Too Many Organizational Bins And Baskets Could Be Hampering Your Lifestyle
It has been proven that focusing on mundane tasks like decluttering and cleaning can have a positive effect on our overall well-being. But, have you ever found yourself so organized that you feel disorganized and seemingly unable to find what you were looking for because things were overly labeled or categorized? You're not alone. Sure, kicking clutter to the curb and clearing things out can rejuvenate your mind and pull you out of a rut — but you can always have too much of a good thing.
While keeping things clean and organized has been on a trending upswing over the past five or so years, trying to stay too clean and orderly can actually have a negative impact on your psyche. More recently, this movement has switched over from stylish but not necessarily functional, to more practical and logical. No matter how cute that assortment of rainbow stacking boxes is to color code your kid's Lego bricks, who really has the time and energy to make that type of commitment?
Don't fall prey to perfectionism
No one's perfect and there's no such thing as perfection, so don't wear yourself out try to strive for it. Have you heard of the term perfectly imperfect? In Japan, this is called wabi-sabi: the art of embracing imperfection. Instead of attempting to have the perfect organizational system with all matching storage cubes, instead, just opt for doing your best. This means giving up on those impossible cleaning standards that you see on Instagram and TikTok. Strive for logical comfort and ease, not the impossible.
We're constantly bombarded by these perfectly organized homes online, but it's not the reality. If you've cut back on clutter, compartmentalized, and labeled everything in your dwelling but are still asking yourself where you put that second set of spare dish towels, then it's time to retrain your brain. Your storage system (bins, containers, and everything in between), should be tailored to what works best for you. It shouldn't leave you stressed out. Remember that we all have different thought processes, and trying to adopt a one size fits all storage mentality usually isn't going to work in the long run. Even Marie Kondo has admitted that she's leading a less tidy lifestyle nowadays, notes The Washington Post.
Get back to basics
There's nothing fun about living in a home where you're surrounded by boxes. It makes you feel like you're in a constant state of packing or unpacking, which can cause you to feel stressed out. Perhaps it's time to go back to basics instead of feeling the need to purchase as many storage containers as possible. Going back to basics means using skills and tools that you learned growing up. For example, making lists, labeling items, and properly folding clothing, sheets, and towels. You don't need to store these items in bins. That just ends up being a waste of space.
One of the first things you should do before organizing is decluttering because there's no reason to store items (in bins or otherwise) that no longer serve you. If you do feel the need to purchase some storage cubbies, it's important to prioritize functionality over appearance — sometimes the cute little bins that you feel would look so adorable can be more hassle than they're worth.