A great way to stop clutter is to catch it where it drops.
It is nearly Easter and an Easter egg hunt is something to look forward to. But try hunting for something you want when you cannot find it. This is not fun
It is stressful!!
Items usually get lost because they are not put away.
Putting something down to “put away later” is the major reason why items are not put away. This happens with keys, shoes, clothes, paperwork, homework, library books, used crockery and cutlery, toys and one item many agree is the hardest to find…PENS.
So, stop clutter and catch it where it drops with:
A Container
Catching it where it drops, in a container, works because it stops the spread of clutter. It will work at its best if you put away the contents of the container as it becomes full. We call this finishing the loop. Read Danny’s loop success story. However, catching it where it drops will not work, if you allow the container to overflow. It will just create more clutter.
A Rubbish bin.
Rubbish on the floor may not be stopping you from finding something yet a well-placed bin will catch the rubbish without any extra effort on your part.
I just love no extra effort!
If you accumulate rubbish in a particular spot; put a bin there. It is a lot easier to empty a bin than pickup rubbish off the floor and carry it to a bin.
This may mean you have a lot of small bins in strategic places of your home. You may put one near chairs and sofas, office or study desk, bed, kitchen and bathroom sink. A strategically placed bin will save you from cleaning up a mess.
Solutions for A Hand to Help’s three top “I can’t find” culprits.
Pens
How come pens are so hard to find when you need one? Solve this problem by having pen containers where you use the pens. These containers might be a recycled cut milk carton, glass tealight holder, mug or a loved jug that cannot hold liquids anymore. Catching pens where you use them will mean you will always have a pen on hand and loose pens will not be lying around.
Shoes
Shoes are often not put away and left where they are taken off. How often do we hear “I can’t find my shoes! Have you seen my shoes?”
If you have one spot where you take your shoes off, put a container there. It might be at the door you enter the house, by the sofa as you sit to enjoy some TV or by the bed. If your shoes are not going to be put away when you take them off, catch them in a container. You will then know where to find them.
Keys
Keys are often lost. They get dropped in the business of rushing through the door. Catch your keys on a hook, tray, bowl or small container by the door. Your catch container could sit on a bookshelf, table, stool or shelf by the door.
These are just three items you can stop clutter with. But whatever item you choose to catch where it drops is one step towards finding what you need, when you want it.
Happy organising!
