You may be surprised to hear a Professional Organizer say it isn’t worth the time and effort to achieve picture-perfect home organization. I’m talking about the images you see online or in your favourite magazine, where everything is flawless. In my opinion, you should let go of the idea that your home should look picture-perfect. In fact, over my many years of experience, I’ve concluded that it’s too much work and just not sustainable for most people.
Why is Trying to Achieve Perfect Organization a Bad Thing?
I’ve said many times that perfection in anything is impossible. You can’t be perfectly fit, you can’t eat perfectly healthy, and you definitely can’t have a perfect home. According to definitions of the word, “perfect means being complete, without defect or error, and reaching the highest possible standard.” I don’t know about you, but just thinking about applying the highest possible standard to organizing my home is exhausting—and unnecessary.
Your home changes and evolves. Therefore, your organizational systems must be adaptable and easy to work with. Items come in and out, children grow and their needs change, as does the stuff in their space. Additionally, most homes undergo seasonal transitions—especially in our Canadian climate. While you could spend copious hours organizing your entry closet, only a few months later, you will discover you must switch out seasonal items, and the system you spent so long creating is no longer functional.
Should You Ignore Pictures of Organized Spaces?
Absolutely not! Photos of organized spaces can motivate and inspire you. They help you figure out what you are trying to achieve. And you can get some great ideas for making specific spaces more functional, along with the tools to help you achieve that. In fact, print out a few pictures of what you want your space to look like. They can serve as reminders of why you are decluttering and downsizing in the first place. Please check out my Instagram account for some motivation.
Here’s an example of somewhat imperfect organization. In all honesty, I was afraid to post this before and after on my social media because it doesn’t look picture-perfect. I was worried you might look at the photos and ask yourself why someone hired us to do “imperfect” work. The important thing to remember is that the drawer functions better than it did before because the drawer organizer fits nicely and holds everything my client decided to keep. Good enough for her is good enough for me.
Now, I could have taken the time to line up all the utensils so my followers would think I had achieved close to perfection. But I know that isn’t necessary or sustainable—and I wanted to provide a realistic view, not a picture-perfect one.
It’s easy to lose momentum in the middle of a home-organizing project, especially if you can’t remember why you were doing it in the first place. Oh, right—it’s because you can’t find anything you need and end up having to buy more. Perhaps it’s because your house is a disorganized mess and is no longer functional for your family. Maybe you can’t have anyone over because there’s no place to sit. Those are the real reasons to get organized, not because you saw a picture-perfect closet with almost nothing in it, or a kitchen with completely clear countertops with not even a toaster or a coffee maker in sight. Sorry, but those photos don’t seem practical or realistic to me.
What to Aim for Instead of Picture-Perfect?
I assume you would like to find what you need quickly and easily, and have a moderately tidy, comfortable home. That’s a goal that makes sense to me. Of course, there are varying levels of what each of us considers to be a tidy home.
Clients often ask me what my home looks like. I explain that it’s extremely tidy and the drawers and closets are well-organized, but it certainly isn’t perfect. After all, who has the time for that? My level of tidiness is likely more meticulous than what you are hoping to achieve. That’s probably not what most of our clients should aim for, especially those with children involved in many activities. Of course, if you want to, go for it!
Regardless of your goals, ensure you put systems and habits in place for everyone in your home to make it easy to maintain your preferred level of tidiness. When we’re working with someone who is trying to become better organized, our job is to establish a level of tidiness that is achievable and sustainable for them.
When setting your goal for a specific space, aim to achieve what works for you. Do not try to keep everything picture-perfect, tidy, and organized if it makes you miserable. No one likes to live with a grouch! And please remember, it has nothing to do with the standards other people set for themselves or try to impose on you, for that matter. It’s all about you and your needs and wants.
Live in Your Home
Sometimes the images you see online are from companies trying to sell you as many organizing products as possible. So, keep in mind that your home is meant to be lived in, not set up like a showroom.
I am not against buying organizing products by any means. However, choose carefully and plan well before you do. As I’ve said so many times (and it’s always worth repeating), letting go of unwanted and unnecessary belongings can lead to an organized home without the need for multiple bins, baskets, or hangers. Focus on creating a sense of order in your home that supports your needs now and in the future.
If you’re ready to create an organized home that feels comfortable and realistic but not necessarily picture-perfect, I’d be happy to help you find systems that truly work for you. Get in touch to start the process.