Now that we are back from vacation, and the temperatures have turned a little cooler, it is time to take a good look at the house and our clutter. This is a good week to do it, since it is in between the end of our summer activities and the beginning of school.
I know that it is time for a clutter patrol when I notice the following happening in my home:
Things that are needed can’t be found right away.
Flat surfaces such as desks, tables and the kitchen counter have piles of stuff.
Things are out of place, such as coats by the door instead of the closet, books on top of the television instead of the bookcase, etc.
There are areas of the home that aren’t being used much (such as the basement or garage or spare bedroom) because stuff is in the way.
At least one child has run out of socks.
Let me explain that last one. In my home, the kids tend to take off their shoes and socks when they enter, and these socks make their way all over the home, hiding under couches, at the bottom of closets, etc. I even find socks inside kitchen cabinets on occasion, since my two-year-old likes to put things away even if he doesn’t know where they should go.
So what is a clutter patrol? It is when we take time to go room by room to identify and solve the clutter problems. From ten minutes a night to an hour a day can get the house back into order, depending on the severity of the clutter. Everyone should become involved. Walk through the rooms and put items away where they belong.
Motivation for a clutter patrol can be a problem. One thing that really dampens the desire to de-clutter is when things don’t have a rightful place. Then you just wind up staring at the object before putting it right back into its clutter spot. If this is the case, go ahead and put things in boxes when they don’t have a home. Often, you can at least identify the room it should be in, such as the kitchen or family room. Label the box, and place the box in that room. Later, you can deal with the box. (If a home cannot be found, you should question whether or not you really need the item.)
Mary Ann Romans writes about everything related to saving money in the Frugal Blog, creating a home in the Home Blog and caring for little ones in the Baby Blog. You can read more of her articles by clicking here.
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De-Cluttering Boot Camp: Being Overwhelmed
De-Cluttering Boot Camp: I Can’t Get Rid of that!