Is one of your new year’s resolutions to get organized? I’ve been cleaning out the clutter in our house and it’s amazing how much better I feel when the clutter is gone. Here are my tips for how to be clutter-free in 2015!
1. Don’t Let Papers Pile Up.
I’m a pile person. What I mean is: I tend to make piles of papers, thinking I will deal with them at some later date. The problem is that I often just let the pile sit and I never deal with it.
Exhibit A: the kitchen counter. I pile the mail here, as well as the kids’ school papers, my calendar, and who knows what else.
Same with my office. Here’s a random picture of my desk:
Here’s how I solved my paper clutter problem:
Recycle Before the Paper Comes Inside.
I set up our paper recycling bins right outside our back door, where we come in from the mailbox and car.
When I get the mail, I sort through it in the garage and put anything unwanted in the recycling bin before it ever hits the counter. That way, I don’t end up with a big pile of either unsorted or unwanted mail on the counter. It never clears the threshold.
Sort It Out.
I bought this organizer at a home store. I added some stickers to label each pocket.
Now, when papers do come in the door, they go in the appropriate slot in the organizer. When my kids ask me where a certain school paper is, I ask, “Did you check the slot?”
If You Do Make Piles, Make Them Action Piles.
Once you’ve sorted through the papers, don’t just set the piles aside. Take action on them. For example, if you have old bills or product manuals, file them away. If you have bills that need paying, go ahead and pay them or create a folder for “TO BE PAID” bills so that you don’t forget to pay them before they are due.
2. Corral and Contain.
Staying clutter-free means you have to have a system. So, in addition to the actions above, create files or containers that will keep you organized year-round.
For papers, a file cabinet or system need not be expensive. I bought this file cabinet at a thrift store for about $7. I painted the outside gloss white and the front of the drawers with chalkboard paint.
I labeled each drawer with a chalkboard paint marker. Now it’s cute and functional!
If you leave fruit or bread or other stuff on the counter, corral it in a pretty mixing bowl or on a tray.
A clean, decluttered counter makes me happy.
Smaller items like buttons or clips can go in recycled jars:
I love repurposing my favorite pieces to get organized:
The important thing is to have a system. Then, when you find a stray button or you have a pile of papers, you can put them in their place, rather than in a pile on a desk or countertop.
What area of your home do you want to de-clutter? What’s the plan? We’d love to hear your tips!
