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I recently walked around the house picking up random socks, dishes, and other odds and ends that have found temporary residence on the floor or tables and I noticed a trend in my home: there are certain spots within my house that always seem to accumulate clutter. Let’s call these spots clutter “hot spots.” They are a breeding ground for clutter, and if you do not act quickly to remedy the situation, they flare up and become out of control. OK, that may be a slight exaggeration, but I’m sure you have a few spots in mind of areas in your home that fit this description. 
Over the past two weeks I’ve been trying to find a “cure” for these “hot spots,” and I have just had a breakthrough on how to prevent these “hot spots” from reoccurring! Are you on the edge of your seat yet? The “cure” is quite simple, and I’ve broken it down into an easy to remember solution.
The ABC’s of stopping clutter “hot spots”…
A: Arrange. If an area of your home seems to collect clutter it may be time to adjust the space. Arrange the area so placing the clutter in that space becomes inconvenient or create a more convenient option in that same space. For example…
- Making it inconvenient: Every day you walk in and dump your mail on a small table by the front door. Move the table to the opposite side of the room, or place some form of decoration on the table.
- Creating a new option: If you always toss your clothing in the same place of your bedroom every day, place a laundry basket there instead.
B: Break the habit. Do you always kick your clothes off in the same place after work, or place odds and ends in a basket on the counter (to be forgotten)? By doing the same action every day we build a habit, and a clutter “hot spot” may be the result of that seemingly harmless habit. To break the clutter “hot spot” we must first break the habit.
- Set reminders: Place a sticky note that says “NO!” or re-arrange the space (see A).
- Be present: Often times we do these actions without thinking. Making sure you’re present in the moment can help you realize what you’re doing before you do it.
- Be patient: Breaking a habit takes time; don’t stress if you realize you’re still falling into the habit. Instead, acknowledge it, and make an effort to change it.
C: Create a new habit. Creating a new habit is another way to help break a bad one. Building new habits is one of the best ways to not only help break a bad habit or keep clutter from accumulating in a space, it could help you to be more organized. For example, you walk outside and grab the mail, but instead of placing your mail on the kitchen table with the intention of sorting it later, make it a point to go through it before it even hits the table. Junk mail? Recycle. Bills? File them. Personal letters? Read them, smile, then recycle. Other ways to create a new habit include…
- Assign it a space: There’s that saying “every item has its place,” and that is a saying you can take to heart and implement in your own home.
- Put it away: Done using an item? Put it away.
- Repeated action: Repeat the action every day to reinforce the behavior and make it a habit.
Do you have other tips or tricks on how you eliminated clutter “hot spots?” Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
Namaste,
Aly
For tips on how to begin your decluttering journey, you can Start Here, or snag a copy of the 30 Day Challenge (our Minimalism and Decluttering eBook).
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