3 Tips for Decluttering Problem Areas (and Keeping Them Clean)

It’s no secret that having clean counters and tabletops can feel like a breath of fresh air—but sometimes keeping those high-traffic areas clutter-free can be a daunting task. Whether it’s a desk, kitchen counter, or dining room table that becomes a magnet for clutter, let’s go over three tips for decluttering your home’s problem areas (and the secret to keeping them clean).

Declutter One Area at a Time

Whether you have time to tackle multiple problem areas on the same day or can only spare 15 minutes for cleaning, one of the best ways to declutter your home is to work on one area at a time. Focusing on one area can reduce overwhelm and make the task feel much more manageable.

Toss, Sort, and Put Away

One of the worst culprits for creating clutter on counters and tabletops are stacks of paper, whether it’s mail, receipts or coupons, or sentimental items. Many professional organizers recommend going through paper clutter first!

Toss, shred, or recycle anything that you don’t need anymore, such as expired coupons, junk mail, or bills that have been paid. The rest can be sorted into an organizational system that you can use to keep paper clutter off of the tabletops: action items (bills or work-related papers), short-term items (event information or coupons you’ll use), long-term items (legal documents or tax-related items that should be filed), and keepsakes (photos, personal letters, or drawings).

Once the paper clutter is sorted, it’s time to put away anything else that doesn’t belong in the space. This might include hanging up purses or backpacks, putting away toys, or clearing abandoned dishes.

Designate a Specific Place for Everything

As you are putting stuff away in their rightful places, take the first step towards preventing future clutter by designating a place for repeat clutter items. One reason items get dumped onto the table or counter is because they’re too difficult to put away or don’t have a “home” in the house. For example, you could designate a specific hook for each family member’s keys or bag next to the front door. You could also establish organized spaces for things like pens, charging cords, pocket change, and other things that get left behind in a clutter spot.

How to Keep the Clutter at Bay

If you want to keep the problem areas of your house clutter-free, there are two main things you need to accomplish.

Recognize the Habits that Cause Clutter to Accumulate

The first step is to recognize and address the habits that cause clutter to accumulate in your home’s problem areas in the first place. This step is crucial for preventing clutter before it has the chance to gather. For example, if you or one of your family members tend to place the mail or keys on the counter every day after getting home, try to start putting those things in their rightful spot right away! Keep an eye out for circumstances that may lead to clutter build-up, and be intentional about breaking those habits in order to get ahead of clutter.

Create a Regular Decluttering Routine

The second step is to incorporate regular decluttering into your and your family’s daily routine. By spending just 5-10 minutes clearing the day’s clutter after dinner or before bed, you can keep the problem areas manageable and lower the chance of clutter accumulating.

We hope these decluttering tips can help you start tackling any clutter problem areas in your home. If you want advice on getting started or need help kickstarting your clutter organization system, contact a professional organizer in your area today!