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My husband Dave, bless his heart, has a talent for creating clutter. While he would insist that the little piles of his stuff around the house are not clutter, the dictionary defines clutter as “a collection of things lying about in an untidy mass,” so you tell me! ;-)
But I’ve recently instituted a new organization system around the house for keeping his clutter (excuse me, his “piles”) under control. And this system has turned out to be so simple and effective that I want to share it with all of you in today’s post!
As it turns out, the secret to controlling clutter isn’t eliminating it outright—it’s about finding the right place for it!
Related: Tired Of Clutter? Focus On These 7 Areas To Make A Huge Difference
The Simple Secret To Controlling Clutter: “Dump Zones”
Setting up strategically located “dump zones” around your home is an easy way to help keep clutter under control. But what is a dump zone, exactly?
A dump zone is simply a place you can store those miscellaneous items (i.e. clutter) to keep them out of the way. If that sounds like your “junk drawer” at home, that’s because a junk drawer is a type of dump zone!
But even if you do already have a junk drawer, I highly recommend setting up at least a couple of other dump zones around the house. Having several different zones helps prevent any one of them from getting too cluttered.
How To Set Up Your Own Dump Zones
Step 1 – Choose An Area
You can set up as many dump zones as you want, but aim to have at least one in each of the clutter hot spots in your home. For example, if your living room seems to be magnet for clutter, you’ll definitely want to set up a dump zone there.
Other ideal spots for a dump zone might include your entryway, bathrooms, kitchen, bedroom, and home office.
Step 2 – Choose A Container
After you’ve decided where you’re going to set up a dump zone, you’ll need to decide what it will look like. An empty drawer is an obvious candidate, but they’re hard to come by in most houses!
More often than not, a simple container is all you need! Pick a decorative box, basket, or tray to use as your dump zone container, then choose the a convenient spot for it within the room. (Convenience is key here, or you run the risk that no one will actually use it!)
Step 3 – Use It!
Now that your dump zone is up and running, all that’s left to do is use it! The dump zone in your living room could house toys, throw blankets, or magazines, while the dump zone in your bathroom might hold bobby pins, products, and jewelry.
Having dump zones in clutter-prone rooms makes tidying up quick and easy. Just pick up anything that’s lying around and put it in the dump zone!
Just make sure to go through your dump zones every once in a while and get rid of whatever you don’t need. This system is meant to control clutter after all, not create more of it! :-)
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Do you have any dump zones around your house?
