Clutter We Forget to See
One of the hardest things about living in a small house is the clutter that can creep up on us. It doesn’t take much for our house to feel like it’s exploded by the end of the day. And those of you with larger homes can confess – it isn’t just a problem in small spaces. Clutter has this wonderful ability to sneak into wherever we are.
When our houses gets cluttered with half-done projects and things we were too rushed to put away, it’s easy to get really frustrated about all the stuff. Have you ever noticed that? Do you have less patience and act crankier when your house isn’t put together? One of the biggest obstacles to happiness at home is often clutter.
The worst part is when our houses get cluttered… we get cranky… and we don’t even realize it’s the mess making us feel so miserable.
So this week, try pausing a few times to look at the spaces in your home. With the approach of holidays, holiday decorating, and last minute guests (!), observe the state of your bookshelves, baskets, and the little corners in a few rooms of your house.
You don’t have to attack the entire house. Just look around the room where you spend the most time or where your holiday guests will spend the most time.
How can we all pull together to simplify now before our days fill with chaos and holiday activities? I’d love for us to pool together some ideas on decluttering.
(Image from my simple work space where we lived in the country this summer.)
Keep it green and simple with 2 more ideas:
November 16th, 2009 at 9:23 am
My oh my you are right!! I hate it when B and I then start snapping at each other just because we are frustrated because of the mess!! I think I’ll try that this week – just one thing at a time!! Thanks!!
November 16th, 2009 at 9:29 am
We just had a houseguest so I spent the past few weeks cleaning, straightening, organizing, etc. I love walking into our bedroom now that I got all the clutter out! I need to continue attacking the house to clear it out and make it nice and pretty. :)
November 16th, 2009 at 9:52 am
Excellent reminder for myself today!! Thanks for sharing!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 10:42 am
What an awesome post!! My husband & I both get cranky with mess or clutter, thankfully he helps clean when I need it, & just this past weekend I started decluttering my bookshelf.
November 16th, 2009 at 10:50 am
With Christmas approaching, I have many sewing projects in various states of completion. This will not help you, Katie, but the sooner I can complete, package and put them in my car for delivery, the better I feel. Or for smaller items, I have a basket in the garage that corrals everything that needs to go with me on errands and (on the return trip) go into the house. Somehow containing items helps that chaotic feel.
November 16th, 2009 at 11:35 am
I’m going to tackle my junk mail corner TONIGHT! Thanks for this post!!!
November 16th, 2009 at 12:34 pm
I’ve learned (am learning) that by the end of the night I’m not in the mood to put away dishes, clean counters, fold blankets and sort mail – all litter from the evening when my husband comes home and does his thing. But if I don’t leave it until the morning, I find that I have so much more energy the next day without the previous day’s work hanging over me.
November 16th, 2009 at 6:03 pm
SO TRUE! Due to a car crashing into our house, we had limited space when our babies were newborns, a time when there is so much extra junk anyway. At one point, our two babies were sleeping in the same room as our dining room table and bookshelves full of pantry food. Everything was covered with food, paperwork, diapers, a basket of tupperware, random casserole dishes, laundry, etc… We had to make a conscious effort not to get angry and start throwing stuff. The upside of this? When the house was finished and we went from 600 sq. ft to 1200, we felt like we were living in a mansion and now everything has a place to be put away.
November 17th, 2009 at 5:33 am
If you have kids, now is a good time to “de-clutter” and thin out the toy collection, especially if they have generous aunts and uncles who like to give them new toys at Christmas.
Thanks for the reminder!
November 17th, 2009 at 8:24 am
Jennifer, that’s a super idea!
November 17th, 2009 at 10:43 pm
Yes, I agree. Clutters in home results in unhappiness. We can’t feel the peacefulness and serenity of home with clutters everywhere. Cleaning our mess could also clean emotional and psychological baggage.
November 18th, 2009 at 8:09 pm
I feel clutter and I can’t stand it. I think my family thinks I’m a bit crazy, but they sure notice the difference in the way we live vs. some of their friends.