In today’s blog post, I would like to address a growing phenomenon that has recently come to my attention. I’ve dubbed it “Pinterest Organizer’s Syndrome.”
It looks something like this:
Since when did we start using model homes and window displays from J-Crew as the baseline for organizational inspiration?
Seriously, who do you know that has matching paisley-printed totes lined up in their all-white linen cabinet? When was the last time you walked into a normal person’s home and saw this in their pantry:
What kind of person only wears high-heel shoes and clothing in three shades of beige? (Seriously, where are your workout clothes? Your running shoes? Does your life consist of sipping mimosas by the pool in a consistent 72-degree climate?)
WHO ARE THESE PEOPLE with their monochromatic closets and all-white living rooms? Who stores their spare toilet paper in cute wicker baskets? WHAT IS THIS MADNESS??
I had planned to spend the majority of this post targeting the ridiculous world of storage containers (I’m looking at you, The Container Store), but as I scrolled through Pinterest and saw post after post featuring glossy photos that looked like they were ripped straight from an IKEA catalog, my fury grew to encompass the entire organizational industry as a whole.
The reason I started this blog was to encourage myself and my awesome readers to stop chasing happiness through the accumulation of material things. Lusting after someone’s entirely blush-pink capsule wardrobe in the name of minimalism is, quite frankly, completely missing the point of minimalism.
I am not here to tell you that if you buy this one last thing, then your life will magically be perfect and you’ll finally be happy. I am not here to sell you storage containers through affiliate links with the intent to make a dollar off you.
I’m just a girl with a bird and a blog who’s learned that life is simpler when you own less stuff—and that you don’t need to break the bank to keep things tidy.
Anyone that follows the KonMari method of cleaning knows that Marie Kondo discourages buying new storage bins as you organize. (Don’t tell IKEA; they’d be pissed.)
Instead, she recommends using boxes and containers you already have around the house: shoe boxes, small jewelry boxes, previous storage containers you’ve liberated…you’d be surprised what you can use when you get creative!
Case in point: Over the past several months, a good friend of mine has been slowly but surely organizing her apartment. She’s in grad school, which means she doesn’t have a lot of spare cash and can’t afford twelve wicker baskets at $18.50 a piece to organize her life. Instead, she’s taken to creating her own storage containers, and she sent me this photo the other day that still has me laughing:
It may not be Pinterest-level pretty, but it works—and it didn’t cost her a dime.
What’s your favorite tip for organizing on a budget? Let me know in the comments below!
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A belated apology to my readers for not posting last week—I’ve been sick and sleeping a lot, so the blog had to take a backseat while I rested up.
This Saturday is my birthday (and the one-year anniversary of my ownership of Jasper!), so expect some reflection there. Want to know what birds can teach us about ourselves? Tune in Saturday to find out! You can also sign up to follow my blog in the sidebar, so you’ll never miss a post!
burst of intention 
This is so true! I think to many people, the thought of “organization” means that you must buy more things to be organized with, but this is so not true! If you start decluttering, then organize, you may find that you have enough space for everything!
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I couldn’t agree more. The less you own that needs to be organized, the fewer organizational tools you need! EVERY TIME I’ve helped someone clean out their living space, we end up donating storage containers, rather than buying more. Decluttering is key!
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