Do you have any areas in your house that are "clutter" areas? I do. The table in the computer room is one of them. It seems that this table is always full, and that is so discouraging to me. It is primarily all my stuff, and I really need to break the habit of dumping stuff on this table. Now, I have to clear off the table before I can do another project.
Here is my kitchen table. This is another spot that is a clutter area, but my paper is still on the table, so it doesn't have the chance to collect clutter. But, I really need to clear off this table. This is me. I do a project, and I don't finish it or I just leave it there. I need to change this habit too.
Here is the mail. I know-- I should take care of it when it comes through the door, but I did not get all of this mail. Some "people" get the mail and just set it on the counter where the microwave is. Yes, this is yet another spot that collects clutter. So, I have to do this before I can start another project. See how overwhelming this can get? And I haven't even finished my errands from yesterday.I'm in for a day--a day of pain (I tell ya).
So, where do I start? Do I take care of the clutter areas or do I finish my errands from yesterday? And if I start with my errands from yesterday, I may not get all of the clutter areas and the mail done. One errand that I have to do is my B12 shot-- I am really low on energy. I can really tell that I am behind on getting that shot. I missed my original appt. because my one appt. ran over--and I never rescheduled. So, that will be first. To do the rest of the errands, I need to find the sheet or copy my last post.
Well, I am going to get started. I will keep you posted. If you have any ideas, let me know. Until then...
This is me. This is my blog.
Every room in our house has a clutter/drop off area. I do have a goal for these areas--do one area at a time and finish it. Keep telling myself to keep that kitchen dresser cleared off and it's working pretty good, but the other areas have yet to be kept de-cluttered. Doing your errands will probably depend on the driving conditions. How about doing the mail for sure--aren't you nervous if there's something important that you need to attend to?
ReplyDeleteConcerning the mail--not really. My husband does everything online. But I just have to make my mind up and stay on top of it.
ReplyDeleteWhat do you mean by every room has a clutter/drop off area? That sounds like something that I need.
And I have found that when I am staying on top of things, it usually takes up a lot of time--time that I could be starting a new task. So, that's my dilemma--start a new task or keep on top of things?
Hi Deborah! As soon as my mail comes in, I go through it. If it is for other people in the house (my girls) I have a spot in their room that I put it for them to see. The rest of the mail, which is usually bills or coupons, I put in the "bill box" or "coupon bag". That way, I know exactly where it is when it is time to do bills and I have my new coupons in my coupon bag. I usually take one night to go through each so that I have my current coupons organized and ready for me to go shopping and my bills there ready for me to write and mail out. All the other stuff I get and do not need, goes in the recycling bin on a daily basis.
ReplyDeleteWhere do you keep the coupon bag and bill box?
ReplyDeleteI do what Angela does--as soon as the mail comes in I "stand" at the kitchen table and open each envelope, the envelope gets trashed, the bill goes on my dresser, store ads I shop at go in a kitchen drawer with the coupons, and other ads that I don't need get trashed. Later in the week those ads, coupons, and bills get taken care of.
ReplyDeleteAbout when I said that every room has a clutter/drop off area--when I asked my husband how many cluttered areas we have in our house, he said "every" room has cluttered areas. And he's right. What happens is this--when a person goes by the kitchen dresser and doesn't want to put away an item, it goes on the dresser. Then someone else does it again. And again. When a person goes by the piano to go outside, the item gets put on the piano. When a person goes by the desk downstairs, an item goes on that desk, etc, etc. Even the clothes dryer isn't immune from catching things. These furniture pieces were not meant to be "drop-off" areas, but they are, and therefore there's clutter. Here's what happened to our piano one summer--because someone didn't take the time to put away the can of Off insect spray, the can sat on the piano for awhile, and unfortunately, that can was rusting on the bottom, and the solution leaked out, running all along the piano and some of it made it to the wood alongside the keyboard. It didn't affect the keyboard itself. Someday I'm going to have to refinish that part of the piano. But if that piano wasn't treated as a clutter/drop off area, that mess would not have happened in the 1st place. Well, that ruined piano is a reminder to try to change our family's ways of dropping off things. And it has to start with me.
Keeping on top of things seems like a good idea. Someday I just might time myself how long it takes to clear off a dresser, then time myself when I'm putting away an item instead of dropping if off onto the dresser.
Deb,
ReplyDeleteBeing that I have a bad case of OCD, there is seriously not one place in my house that collects clutter. It is only because I have a place for everything. I think that is the trick. Find a place for things to go and you would be surprised how much you would put those things in their "place". Good Luck!
Monica, your family runs like my family--many drop off/clutter areas. And it is not just because of one person. My family thinks that it is me, but if you look around--I would have a good argument against that.
ReplyDeleteJess-you are a lucky one. I do have and the family has places for their things, but the things still do not get put away.Hence--this blog.ha ha I am trying to get it organized to a point that when the kids leave their stuff laying around--I can just put it in a basket--and then they take care of what is in the basket.
Like the kids' basket idea.
ReplyDeleteThanks, it has not been in place that long, but I like it. It is something that I can put their stuff in instead of waiting for them to come home from school.
ReplyDeleteI have actually moved my paper recycling bin to my kitchen under a bench, since there is so much paper clutter and I was throwing paper in the trash daily.
ReplyDeleteThat's a good idea. We go through the most paper in our living room. Maybe I can move a basket in there.
ReplyDelete