Clutter is my nemesis. It stresses me out to no end. Clutter makes me feel like the walls -walls of junky piles – are closing in around me. I have been known to wander from room to room collecting clutter and trashing it on the spot, no questions asked.
Is it just me?!
Say it’s not just me!
Unfortunately despite my best attempts to teach my children well in the way of organization, I have finally faced the reality that I live in a house of hoarders. Both my kids and my beloved husband are clutter bugs. They seem to thrive on having stacks and piles of stuff all around them.
Like junk forts.
With that being said, I have learned how to cope with the fact that clutter is a part of my life. I have come up with 12 ways to help keep clutter down to a manageable level. This helps me hold on to my sanity a little longer, and gives my family members peace of mind that 1.) I won’t throw all their stuff away while they are at school and work, and 2.) they won’t be smothered by their own junk.
Balance is a beautiful thing, friend.
12 clever ways to kill clutter
1. Deal with mail everyday
I’m serious. Mail is one thing that gets out of control faster than you can shove 3 books, an open box of markers, and a basket of stamps into an already crowded cabinet (I have not done this but I know someone who has. I won’t name names in order to protect the guilty).
Take 3 minutes to toss junk mail and put the rest (bills) in a tray or basket to be paid when you’re ready.
Also…
This includes your email too. Talk about clutter. Yikes…
2. Say no to hoarding
This is a no brainer, right? Just say no! It’s easier said than done most of the time, but setting boundaries for yourself (and your loved ones) can stop clutter before it starts.
When you hear yourself saying the words “just in case,” it’s time to abort the mission!
3. Put your things away when you’re done with them
Remember when your mom would tell you to clean our rooms and you hated it, but you did it anyway? Welcome to the rest of your life, minus your mom telling you what to do.
Cleaning up messes is part of adulting.
Don’t tell yourself “I’ll clean that up later.” You won’t want to clean up later either. Clean it up now and get it over with. That will ensure your mess doesn’t get out of control and become clutter.
And one more thing – my kids know that if they leave something on the floor, a random counter, or the table for more than three days I might throw it away. That may sound harsh, but it works!
4. Keep over-sentimentalization in check
You know that thing your son drew at school when he was 4? So cute! I mean, you don’t know what it is but he drew it so it’s got to be special, right?
Wrong.
Think about your kids 25 years from now. You give them a box of their childhood things. They open it to find a bunch of “art” that is really just scribbles on a piece of construction paper.
Don’t keep that! Your kids are going to look at you like you’re crazy and then throw all of that “art” straight in the trash. Do them a favor by not over-sentimentalizing things now.
5. Set rules for keeping your kids’ art and special papers
Okay, now that you aren’t going to punish your kids by being overly sentimental, make a plan for how to keep that in check. Set rules for yourself on how to sift through artwork and special papers. Here are some of the filters I developed for myself:
- awards = keep
- special photos = keep
- unidentifiable scribbles, paint, clay…things = trash, trash, trash
- color sheets from school = trash
- drawings of our family that resemble actual people with non-monster-y faces = keep
- personal notes and letters from my kids = keep
- seasonal crafts from school or church = usually trash, unless it has a handprint, fingerprints, etc.
- little books they make at school with subjects including but not limited to “the letter a” and “Spot the dog” = trash
Hopefully that helps get your going. And for the record I never throw anything away before my kids get a chance to show it to me and tell me about whatever it is.
6. Consider the other people you share living space with
Okay this is very much a “die to self” kind of point, but it might be the most important one. Think about the people who share living spaces with you.
Should they have to move your junk aside on the kitchen counter just to make a sandwich?
Should people have to step over your piles of stuff to get to the door?
Is it possible you should clean off the coffee table so everyone else can use it too?
How does your clutter impact the other people you live with?
Ask yourself these questions as you kill clutter. If other people have to adjust the way they live for the sake of your junk, you should probably address your clutter and refer back to number 3 of this list.
7. Organize important papers into a filing system
This is a blog series in and of itself, so I won’t get into the details of what a filing system should look like.
I will just say that it’s much easier (and faster) to slip paperwork into the appropriate file and be done than to let papers stack up for months and have to spend hours sifting through it.
8. Donate toys that haven’t been played with in over a year
When my kids outgrow certain toys we donate them or give them to friends with younger kids than ours. This helps us keep a grip on the amount of toys we have, but also ensures that my kids are playing with toys that are appropriate for their developmental stage.
No reason to hold on to those wooden abc, transportation, and animal puzzles when my 9 year old dominates Lego technics designed for 15 year olds.
Likewise, my daughter is almost 6 so why do we still have her squeaky Sofie giraffe? No idea. It needs to go.
With that being said, I will add that my son’s giant set of Thomas the Train tracks and cars will go into a plastic bin and kept forever and ever. We built many a track with that set and hope to pass it down to his kids someday.
I’m not against holding on to a couple of special things, but we aren’t keeping every toy he ever liked.
9. Don’t keep clothes you haven’t worn in 1-2 years
I’m sure we could all find things in our closet that we’ve been holding onto for no good reason except that we just feel bad about getting rid of them.
Take 20 minutes (and a trash bag) to sift through your closet and eliminate clothing items you don’t/can’t/won’t wear.
10. Stop holding onto things you don’t even like
Two words: obligatory gifts.
I’m giving your permission to let go of things you don’t like, but do it gently if the item(s) are from your spouse, kids, parents, or close friends.
11. Remember that staying organized is an ongoing process, not a destination
Don’t think you are going to blow through the house in 30 minutes, kill your clutter and never deal with it again. Oh no.
You will deal with potential clutter everyday. The goal to keep it just that: potential clutter. Spending a couple of minutes a day picking up, putting away, filing, and organizing can help you maintain a sense of order in your home.
Keeping clutter under control doesn’t require a ton of time. The key to killing clutter is developing good habits. Develop a system that you can implement into your everyday routine, and stick with it. Before you know it, killing clutter will be second nature!
How do you stop clutter from taking over your home? What habits have you found especially helpful in this daily battle?