When you are on a home decluttering mission small things make a big difference.
If you can keep these hot spots tidy and organised you are one step closer to a clutter free home. Here are some tips.
Five tips to keep on top of clutter hot spots
Stay away from flat surfaces
The problem with benches and shelves is that they are great for stacking random papers, mail, things you’ve brought in from the car and other general clutter.
Make it a rule that unless it lives on that bench or shelf, you never put anything down there. Have a basket or small container in your clutter hot spots and make it a habit to clear it out each evening.
Throw away and file mail
A lot of everyday clutter in many homes is paper. When you bring the mail in, take it out of the envelope, recycle the rubbish and file the rest. You could keep a simple folder in a specific area and then file everything properly once a week.
Create a command centre
A command centre is basically a small area near the entrance or main thoroughfare of your home, that you can store items that need to be sorted or are frequently used. Commonly a command centre will have an area for keys, somewhere to hang bags, a simple noticeboard or pinboard and possibly a small basket and some folders for storing random papers and other items.
Our command centre for all the mail and bits that collect.
Put hooks on the back of your bedroom and bathroom doors
Clothing can easily mount up into a cluttered mess of “not clean but not dirty” items. You don’t always want to put your worn but not “clean” jeans back into your wardrobe, but leaving them hanging over chairs or side tables just creates mess. Get some over door hangers and put them over your bathroom and bedroom doors for all those items not quite ready for the wash, but not “clean”.
Don’t stack!
If you are anything like me then you may be inclined to “tidy” up clutter areas by stacking things neatly. Sure, it looks better, but the reality is that it doesn’t actually deal with the clutter or get rid of it. Try to avoid the habit of stacking things to make them look neat and tidy. Pack them away, throw out things that aren’t needed and clear the area. Don’t just neaten it!
Do you have any hits for keeping on top of clutter hot spots? I’d love to read about them in the comments below xx
p.s If you haven’t already, grab your copy of my new decluttering eBooks (click the image to find out more)…
I really need to get back to doing this. Starting with the paperwork. Not entirely sure how I let things get so out of control lately but everywhere you look there is clutter. It’s so not like me and is starting to drive me up the wall.
Oh good God. I just realised I am one of those ‘stackers’. I get confused trying to organise where to put things and just end up stacking. I wish I had a kitchen like that. Sigh.
I love the idea of a command centre. It sounds so much more compelling than filing system
I need a command centre pronto!
They are the best!
Yes! The damn clutter spots in the kitchen…and the entire clutter room called the ‘study’. No one actually studies in there, its just where we move all of our piles of paperwork, bits and bobs etc. I just keep closing the door!
I miss my study (AKA junk room)! The best way to get rid of it is have enough children/house guests to fill all rooms so there is no space left 😉
Paperwork on my kitchen bench…man, that annoys me!
Yep it’s so hard to avoid isn’t it!
I declare some spots off limits to clutter – like my entryway and then I DEFEND it. Anything that gets put there isn’t going to stay there, but I feel perfectly free to put it where ever is convenient for me – the bathtub, the dog house, the garage, wherever. Then when they come looking for it, I look at them with pretend horror and whisper “You didn’t leave it in the entryway, did you???” And then I let them go play hide and seek to try and find their lost items. After a while, they have gotten the message (mostly!), although I have to replay this scenario every few weeks because they forget after a while.
Haha, that’s hilarious. Maybe I should try it!
We’re so bad about putting things down like our mail on our dining room table since it’s right when you enter our condo. There’s forever clutter there and it drives me crazy! We did get rid of most of the flat surfaces in our bedroom, though, and it has helped immensely. I need to get some clothing hooks for my husband, though, who is forever piling his clothes everywhere 😉 Thanks for sharing, stopping by from SITS!