How Online Shopping Is Messing With Your Organized Home

The introduction of online shopping in the nineties was truly groundbreaking. Gone were the days of only being able to purchase what's available nearby in your local store. Instead, shoppers can make purchases from far and wide, not only throughout the country but overseas as well. While people certainly enjoy the conveniences of two-day shipping and doorstep delivery, it can be tricky to evaluate the correct sizing and quality of things you buy online versus shopping in person in a traditional store. What's more is that when the new clothing or decor you bought doesn't work out, and you choose to return it, it can quite literally mess with the flow of your organized house, in more ways than one.

When an online purchase needs to be returned, it's common to procrastinate the process, leaving it in a dreaded "purgatory" pile. This is commonly a chair, a corner, or a table covered in open boxes and half-taped packages. Because these items aren't put away (since they're leaving) but aren't gone (since they haven't been mailed), they exist in a state of permanent visual noise, making your home look cluttered. This, in turn, drains your mental energy. Sneaky sources of visual clutter, like a pile of unreturned packages, compete for your attention. These act as a physical "to-do" list that you are constantly ignoring, which raises stress levels and makes it harder to relax in your own space.

There are some other ways that online shopping might be making your home less functional. Stop and consider the boxes that the online purchases come in. Even if you don't need to make a return, the sheer volume of cardboard and packing materials can quickly overwhelm your entryway or recycling bin. And if you miss the return deadline? You can expect those unwanted items to become permanent residents of your closets, further turning your organized sanctuary into a cluttered storage unit.

You don't need to forgo your Amazon shopping cart to keep your home organized — you just need to manage the "input" (packages) and the "output" (returns) so they don't clog your living space. By following this one simple mindset, you can maintain a clutter-free home while keeping up with modern conveniences. First, commit to breaking down boxes and moving them to the recycling bin within 24 hours of package arrival. Leaving boxes intact creates a "warehouse" atmosphere that signals to your brain that the space is unfinished or cluttered.

Then, as soon as you try on a garment or test a product, make a definitive choice to either keep it or return it. If it's a return, put it back in the box immediately. To help keep your home tidy, designate one shelf or a specific reusable bag for outgoing returns. If the area or bag is full, you should avoid any additional online shopping until those items are dropped off. To help manage the many different return windows that different online stores have, set a calendar alert for "return deadline" five days before it actually expires to give yourself a safety buffer.

To help avoid the need for returns in the first place and to help prevent clutter from accumulating in your home, implement some safeguards before you check out. For example, keep a digital note of your shoulder width, chest, and waist measurements. Compare these to the size chart for each clothing item to reduce the likelihood of a return. You can also leave items in your cart for 48 hours before clicking on the "buy" button. Often, the "need" for the item evaporates, saving you from the physical clutter before it even reaches your door.