I'm a professional organizer who has helped many people over the years with decluttering, home organization, and learning how to intentionally use their space.
No matter the type of house or lifestyle, I notice most people fall for the same decluttering pitfalls, preventing them from achieving the organized dwelling of their dreams.
Here are the six biggest mistakes I see inside almost every home I walk into.
Trying to organize before decluttering almost never works.
Organizing and decluttering are two different things. I think it's crucial to edit a home and eliminate any unnecessary items before even attempting to organize it.
Otherwise, there is no clarity, and everything is simply shifted around instead of serving an intentional purpose.
My favorite strategy is to first pull everything out of one space, then put back only the things I really need or love. After getting rid of those excess items, I can actually organize the area effectively.
Holding onto things "just in case" is a big mistake.
One of the biggest mistakes in organizing is holding onto things that aren't truly necessary.
This is usually a scarcity-driven need for survival — the "what if I need this" instinct — that can halt any decluttering.
I always tell clients to ask themselves two questions. First, have they used this item in the last 12 months? And second, would they buy this item again if they didn't have it? If the answer is no to both of these questions, that's their sign to toss, recycle, or donate it.
Being too sentimental can force people to keep more than they need.
When I work with people who are very sentimental, decluttering and organizing can become quite emotional. This is completely understandable, and the good news is that there are many ways to preserve certain memories without holding onto lots of things.
I recommend keeping one to two souvenirs from a special trip or event instead of filling a whole box of items. This way, you'll preserve the memories without weighing down the rest of the home.
Trying to tackle everything at once can make the process feel impossible.
Decluttering can take a lot of time, energy, and emotion, and when people don't know where to begin, the process can feel overwhelming. So, I recommend starting small.
The first step is to use a trash bag. I like to take it from one room to the next, tossing items that are clearly waste — expired food, old paper, broken toys.
I also suggest starting with one small area, such as a shelf, drawer, or corner of the room. If someone is easily overwhelmed by clutter, they shouldn't tackle it all at once. Working in sections keeps it manageable.
Secretly getting rid of a partner's things isn't worth the fight.
Pack-rats and minimalists don't mix well, but I've noticed many spouses have conflicting views on organization.
When one person in the home wants to declutter, I've noticed it sometimes causes the other to address their own fear of scarcity and overwhelm.
When this problem occurs, I like to encourage compromise and patience. Everyone will have to make concessions, and there's no rush to go through the clutter.
Having partners edit their own spaces first, then tackling common areas together, allows both to feel comfortable during this process. And I always emphasize not to secretly get rid of a partner's item — it's not worth the argument.
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Macie Kreutzer is a home organization expert and founder of For the Love of Simple, a blog dedicated to organizing, decluttering, and intentional living. Based in San Diego, CA, she loves helping busy families create functional, sustainable spaces in their home spaces.
