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You might think that perfectionism and organization would go hand in hand, but oftentimes, perfectionism actually impedes organization efforts. There is nothing wrong with wanting to do your best, but it is important to acknowledge that there is often a gap between what we hope to achieve while organizing the home and what we are actually likely to accomplish. Perfectionists do not simply strive for the best; they have unrealistic and often unreachable expectations.

Here are some of the ways in which perfectionism can interfere with your attempts to organize your life and your home:

• You may never bring yourself to say that a given task has been accomplished and move on to the next one. You may continue to work through the same area again and again, even though it is plenty good enough.

• You may never actually get started in the first place. Sometimes perfectionists psych themselves right out of getting the home organized in the first place. The task simply appears insurmountable.

• Being a perfectionist can also have a negative impact on your self-esteem and your sense of peace. You may look at what you have done and deride yourself for doing a poor job when you actually have done a great job. You may get down on your whole life because you cannot cope with everyday chaos.

You can see how being a perfectionist can actually stop you from getting organized or staying that way. It can also stop you from seeing when you are organized. You just continue to give yourself the same bad feedback over and over again.

What can you do about it?

• Realign your expectations. Remind yourself that actual perfection is unattainable and subjectively defined. Also remind yourself that all those amazing photos you see on Pinterest are often put together by professionals or hardcore organizing enthusiasts. If you are neither, you cannot hold yourself to those same high expectations.

• Reward yourself for a job well done, and learn to recognize when you have done a good job. Don’t trust your own judgment? Ask a friend or family member to take a look at what you have done. Try to see your accomplishments through their eyes. If someone else with high—but not unrealistic—expectations says you have done a good job, you probably have.

• Force yourself to stick to a schedule. If you are someone who can easily get caught up in the same task indefinitely, come up with a specific timely schedule for moving on. You can always come back to those spots later. By the time you get around to them again, you may see them through new eyes. You may finally have learned to adjust your expectations, and my learn how to see through the imaginary clutter.

Organizing for the perfectionist is no easy task, but if you can balance out your expectations and keep yourself on a schedule, you can accomplish a great deal. The greatest challenge for you is learning how to recognize your own achievements and appreciate them.