, so I can see exactly what’s in the drawer. Whereas in cupboards it can be really hard to see or access what’s in the back, especially if there are a lot of things in front. 

And drawers can be created using containers inside a cupboard, or a storage bin, a little basket, or a tray that can be pulled out. Any of these can be really helpful. 

In one of our kitchen cupboards, we’re using open boxes: one for bread, another for snacks, and so on.

Using bins, baskets, whatever you have on hand, can really change your organising ways. 

6. Nothing stashed in the back

I really hate having things stashed in the back of cupboards, drawers, wardrobes, or any piles that I can’t reach behind. That used to stress me out so much in the past. 

It also made me lose a lot of items as I couldn’t find them. I would be looking for my kids’ watercolour paints, and I wouldn’t be able to find them. I’d buy them another one. Then, a few months later, I’d find it in the back of the drawer, fallen and hidden behind the clutter in front of it. 

This is another area in which using bins and things that can be pulled out can be really helpful. Plus clearing the stuff that’s not really needed or that’s in the back and out of reach. Those are the kinds of items that can easily go.

7. Think of your daily use items

This is where I like to use my 5/7 rule, which is a little guideline I have for myself.

In my kitchen, for example, on the counters, on the surface areas, the items that I have out need to be items that we use five out of seven days of the week, so almost every single day.

If there are things we don’t use every single day or almost every day, then they can be put in a cupboard. 

In our kitchen, on the surface areas, we have things like our toaster, kettle, and coffee machine. Most of the items are in the kitchen cupboards. 

Having a clear surface helps a lot because it’s a lot easier to clean on a daily basis or when there are spills. Cleaning the kitchen is so much quicker and so much more effortless when there are fewer items out on the counters. Plus, it allows for more workspace when cooking.

8. Group things together in a basket or a tray

Sometimes when things look a little bit messy, it can be really helpful to contain them in one spot. 

It can be a basket that’s kind of like hiding them out of sight. Or it can be like a little tray that displays items beautifully, but it still keeps them together. It’s a little bit more visually appealing, and it also helps keep things a bit more organised.

9. Create drop zones

I really like to create drop zones as well. When I first started intentionally organising, I looked around our home and I paid attention to where we naturally dropped things. 

Where do we usually drop our laundry? Maybe I can put the laundry basket there, so it all lands in the right spot. 

Where do we usually drop our keys, wallet, sunglasses—anything we come in with? I’ve put a napkin holder from IKEA in the entryway. Now all those items have a place to land.

Where do we usually take off our shoes? Obviously, right by the door. So we’ve got a shoe cupboard in the hallway next to our front entrance. We also got a basket by our back entrance where we put our garden shoes and things like that.

So it really helps to notice where things naturally get dropped and then create a designated home for them—whether that’s a basket, a tray, or even a small piece of furniture. It can make a home look and feel so much more organised.

10. Start small and work in layers. 

It can be really tempting to think, “Oh, I’ll get to this one weekend a few months from now—I’ll tackle the whole house and make it perfect.”

The problem with that “one big weekend” plan is that it’s often just not sustainable. And that magical free weekend rarely ever comes anyway. 

What’s worked best for me is tackling things in small batches—just 10 or 15 minutes at a time. I’ll work on one drawer here or there, and even if I don’t finish, that’s okay. I just work in layers.

So maybe today I’ll focus on decluttering a kitchen drawer—getting rid of as much as I reasonably can. If my time runs out and I have to go get the kids, I leave it. Then another day, when I have a bit more time or energy, I’ll come back to that same spot. 

Also, having a break from the task can help in seeing things with fresh eyes. I’ll often notice something I missed the first time and think, “Actually, I don’t use that either,” and let it go.

Putting less pressure on myself to do everything all at once has been a total game-changer for me. And I know it’s helped many others, too.

I hope this was helpful if you’re working toward a more organised home. Let me know what you’re struggling with—I’d truly love to help however I can. Sending love, and I hope you’re having a lovely day. 💛