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…
- When you retrieve the day's mail, remove all the greeting cards and stack the rest neatly for once-a-week sorting.
- Set up hooks for easy organizing of keys, purses, scarves, leashes and other accessories that can easily pile up or be misplaced.
- Consider suspending newspaper subscriptions until January, and get your daily news online.
- 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…
- Put CDs, DVDs and games away immediately after use.
- Pile books and magazines neatly in an unobtrusive area, such as an enclosed book case or the lower shelf of a side table.
- Keep a basket in each room. Routinely collect all the items that belong somewhere else.
- 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…
- Place all clothing in either the hamper or the closet before bed-time.
- 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…
- Make sure the dishwasher is emptied as soon as it has finished running so dirty dishes can go in immediately.
- Clear everything you can off the counters, so you have more space for cooking and meal prep.