13 Things Pro Organizers First Notice When They Walk in Your House
13 Things Pro Organizers First Notice When They Walk in Your House
Nothing grinds the gears of a professional organizer more than clutter. When they enter a your home for the first time, they're likely taking mental notes about what kind of collector you are and what's taking up the most space so they can get to work helping you streamline your storage.
If the coat rack is full.
"Coat racks can get cluttered really fast unless you have only one jacket," says Jasmine Hobbs, an organizing expert at London Cleaning Team. Unfortunately, it's often the first thing people notice when entering your home." Make space for out-of-season outerwear in your bedroom closet to avoid this.
Where you keep your shoes.
If there's a pile by your front door, that says a lot: "This could either mean they're lacking a front hall closet or mudroom space or that they have too many shoes," says Anna Bauer, Thumbtack home organizer and owner of Sorted by Anna.
If you show off photos.
"The first thing I notice is if there are framed pictures on shelves, photos on the walls and easily-seen shelves of photo albums," says Cheri Warnock, a professional photo organizer. "If there are, I know this is a person who will value the benefit I bring to organizing photo collections."
If your bookshelf contains textbooks.
"It may seem normal to other people, but if a non-student still keeps textbooks somewhere exposed, a professional organizer gets immediately triggered," says Hobbs. This usually means the person has a hard time letting go of things.
How many old magazines you're holding onto.
"I believe no one needs a dozen subscriptions to be familiar with the news around the world," says Lucy Norman, a cleaning and organizing expert at End to End Cleaning Services. "I suggest to anyone who is keeping hundreds of magazines stashed somewhere, recycle them and to adapt to today's digital lifestyle." A.k.a. embrace that tablet life.
Whether there's clutter on your countertops.
If you never have enough space to chop, unless you reconfigure your clutter, it could mean two things: "[You] have too many items in [your] cabinets and drawers and not enough storage or [you're] not taking the time to put items away," says Bauer.
Or ... if your countertops are clutter-free.
Not everything should be out of sight. "Storing the stuff you need on a daily basis, sometimes can be a bad practice," says Lauren Haynes, a cleaning and home organizing expert at Star Domestic Cleaners. "The right approach here is to make spots on the countertop for the things you use every day, like a blender."
The kind of trash can you own.
"Open or overflowing trash cans can really get the attention of a professional organizing expert," says Hobbs. "If you can't take the trash out regularly, at least use a closed container." Your guests will thank you, too.
How many labels are in your pantry.
"Seeing kitchen containers that aren't labeled and aren't see-through is a usual thing that can never be missed by a professional," says Haynes. You better believe they're already picturing what color label will look best with your assortment of food.
Where you keep your piles of stuff.
"Besides your last-worn outfit, your bedroom should be free of clutter," says Norman. "Placing too much stuff in a place designed to bring you comfort and relaxation is not the wisest thing to do." If piles are impossible to avoid, just make sure you don't keep them where you sleep.
The cosmetics in your bathroom.
If your countertop is full of products, this often tells an organizer there's tons of potential for your space. "In general, when you store lots of cosmetics, it's almost sure that there are some expired ones," says Haynes. In other words, there's more stuff you can throw out.
How many open shelves you own.
Norman says she often finds that people overdo it on the open shelving. "While there is nothing wrong with placing your candles, books and photos there, no one needs to know what book you're reading right now and what medications you've been prescribed from your doctor," she says.
How many toys your kids own.
Don't worry: No one wants to toss Barbie. "Kids will be messy, but it becomes clear when entering a home if they need better storage and systems so toys aren't everywhere," says Bauer. "After all, no one wants their home to feel like a Toys-R-Us as soon as you walk in."
If your shoes are by the front door, it says a lot about your home.