Organizing your home doesn’t have to use up all your retirement savings, time or peace of mind

O

vercurated home organization content has flourished on social media for the past decade: well-lit photos of pantries, closets and bathrooms with contents arranged in clear acrylic bins. Usually, everything is color coordinated.

I love a tidy, organized space, but these images stress me out. My mouth gets dry when I imagine the upkeep necessary to keep those spaces looking pristine. How much does it cost to acquire hundreds of identical storage bins? How long did it take to aesthetically arrange Khloé Kardashian’s cookies like that? Is this really what I’m supposed to be doing with my one wild and precious life?

Fortunately, experts say, organizing your home doesn’t require spending all your retirement savings or time. In fact, says Eryn Donaldson, founder and CEO of the luxury home organization the Model Home, it is a common misconception that buying lots of containers automatically makes you organized. “Good products help, but they’re not the starting point,” she says. “Good organization is less about aesthetics, and more about reducing friction in daily life.”