Clutter is to put it bluntly, a pain in my backside. With six busy people living together, four of which are children, it is simply impossible to keep our home clutter free. Toys, clothing, books, you name it, find their way into every room in the home. Clutter may be creating chaos in your home too, but there are some tips that we can all use to keep clutter in check:
1. Start with the first area that anyone arriving at your door will see. You will feel better knowing you can answer the door without embarrassment. Seeing how much better the area looks may also motivate you to move on to de-cluttering other spaces throughout the home.
2. Throw things away or recycle them immediately. Do not set the newspaper down when you have finished reading it. Take it directly to the recycling bin. When sorting mail, throw away junk mail, unneeded envelopes, etc. right away. If you open something, throw away the package. Encourage others in your home to do the same, and keep a small wastebasket in every room.
3. Try keeping a storage box or basket in your main living area. Any time something lands in this space that does not belong there, place it into the receptacle. This will keep the living space less chaotic throughout the day.
4. Before sitting down to relax at the end of the day, walk through your home with a trash bag and the container from your living room. Toss any trash left behind by other family members and empty small wastebaskets. Pick up other items and place them in the container.
5. Before bedtime, ask each family member to look in the container, retrieve their own items, and put them where they belong. This will keep you from running from room to room, putting things away, which can become a never-ending job.