10 Simple Tricks to Keep Your Surfaces Free From Clutter
Worktops and tables quickly fill up until they’re useful surfaces no longer, so use these simple strategies to keep yours neat and tidy
Laura Gaskill
20 December 2015
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance checklist. My favorite pieces to write center around the emotional aspects of home and savoring life's simple pleasures. Decluttering course + discount for Houzzers: https://www.lauragaskill.com/welcome-houzzers
Houzz Contributor. I cover decorating ideas, Houzz tours & the monthly home maintenance... More
Whether it’s your dining table, kitchen worktop, coffee table or bedside table – any flat surface certainly has a way of attracting clutter. But piled-high stuff soon makes it a hassle to use those areas – to prepare a meal, eat a meal or kick up your feet to watch a film. It also makes it harder to find things, and it just looks awful. Still, we keep on piling it up because it seems easier than storing things where they’re actually meant to go.
To successfully keep the surfaces in your home clutter-free in the long term, you need to find the places for your odds and ends that are just as easy and obvious to use as a table or worktop. If you’re tired of clearing off the surfaces in your house, only to have them disappear again under piles of who knows what, these 10 strategies should help.
To successfully keep the surfaces in your home clutter-free in the long term, you need to find the places for your odds and ends that are just as easy and obvious to use as a table or worktop. If you’re tired of clearing off the surfaces in your house, only to have them disappear again under piles of who knows what, these 10 strategies should help.
Have a place for each item you come home with
When you walk through the front door, the natural impulse is to drop everything you’re carrying on the nearest available flat surface. The next time you arrive home, pause and pay attention to what you’re holding: shopping bags, a coat, a bundle of post, perhaps keys and a phone? Decide where you will put each of these items from now on. Hooks are faster to use than hangers, so if you tend to dump your coat on a chair, fix some up.
Post and paper items can be a real problem, so be sure to have a recycling bin near the front door, as well as some type of quick sorting system for important documents. (But keep the categories very broad, or you won’t be as likely to use it.) And if smaller, random items are a problem, consider hanging tote bags on the hooks for dumping things into. These can be used for a variety of items, from library books and school projects to dry cleaning.
Discover 10 creative ways with hooks and hangers
When you walk through the front door, the natural impulse is to drop everything you’re carrying on the nearest available flat surface. The next time you arrive home, pause and pay attention to what you’re holding: shopping bags, a coat, a bundle of post, perhaps keys and a phone? Decide where you will put each of these items from now on. Hooks are faster to use than hangers, so if you tend to dump your coat on a chair, fix some up.
Post and paper items can be a real problem, so be sure to have a recycling bin near the front door, as well as some type of quick sorting system for important documents. (But keep the categories very broad, or you won’t be as likely to use it.) And if smaller, random items are a problem, consider hanging tote bags on the hooks for dumping things into. These can be used for a variety of items, from library books and school projects to dry cleaning.
Discover 10 creative ways with hooks and hangers
Keep utensil storage off counters
Kitchen worktops can become cluttered so easily and, if you are short on prep space, this can be a real problem when it’s time to cook. One way to take some of the load off your worktops is by using wall space to store cooking utensils instead.
A pegboard, rail with S-hooks or floating shelves can all be put to work to store utensils, spices and knives within reach but out of the way. And if the entrance to your home is through the kitchen, add a few wall hooks and sorters for your keys and post as well.
Kitchen worktops can become cluttered so easily and, if you are short on prep space, this can be a real problem when it’s time to cook. One way to take some of the load off your worktops is by using wall space to store cooking utensils instead.
A pegboard, rail with S-hooks or floating shelves can all be put to work to store utensils, spices and knives within reach but out of the way. And if the entrance to your home is through the kitchen, add a few wall hooks and sorters for your keys and post as well.
Reserve worktop space for daily necessities
Small appliances hardly feel small when they’re taking up all of your available kitchen worktop space. So limit it to small appliances you use every single day without fail, and store everything else in cupboards.
To make it more likely you’ll put said appliances away when you’re done with them, they shouldn’t take too much effort to lift. In my house, this means our microwave (which we mostly use for reheating food) is in the utility room. So, while we do have to walk a few extra steps to get to it, it can stay plugged in all the time without taking up valuable worktop space. Another option would be to put less-frequently used small appliances on a trolley tucked into a cabinet or corner, and wheel it out to plug them in.
