With the start of September comes back to school and the end of summer. Carefree days are gone, busy schedules and structured time have returned. Likely, you’re also spending more time in your home and becoming more aware of the clutter surrounding it. That clutter is only making your life more difficult and more stressful, so why not do something about it. But where do you start? Here are a few organizing projects to conquer the clutter and make your home a more pleasant place to be.
Entryway
– Do you have a place for everyone to drop their bags, keys, jackets, and shoes if needed? If not, then you need to create one. It can be as simple as some hooks with a bench and baskets below or as complex as a formally built out solution. Either way you will curtail much of the clutter that invades your kitchen counter, dining room table, or entry floor.
Paper Clutter
– There is no magic solution for stopping paper clutter. You have to deal with the paper that enters your home in a timely manner or it will mount beyond what you ever want to deal with. “Dealing with the paper” means regular “office hours” to process your paperwork. Creating an inbox for all family members so loose papers (e.g. field trip forms, half finished homework, partially or completed art projects, bills to pay, etc.) have a place to go other than the kitchen counter or dining room table. And, receiving as many bills and statements electronically so they don’t even enter your home.
Kids’ Toys & Stuff
– It helps to occasionally do a reality check of your kids’ stuff. Too much choice is not always a good thing. In addition, many of today’s toys are not well made and break easily. See if you can commit to reducing your kids’ toys by 30%. Get rid of broken toys or those with missing parts. Designate a container for a particular type of toy (legos, stuffed animals, dolls) and only allow them to have as many of that item that will fit in the container.
Kitchen
– Is your snack cabinet loaded with half eaten bags of chips or items no one really likes? Is your pantry full of expired food? Make dinner and lunch prep easier by clearing some space in your cabinets and pantry for current items your family actually eats and enjoys. Other kitchen projects can include getting rid of mismatched Tupperware, cleaning out your “junk drawer”, or paring down your coffee mugs. Remember less is more and clearing just a few spaces can make your surroundings lighter and less bothersome.
