Quick Ways to Deal With Everyday Clutter

Last Updated on July 2, 2018 by lydiaf1963

Clutter. We all have it. There’s the mail that needs to be tended to, the laundry that needs to be put away, that stack of magazines you plan to read someday. Here are a few quick ways to deal with everyday clutter and help prevent it from taking over.

This post assumes you’re not currently overwhelmed with a lot of clutter. If you need help in that area, check out my Tranquil Home 28 Day Declutter Challenge by starting with this post. If you’ve tackled the worst of your clutter and are interested in keeping it at bay read on for some tips to deal with common problem areas.

Dirty Dishes

I’m not sure which is worse. Having to clean a sink full of dishes in order to prepare a meal or having to clean a sink full of dishes after we’ve eaten. One solution is to share the task with others in the house. One cooks, the other cleans. Another solution to clean as you go. There’s almost always an opportunity to clean up while you’re cooking. While the food is bubbling away on the stove or in the oven take the time to clean up the food prep area and whatever tools you’ve used to prepare the meal or empty the dishwasher so it’s ready for the next load. Having to deal with just a few pots and pans to clean after dinner gives you more time to do other things.

Paper

Mail, magazines and newspapers all seem to form piles in my house if I don’t deal with them right away. The mail gets sorted as soon as I pull it from the box. Junk mail goes immediately in the trash. Bills and other items that need to be dealt with at another time are filed away rather than stacked somewhere they can get lost. Thanks to the internet I read most of my magazines and news online but those I do buy are put into the recycle bin as soon as we’re done reading them rather than stacked up on the coffee table.

Laundry

When I was in college, I waited until I didn’t have any clean clothes left before doing laundry. Then I had a ton of clean clothes that needed to be folded and put away. Sometimes I did it, but more often than not I pulled clean clothes out of the basket and wore them. After graduation I kept my habit and complained about my weekends being filled with laundry. My mother said to me, “You know the washer and dryer will work during the week, right?” D’oh! Doing smaller loads more frequently really helps me keep on top of laundry issues. Follow each step to completion: Wash, dry, iron, hang or fold, and put away. I need to take my own advice because I still sometimes struggle with the last two steps.

What about clothes that have been worn once but can be worn again? Stacking them on a bedroom chair isn’t the answer! Our solution is to use hooks. We keep the not quite clean/not quite dirty clothes on a set of hooks until they’re ready to go in the hamper. I used to date a guy who used a valet stand. He had to wear a uniform but pretty much worked a desk job so he could often get more than one wear. The clothes tree kept his slacks and shirt looking neat.

Migrating Objects

These are items that belong in another room. Like the coffee cup left on the bathroom vanity, the screwdriver on the dining room table or the toys in the living room. Deal with those when you see them and trainencourage other members of the household to put their stuff back where it belongs, too.

The trick to managing everyday clutter is to form habits that enable you keep up with it on a regular basis. It’s a matter making sure you follow up on a task but once you’ve formed the habit, it gets easier. Eventually you’ll reach a point where 90% of your everyday clutter is no longer an issue. (Looking at you pile of clothes in the basket.)

With our busy lifestyles, schedules, and families, being able to do things quickly is important to many of us.

That’s why I’ve teamed up with a few blogging friends to offer you projects that can be accomplished quickly. Whether it’s preparing a meal, crafting, or cleaning, we want to offer you the ability to do more with the limited time you have!

Click the links below to see how you can be speedy and productive, all at once!

 

Quick Ways to Pack a Lunch for Picky Eaters – Try It Like It

Quick Ways to Make a Card – Sum of Our Stories

6 Quick Ways to Add Coastal Decor to Your Home – Across The Boulevard

Quick Desk Decluttering – 2 Dishing Divas

---

Photos from Pixabay.