Check out 11 neat ways to store small appliances
Small appliances hardly feel small when they’re taking up all of your available kitchen worktop space. So limit it to small appliances you use every single day without fail, and store everything else in cupboards.
To make it more likely you’ll put said appliances away when you’re done with them, they shouldn’t take too much effort to lift. In my house, this means our microwave (which we mostly use for reheating food) is in the utility room. So, while we do have to walk a few extra steps to get to it, it can stay plugged in all the time without taking up valuable worktop space. Another option would be to put less-frequently used small appliances on a trolley tucked into a cabinet or corner, and wheel it out to plug them in.
Check out 11 neat ways to store small appliances
Ensure your table is a no-go area
A neatly set dining table has a definite purpose, and that makes cluttering it up less of a temptation. In the evening after dinner, clear the table and set it for breakfast – this not only helps encourage a clutter-free table, it makes for a smoother routine in the morning. After breakfast, take a moment to set out a few fresh placemats and cutlery for dinner, and your table will be a less tempting spot to toss your stuff when you get home in the evening.
If you have curious cats who are likely to walk all over your lovely table setting while you’re out, you can display candles or flowers instead or perhaps add a stack of dishes with a napkin laid across the top to protect it from prying paws.
A neatly set dining table has a definite purpose, and that makes cluttering it up less of a temptation. In the evening after dinner, clear the table and set it for breakfast – this not only helps encourage a clutter-free table, it makes for a smoother routine in the morning. After breakfast, take a moment to set out a few fresh placemats and cutlery for dinner, and your table will be a less tempting spot to toss your stuff when you get home in the evening.
If you have curious cats who are likely to walk all over your lovely table setting while you’re out, you can display candles or flowers instead or perhaps add a stack of dishes with a napkin laid across the top to protect it from prying paws.
Be mindful of multi-purpose spaces
Rooms that have double functions, such as a dining room-home office, can be the trickiest to keep tidy. Easy, obvious and specific storage is the key to making a space like this work well. Ideally, it should be so simple and clear that anyone (not just the person who set up the system) can quickly put things away. Labelled wall-mounted files like the ones shown here are a good option for home offices. If you have a craft space, consider a cabinet filled with clearly labelled containers.
Rooms that have double functions, such as a dining room-home office, can be the trickiest to keep tidy. Easy, obvious and specific storage is the key to making a space like this work well. Ideally, it should be so simple and clear that anyone (not just the person who set up the system) can quickly put things away. Labelled wall-mounted files like the ones shown here are a good option for home offices. If you have a craft space, consider a cabinet filled with clearly labelled containers.
Try a tilted desk
Can’t seem to keep the paper piles off your desk? It may be verging on the absurd (and it won’t work for a computer), but a desk that tilts, like the drafting table shown here, can quickly break the clutter habit. Of course, if you want to keep the piles from simply migrating over to the next available flat surface, you’ll need to pair a tilted desk with a paper organising system that’s easy to maintain. Try labelled stacking trays or a set of shallow drawers similar to the type artists use to store paper and finished works.
Can’t seem to keep the paper piles off your desk? It may be verging on the absurd (and it won’t work for a computer), but a desk that tilts, like the drafting table shown here, can quickly break the clutter habit. Of course, if you want to keep the piles from simply migrating over to the next available flat surface, you’ll need to pair a tilted desk with a paper organising system that’s easy to maintain. Try labelled stacking trays or a set of shallow drawers similar to the type artists use to store paper and finished works.
Designate a bin for ‘worn once’ clothes
Flat surfaces in the bedroom (the bed, floor, dressing table and chair) tend to become receptacles for clothes you’ve worn once but plan to wear again before laundering. (Jumpers often fall into this category.) So, rather than dump these items onto the nearest surface, give them a home.
An open-top basket or bin is a good solution because tossing the item there is just as easy as tossing it on a chair. If you have a wardrobe system, clear out one basket or drawer to use for this purpose; otherwise, a second laundry basket can become a repository for these items.
Flat surfaces in the bedroom (the bed, floor, dressing table and chair) tend to become receptacles for clothes you’ve worn once but plan to wear again before laundering. (Jumpers often fall into this category.) So, rather than dump these items onto the nearest surface, give them a home.
An open-top basket or bin is a good solution because tossing the item there is just as easy as tossing it on a chair. If you have a wardrobe system, clear out one basket or drawer to use for this purpose; otherwise, a second laundry basket can become a repository for these items.
