Will I need to spend a lot of money on organizing products and furniture in order to get organized?
This is a common question I hear from clients. The answer is no, you will not need to buy a lot of new stuff to get organized. I have found that more products — more stuff — is rarely the answer to getting organized. When I work with clients, I typically come across a lot of great organizing products in the client’s house while I help them sort through their stuff. We make a pile in a corner of the room just for organizing products. Over the years, clients have called this pile different things: My Personal Container Store. Bin-landia.
When it comes time to find homes for the things clients want to keep, we go to this pile first to “shop” for the organizing products we need. When we need bigger things, like storage pieces or furniture, we take a “field trip” through the client’s house to see if we can grab what we need from another room. We try to repurpose what we can: extra dining room chairs can serve as nightstands. Small bookshelves can become folded clothing storage in a closet.
Sometimes a few new things are unavoidable. I like clients to use sturdy hooks on walls and solid shelving units out in garages for safety reasons (no Ikea in the garage!) And it’s hard to find a substitute for things like a silverware tray or clothes hangers. But usually I can direct clients to places to buy these things inexpensively. And we keep those new costs to an absolute minimum.
So to sum up: No, you don’t need to spend a lot of money on new organizing products to get your home organized. My goal is to help clients pare down their belongings enough so we can use the storage products they already have. And the rest we will try to find around their house.
Like this post? Then like our Facebook page. In need of professional organizing services in the Portland, Beaverton or Lake Oswego area for your home or office? Contact us for a low-cost assessment and get an estimate on your project here.
