Organizing for People Who Hate Organizing

But I also know something important: most people are not like me. So if you don’t get excited about labels, bins, or spending your Sunday reorganizing a closet… this post is for you. Because the truth is, you don’t have to love organizing to benefit from it.

When I walk into a client’s home, one of the first things I want them to understand is this: hating organizing doesn’t mean you’re lazy, messy, or bad at adulting–it usually just means you have other things you’d rather be doing.

What I see over and over again is that people aren’t failing at organizing—they’ve just been trying to follow systems that don’t actually fit their real life. And honestly, a lot of organizing advice out there is way too complicated. If it feels exhausting, it’s probably not you. It’s the system. I’ve seen a lot of beautiful systems that fall apart within a week. Not because someone didn’t “try hard enough,” but because the system asked too much of them. If putting something away means opening multiple containers, lifting lids, or deciding between ten different categories… your brain is going to say, “No thanks.” 

When I’m setting up a space, I’m always thinking: how easy can I make this?

I love a picture-perfect space as much as anyone—but I don’t design real homes for photo shoots. I design them for Tuesday afternoons when you’re tired and you still have dinner to figure out. When life is just… life. If you’re waiting until you have the time and energy to organize perfectly, it’s probably not going to happen, and you don’t need it to. Good enough isn’t settling—it’s what actually works.

“Organizing should feel a little bit lazy,” I say to clients all the time, and it usually gets a laugh. But I mean it, because good organizing should make it easier to be a little lazy. You shouldn’t have to think hard about where things go. You shouldn’t have to maintain a system like it’s a second job. If it’s working, your home should feel easier—not more demanding. If your system needs constant upkeep, it’s not a system. It’s a burden.

Speaking of burdens, you probably don’t need more bins! I say this as someone who genuinely loves a good container. Buying organizing products feels productive—I get it. But most of the time, it just moves the clutter around. What actually makes a difference is knowing what you use and what you don’t. Once that’s clear, the right storage (if you even need it) becomes obvious.

Here’s something I wish more people knew: no one stays organized all the time. Not my clients. Not my team. Not even me. Life happens. The real goal is to make it easy to reset. When things get messy—and they will—you want a system that lets you get back on track quickly, without needing a full weekend and a motivational speech.

For me, organizing isn’t about turning you into someone who suddenly loves matching hangers and labeled bins. It’s about making your home easier to live in: less time dealing with stuff, less frustration, and more breathing room for the things you actually care about.



You don’t have to like organizing. You don’t even have to be good at it. You just need systems that work for you. And honestly, those are my favorite kinds of spaces to create—the ones for people who would rather be doing literally anything else.

At The Spruce Goose, that’s exactly what we do. We meet you where you are and build a home that works harder… so you don’t have to.