Declutter your Home - Quick clutter fixes

Quick Fixes for Clutter

Quick Fixes For Clutter

Keep your home in order, and you'll be prepared for visitors of any kind, from planned dinner party guests to impromptu drop-ins.

The secret is to do a little here, a little there — with the emphasis on the "little"! The approach is a lot like getting in shape: taking many small steps will help you conquer the biggest household mess, without a stressful last minute panic.

In the entry way…

1. When you retrieve the day's mail, remove all the greeting cards and stack the rest neatly for once-a-week sorting.

2. Set up hooks for easy organizing of keys, purses, scarves, leashes and other accessories that can easily pile up or be misplaced.

3. Consider suspending newspaper subscriptions until January, and get your daily news online.

4. Use a shoe mat and set a firm family rule: whatever doesn't fit on it must be put away immediately.

In the living and dining rooms…

5. Put CDs, DVDs and games away immediately after use.

6. Pile books and magazines neatly in an unobtrusive area, such as an enclosed book case or the lower shelf of a side table.

7. Keep a basket in each room. Routinely collect all the items that belong somewhere else.

8. Stubborn piles of clutter may require extra consideration. Store "homeless" items that aren't urgently needed in a box until you have time for a proper sort-out in January.

In the bedroom…

9. Place all clothing in either the hamper or the closet before bed-time.

10. Designate the spare room or an out-of-the-way corner of your home for writing cards and wrapping gifts, and keep everything you need there.

In the kitchen…

11. Make sure the dishwasher is emptied as soon as it has finished running so dirty dishes can go in immediately.

12. Clear everything you can off the counters, so you have more space for cooking and meal prep.

Quick Fixes for Clutter

Quick Fixes For Clutter

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