Downsize your bedside table
Do you prize your sleep? If so, it’s in your best interest to create as restful an environment as possible around your bed – and a cluttered bedside table will not help. Instead of attempting to make room for every possible item you might want near your bed, consider using a small table that has space for only the truly essential. If you love to read in bed, choose one book. If you like to write in your diary, place it and a nice pen there. Perhaps add a glass of water and a candle – and that’s it.
Do you prize your sleep? If so, it’s in your best interest to create as restful an environment as possible around your bed – and a cluttered bedside table will not help. Instead of attempting to make room for every possible item you might want near your bed, consider using a small table that has space for only the truly essential. If you love to read in bed, choose one book. If you like to write in your diary, place it and a nice pen there. Perhaps add a glass of water and a candle – and that’s it.
Avoid clutter catch-alls
A tray or basket on the coffee table or worktop to hold clutter might seem like a smart idea – until it’s full and overflowing onto the surface around it. Remember that clutter attracts more clutter, so when a group of random little items (hair ties, loose change, buttons, pens) ends up in one spot, you’re far more likely to add other (larger) random items, such as a stack of post, to it.
A better way to approach this is to create a spot for each type of item – for instance, a jar for coins, a mug for pens, a hook for keys, a tray for post and a drawer organiser with little slots for small items like hair ties and stamps. It then becomes easy and satisfying to drop things into their individual containers.
A tray or basket on the coffee table or worktop to hold clutter might seem like a smart idea – until it’s full and overflowing onto the surface around it. Remember that clutter attracts more clutter, so when a group of random little items (hair ties, loose change, buttons, pens) ends up in one spot, you’re far more likely to add other (larger) random items, such as a stack of post, to it.
A better way to approach this is to create a spot for each type of item – for instance, a jar for coins, a mug for pens, a hook for keys, a tray for post and a drawer organiser with little slots for small items like hair ties and stamps. It then becomes easy and satisfying to drop things into their individual containers.
Create a no-clutter zone, one surface at a time
It’s apparently a law of nature that clutter attracts clutter. So while it might seem like no big deal to set that one bill/hairbrush/shopping bag on the table, the problem is that one item will now act like a great big magnet, tempting you (and others) to dump more stuff there.
Creating a no-clutter zone isn’t easy, but it can be highly effective. Clear everything from one surface (for example, the coffee table) and focus on vigilantly protecting it from becoming another clutter problem area. It’s easier to have one goal than many, so stick to clearing one surface at a time until you feel it’s second nature. I find it helps to visualise the table physically repelling clutter, like a giant trampoline that clutter simply bounces off when you try to set it down. A little silly, yes, but it works!
It’s apparently a law of nature that clutter attracts clutter. So while it might seem like no big deal to set that one bill/hairbrush/shopping bag on the table, the problem is that one item will now act like a great big magnet, tempting you (and others) to dump more stuff there.
Creating a no-clutter zone isn’t easy, but it can be highly effective. Clear everything from one surface (for example, the coffee table) and focus on vigilantly protecting it from becoming another clutter problem area. It’s easier to have one goal than many, so stick to clearing one surface at a time until you feel it’s second nature. I find it helps to visualise the table physically repelling clutter, like a giant trampoline that clutter simply bounces off when you try to set it down. A little silly, yes, but it works!
TELL US…
Which surfaces in your house tend to become clutter zones? Share your strategies for dealing with the mess in the Comments below.
Which surfaces in your house tend to become clutter zones? Share your strategies for dealing with the mess in the Comments below.
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I want to set my bedroom up with peg rails like the Amish to hang once worn clothing. I would also love to do a wall of built in storage like the shakers had with drawers and hanging space too. I am not a fan of decorative clutter so no trays of stuff for me, or glass jars full of anything. I don’t need to add any more dusting and cleaning chores.
We laughed when reading #4. The author clearly does not share a home with cats! For #7, I don’t agree. If you intend to wear something a second time, hang it up (I use behind-door hooks for hangers or hanging the clothes directly on the hooks). If you put it in a bin in order to wear it again, it will become wrinkled. And #8 is not practical. If you are diabetic or have other nighttime meds, if you monitor blood glucose 24x7, if you need to have juice box always nearby, if you use a CPAP, etc - there are a lot of practical things that it is convenient or necessary to put bedside.