Okay so this is not MY kitchen (although how great to have an island and those cupboards!!! Someday....
But I have a serious problem with clutter in my apartment and it needs to be remedied, so I need suggestions and assistance.
Problem areas:
1) Front Table: When we walk in the door we have our 'dining room' nook table right at the doorway. Its a big circular table we got from Kevin's grandparents that I cleaned and restored. When we both are home together we clear it off and eat dinner together there. I'm considering moving its location, but I don't want to eliminate our dinner location and move to TV-eating or something more 'distracted'.
Anyway so because its at the door, it gets everything, all the mail coming in, all the bills to be paid, our bags, our keys, our receipts to be logged, our lunch bags, sometimes our sweaters if we brought extra in case we'd be cold, it has become a dumping ground, and its kinda perfect for it but it creates a cluttered sore spot that makes me BONKERS (yes I appreciate this is not tough to do).
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2) Magazines!! So we have limited our subscriptions in an attempt to elminiate clutter that we cannot read fast enough. (Seriously how do people read like weekly magazines every week and get rid of them in time before the next one comes!). Some magazines are what we call 'trade' magazines,, for me Audiology Related journals and for him TV/Video stuff. They NEVER get read quickly because when we get home its not what we want to do, but we both like to keep them as like a library for reference. We have tons of space in coffee tables but they get filled fast and then they're like 'hidden clutter' that stresses me on a deeper level. So I need some suggestions, there are a LOT and I currently have all my 'trade' journals in a small bin (which is key for holding books or magazines cuz they get HEAVY!)
Once it gets filled it will go into our basement storage area, and eventually when we have our own house (or offices at work for a reference library) we can get those clear magazine organizers and organize by month/series etc. Not there yet, and in no rush cause there is no place for it to go yet.
Meanwhile... what do I do with all these magazines,, they are everywhere and they need a home that is NOT the coffeetable or filling up drawers!
Clutter #3 BillPay. We get bills in, and we pay them. We are good FICO kiddies.
We use one of these:
But it doesnt seem to hold paper statements so well until they get filed in our big filing cabinet, so then the 'we paid this file it' clutter just adds to the clutter. Or medical statements and bills,,, they need to be filed and paid but I don't want them on my front entrence or where I eat dinner either. So I need another way to get rid of these things quickly,, organize them so they're not sitting on the table and then pay/file them all together at the end of the week/month.
So what do you ya'll suggest!? How to you keep your paper-filled areas clean and succinctly efficient?
D
5 comments:
That's a lot of magnets. You should get a magnetic board and put them on all the board and hten hang the board on the wall like it's an art piece. This way you can keep your fridge looking neat and clean. Just a thought!
very cool ideas for organizing! I love the small bill filer. We usually get most of our bills online, and I write in on the calendar when they're due so we know. If its like once a year insurance on the lakehouse I usually take those and either pay it right away or tack it up to our peg board that we hang on the wall until its paid. When its paid, I file it away in the file under our desk. When I receive paper statements I file those right away in the filer. Maybe you could put a peg board up, but you might not like that clutter on the wall. My mom has this wooden box that she keeps on the wall that has slots for mail, maybe you could get like a wall box where you keep certain papers?
Hi Danielle!
Happy summer!
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Ron
http://inspiredbyron.blogspot.com/
Danielle, I know what you mean about clutter. Mail ends up on our dresser so it's not in the living room or kitchen. That makes it easier when company comes. I try to go through the mail once putting bills in one place and recyling/shredding in another. But I got way behind when we were gone for a week. Paper is definitely a problem!
By the way, glad you joined in the fun at Friendly Friday! And yes, that B & B we stayed at is so beautiful! Hope you're having a great weekend!
Well- as far as trade magazines go, I'd have a keep for a year policy. Because really- trade mags are keeping you up to date on whats current. You dont really need to know what was current three years ago, ya know? If there is the odd article you want to keep, cut it out and file it in a folder with your trade mags. But otherwise- pitch them!
PS. Do you remember how grandma used to have mag clippings and newspaper articles all over her fridge and in books and magazines kept for reference for YEARS?? You may have her genes on this:)
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