Help, I’m Knee-Deep in Clutter!

Conquer the Chaos and Get Organized Once and For All

Author: Joyce I. Anderson
Pub Date: 2007
Your Price: $24.95
ISBN: 0814474209
Format: Hardcover

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Chapter 2

Corral The Biggest Clutter Culprits

Help!

Once in awhile, for graduation or Christmas parties, your house is in tiptop shape. It sparkles. Then before you know it, it's right back to its usual chaos. You're trying to figure it out: "What the heck happened? Why do I keep having all this clutter and chaos?"

I can answer that. The mess keeps building back up again because you don't have a routine for controlling normal clutter. Can you do something about it? Yes, indeed! Here's the plan.

The First Part of the Plan Is Schedule It

OK. You're going after the routine clutter culprits that just keep cropping up. Check your calendar and figure out how you can fit this project into your busy schedule. For example:

• Perhaps you could set up an In-and-Out Shelf Tuesday after work and round up toys on Thursday after dinner.
• You probably could finish the following steps in a couple of hours over the weekend.

The Next Part of the Plan Is Organize It

The following five steps will help you corral clutter.

1st Step: In-and-Out Shelf

STOP CLUTTER AT THE DOOR

Instead of leaving a trail of jackets and gloves, schoolbooks, and papers throughout the house, set up a drop spot for everything as you first come in the door.

The Setup

• Set up an In-and-Out Shelf on a shelf, small table, desk, stool, or bench by the back door.
• If you live in a condo or apartment and don't have a back door, place a basket or tray on the kitchen counter.

Clutter Roundup

• Incoming items:
  • Hang up your coat and drop off all work papers, school items, and new purchases on the In-and-Out Shelf. Drop your purse on the kitchen counter or desk where you sort mail. Take groceries immediately to the kitchen.
  • Later, when you're ready to tackle some business papers or look at your new clothes, you'll know right where to find them.
• Outgoing items:
  • Each night put work and school items back on the In-and-Out Shelf.
  • Place film to be developed and letters to be mailed in a basket or tray on the shelf.

2nd Step: Mail and Paperwork

THE PAPER TRAIL

You don't have time to pay bills or plow through papers every day. You just need a place to park your clutter culprits until you're ready to deal with them. Plus, if you keep them all in one spot, you can cut back on frantic searches for misplaced statements and receipts.

The Setup

• Set up one spot on the kitchen counter, a desk, or a bookshelf as a drop site for all current mail, notes, and receipts.
• Set up an office area and choose one spot for all important papers and bills to be paid.
• Set up spots to stack current magazines, newspapers, and catalogs.

Clutter Roundup

• Zip around the house and put all mail, receipts, and stray pieces of paper in a big box.
• Find a place for that box in your newly designated office area.

There may be an awful lot of stuff in that box, but now your house isn't littered with papers. (We'll deal with these papers in Chapter 14.)

3rd Step: Clothes

OUTFITTERS

Are there nearly as many clothes on the floor and covering the furniture as there are hanging in the closet? Clothes are not floor decor. Let's get them back where they belong.

The Setup

• If it will help, place a clothes hamper for dirty clothes in each bedroom.

Clutter Roundup

• Check out each room and pick up all the clothes.
• Either hang them up, put them in drawers, or toss them in the laundry bin.

4th Step: Food and Dishes

KITCHEN

Do you have little snack stations all over the house? Everything food-related belongs in the kitchen.

The Setup

• Set up some bags or boxes for items to be recycled.

Clutter Roundup

• Check every room and take all cans, bags of chips, and dirty dishes to the kitchen and recycling area.

5th Step: Toys and Games

THE FUN HOUSE

Is your house a big toy store with toys and games piled up in every room? Set up a couple of specific spots for stacking kid stuff.

The Setup

• Set up a shelf for games and put a large basket or box for toys in each child's bedroom.
• Set up a games shelf and toy basket in your family room.

Clutter Roundup

• Check out each room, scoop the toys and games up off the floor, and return them either to your child's bedroom or to the family room.

What's the Final Step?

Your house is looking pretty good. You still might have some clutter culprits lying around but you've turned your messy, cluttered place into a neat, comfortable, and attractive home. However, here's the age-old question: How long will it last?

You have a system in place for storing daily papers, clothes, food, and toys. Encourage your family to help cut down on these clutter culprits by following a quick daily routine.

Now it's time to Set Up a Routine to Control Clutter and Chaos.

DAILY: Take 20 to 25 Minutes

© 2007 Joyce I. Anderson.
All rights reserved.
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