Making the effort to start and end your day clutter-free might seem daunting, but it’s better than leaving your spaces unraveled. The more you consistently organize, you will start to see what the common issues are. Perhaps it’s that you don’t have a shoe rack in the entryway so your shoes end up all over the floor. Once you know your pain points you can start to find solutions. Don’t know where to start each day? Check out these spaces below. 

1.     Mail: Go through your mail every day. This doesn’t mean you need to act on every single action item, but purge the clutter from the get-go so you don’t start a pile of mail that eventually takes longer to go through. Once you’re left with things to keep, sort your mail by person or whatever the next step is ie: to file, action, bills. 

2.     Kitchen counter: Any countertop can be an eyesore, but don’t let the kitchen be one of them! Put away the infrequently used tools and appliances to give yourself more space and peace of mind whenever you’re heading in to prepare a meal.

3.     Bathroom counter: Similarly to the kitchen, your primary bathroom countertop can get cluttered super quickly depending on how many products you’re using. If you find that this is a constant issue for you, figure out if you need to install a medicine cabinet or drawer dividers to store your belongings. If you like having your daily used items on the counter in front of you, add an organizer like this one to the counter so things are accessible, but still put away neatly. 

4.     Desktop: at the end of every day make sure you leave your desk in an orderly fashion. This will allow you to start your day productively rather than spending the first 30 minutes getting it put back in order. If the common issue is not having a set place to put your things away, decide if you need a desktop organizer like this to store current files.

5.     Entryway: Regardless of if you have a full or makeshift mudroom, take a few extra minutes each day to put your things away properly. There’s nothing worse than being in a rush in the morning and not being able to find your second glove or hat.

6.     Make your bed: This isn’t technically a space to declutter, but you will always start your day on the right foot if you spend a few minutes making your bed in the morning. It will also give you a sense of peace walking into your room at the end of the day. 

7.     Dishwasher: Just like your kitchen countertop, load and unload your dishwasher regularly. It will take so much longer (and much more water) to wash all of your leftover dishes again rather than maintaining a clean sink at the end of each day. 

8.     Laundry: Rather than constantly pulling clean clothes directly from your laundry bin, put your clothing away! Getting rid of your laundry pile is one less pile to look at and will eliminate your clothing getting wrinkled. 

Your home should be a place of calm and having it decluttered and organized is one way to do that. The key to having less to organize is to have organizing systems in place and maintaining those spaces regularly. If you don’t have a set method on where something belongs or how to store it, it is easy for it to not be dealt with. If you’re feeling crunched on time, set a timer for 15 minutes in each space. Even if you don’t get it back in tiptop shape, anything is better than nothing!