I have always struggled with clutter and housekeeping in general. Until I heard those wise words from the FlyLady: “You can’t clean clutter!” So it begins with getting rid of the clutter. It continues with keeping the clutter out. And the peace comes when cleaning is a breeze because you don’t have to move crap around every time you need to sweep or vacuum.

I read an article in Woman’s Day recently that really summed up what I feel are all the important keys to conquering clutter and achieving a home which is not a pain in the arse to keep clean. Keep in mind when I say clean I don’t necessarily mean you can eat off the floor. Unless you’re a 2 year old in which case I say go for it.

The article is HERE if you would like to read it in its entirety, but I have highlighted my favorite parts below:

Regarding keeping clutter out:

1. Don’t fall for freebies. Just because it’s free doesn’t mean you should bring it home. Just say no.
2. Encourage time, not gifts. We’re all adults here, by now we don’t need more stuff. If someone wants to buy you something, try suggesting they take you out for coffee or putt-putt golf instead.
3. Get real with your time. I have been tempted to take up many hobbies. Scrapbooking, quilting, stamping, etc. But I do not have the time for more hobbies, and I certainly don’t have the space.
4. Shop smart. This is really important, and gets easier with practice. Don’t bring anything to the check out lane until you have thought about where you are going to keep it and how often you will really use it.

Regarding ditching the clutter you already have:

1. Cure “just for now” syndrome. A lot of times we find ourselves setting something down where it doesn’t belong, and subconsciously we are thinking it’s “just for now”. Try to realize when you’re doing that and take the extra few seconds to put it where it belongs.
2. Make kids accountable. This is huge. You can start putting kids to work at such a young age. Luke is 2 and we started involving him in throwing things away and picking up his toys at least 6 months ago. He may not do it perfectly in the way we would, but he gets the idea. It’s becoming a habit for him already. Now if he sees a piece of trash or something out of place, he takes notice and does something about it. I love it!
3. Have an exit plan. I like to keep a box or bags in the trunk of my car so that when I come across clothing or other things I want to get rid of, I take them right outside. I don’t have to make a separate trip to drop it off at the Goodwill, I just wait until the next time I happen to be in the area.

The article offered some other great suggestions regarding that countertop paper clutter:

1. Create your own accordion file to store in a drawer and keep miscellaneous things in it such as sale ads or recipe clippings. It would be for stuff that doesn’t necessarily have a permanent home but that you want to have access to in the near future.
2. Recycle the news as soon as it’s read.
3. Go through the mail the minute you bring it in (I would also suggest having a trash bin near the front door to immediately toss junk mail and envelopes).
4. Post kids’ artwork on the fridge for no longer than 1 week.
5. Display birthday cards for a maximum of 2 weeks (I prefer more like 3 days unless it’s a really funny card ).

That’s it! Those are my favorite tips for keeping a clutter free and easy to clean home! Many of these tips are habits I have already developed but many are habits I am still trying to solidify. All of them I believe are useful. Having a clutter free home (even if it’s just a room or two to start) is so rewarding. I can’t tell you how much peace I have at the end of the night to look around my home and see clear surfaces and wide open space. I can say with confidence that I will never ever go back to my cluttery ways again. I am on this track for good!