How To Conquer Surface Clutter
If clutter has taken over your space and you’re craving a calm, simplified home, you’re in the right place. How to Conquer Surface Clutter is here to help you transform chaos into calm so you can relax in every room of your home.
Clutter can turn a room into a chaotic mess, and by eliminating some of the extra stuff, you can bring peace back to your home for good.
Decluttering is a key step in your guide to simple living, helping you create a peaceful, organized space where you can focus on what truly matters.
One of the biggest frustrations I hear from my fellow declutters is the never-ending piles covering every surface of their homes. I get it; even I have to sleep with one eye open when it comes to this type of clutter.
Surface clutter is a force of its own.
Empty counters are like a magnet calling for items to flock to its shiny surface. Sure, you may start the week out neat and tidy, but before you know it, you have piles of randomness all over your tables and counters.
If you are here to conquer surface clutter, then read on. I’ve got some life-changing tips for you to try.
Unfortunately, there is no magic wand to stop surface clutter, and that’s the bad news. The good news is getting rid of the clutter is actually quite easy, and bonus, there is more than one plan of attack for you to pick from. This means you can finally get rid of the mess once and for all using a system that works for you.
The older I get, the more I look for ways to make things easier especially when it comes to our home.
I want to create a space and life that is more simplified so we can get through our days with less fuss, stress, and chaos. That is why removing the extra stuff we don’t need is so important.
The Secret to a Less Messy Room
If you want to know the secret to keeping a room neater it’s this, whenever you are finished using something, put it away. All the way away.
The better you understand and apply this one tip, the easier it will be to keep your home tidy and organized.
Don’t set it down; put it away. Easy. Simple. Transforming.
How to conquer surface clutter
Tackle clutter by taking it one step at a time, focusing on one tip, and working your way through each area in your home without getting overwhelmed.
Take charge of your space with these simple Decluttering Tips for Beginners. They’re perfect for busy people who need a little guidance.
Tip #1 Set a Home For All Your things
Our grandmothers were definitely onto something when they said “A place for everything and everything in its place.” Have a home for your things so you know where they are when you need them. Then, make a point of always putting those same things away when you are done using them.
Ta-da! No more surface clutter. I know, probably not what you wanted to hear, but hear me out.
Clutter’s Little Secret
Most of the time, what feels like overwhelming clutter is just things waiting to be put back in their place.
- Trash that belongs in the trash can.
- Dishes that belong in the sink or dishwasher.
- Empty shopping bags that belong in the drawer.
- Papers or mail that belongs in the office.
- Blankets that belong in the bedroom.
- Clothes that belong in the laundry room.
- Toys that belong in the playroom.
I could go on and on.
If you have a home for your things and you make a goal of always putting them where they belong when you are done using them, the clutter will stop showing up on your counters. And just like that, you will have a neater space.
Final Word: When you are done using an item, no matter what it is, but it away where it belongs.
Tip #2 use baskets to help
The challenge with tip #1 is finding the time to put things away, especially when you’re just starting and are surrounded by so much surface clutter.
So, what do we do then? That is where this simple basket tip swoops in to save the day.
Use Baskets to Help With Clutter
I keep a basket in every room to manage clutter easily—anytime I spot something out of place but can’t put it away immediately, it goes in the basket until I can get to it later.
I call these Catch-All Baskets, and they will help transform your entire home.
The best thing about baskets is they are easy to use, simple to set up and look great in any room.
How it Works
- You set up a laundry basket in your family room near to the door.
- Later, you are in that room, and you see toys lying all over the coffee table. You gather them up and put them into the basket.
- Next you find a few leftover maganizes, a book your son was reading, and random socks on the floor.
- Everything you find goes into the basket.
- Once the basket is full, you walk your home, putting each item into the room where it belongs.
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To keep baskets from overflowing, set a time each day to go through your baskets. This will keep things from overflowing out onto the floor.
If anyone in your family is missing something, ask them where they used it last and tell them to check that room’s basket.
Read more ways to use baskets by reading all of my favorite decluttering tips.
Tip #3 Keep clutter, clutter.
Stick to the first two tips, and clutter should never include these four items: clothing, dishes, toys, or trash.
Take a quick look around—if you spot any of these, act now.
Toss dirty clothes into the laundry, dishes into the sink, toys into their box, and trash into the bin. It only takes a few minutes and can completely transform your room.
From here on in, those items should be put where they belong and nowhere else.
Trust me on this, it’s easier to spend seconds doing it along the way than spending hours at a time doing it after it builds up to an overwhelming amount.
Make this the next habit you instill and watch your surface clutter issue slowly disappear.
After all, you can clean it up and put it all away, but if you don’t change your habits, you will be right back where you started.
Tired of shuffling through piles of paper? Check out these 7 Daily Habits for a Clutter-Free Home and make your life easier.
Tip#4 The never-ending paper clutter.
Paper is a beast that can be a bit tricky to tame.
When you are constantly getting hit with more and more paper every single day, how on earth are you supposed to keep up with it?
Here is a new clutter-free habit to start using right away.
Avoid leaving papers on open surfaces—sort them right away and place what you’re keeping in a designated basket for later.
As soon as a single piece of paper comes into your home, you have 3 decisions to make.
- Toss it in the trash
- Deal with it immediately
- Leave it to deal with later
When you have a paper to handle later, do you leave it on the nearest surface, promising to deal with it soon?
The problem with that plan is it often gets buried, shuffled, or lost in the chaos.
Instead, why not have a designated spot for papers that need your attention—but not right away?
Set up a basket in a central spot to keep papers organized until you’re ready to sort through and deal with them.
This tip was given to me by one of my readers, and it is by far the best way to coral papers in one spot so they no longer get lost in the business of life.
How it Works:
- Each day as papers come into your home, do a quick sort tossing out anything you do not need.
- If you see a paper that needs more attention, put it into your “paper” basket.
- One day each week desgnated time to work through all the papers.
- Go through every piece of paper and either take care of it now or make notes of what needs to be done and make a plan to deal with it later in the week.
This is called a Sunday Planning Basket, and it was started by Lisa Woodruff. Since I began using this tip, I have removed 90% of my paper clutter and cleared off just about every surface in my home.
Get my full guide on Dealing With Paper Clutter for even more tips.
Step-by-Step Surface Clutter Plan
Step #1. Set up a home for where your things belong.
Step #2. When you are finished using an item, put it all the way away where it belongs.
Step #3. Use baskets in each room to hold your clutter until you can put it away later.
Step #4. Always take care of clothes, dishes, toys, and trash immediately.
Step #5. Use a large basket to eliminate all paper clutter, and never misplace an important piece of paper again.
When you have a plan for clutter, it really helps to see things in a different light.
The things you use the most must have a home, so they are no longer lost in a pile, and priority is given to what is important
The more you put things all the way away, the less you will have lying out, and just like that, your surface clutter will be a thing of the past.
Have a plan and stick to it so that before you know it, clutter is a thing of the past. Now, you can use this game plan to conquer your surface clutter for good.
A clutter-free home starts with a clutter-free desk. Learn how to Organize Paper Clutter in 6 Easy Steps today.
Simple Living Tips for a Clutter-Free Home:
- Printable Declutter Your Home Checklist PDF
- Get More Done Every Day Top Productivity Hacks
- Simple Living Ideas for Your Home
I don’t comment often on blog posts and find many of the same tips online but this was a really well written and unique post on dealing with clutter. I really loved the idea of having a basket in each room! I generally keep a prettttttty tidy house (as much as one can with two toddlers) but there is always that one (or two) piles in each room. Going to try this out and check out some more of your blog!
Hi, Amanda!!
I am so glad you enjoyed my post, yep…I am all about simple! If it’s not simple I won’t do it. Hey, kudos to you keeping a neat house with toddlers!
Thanks for stopping by!
Tracy Lynn
I love the Sunday Basket too! Mine doesn’t have a lid, though. Hmmm, I might need a new basket. 😉