How do you corral mess on the stairs?

[vanillacourage]

There is always a ton of crap on our stairs just waiting to be taken up to one of three bedrooms, plus it's right near the "staging area" for the diaper bag so this one area of my house is always a disaster. Anyone have this and created a more organized way? I thought about getting a large flat-sided basket and hanging it from hooks on the wall - one meant for a bike seems like it would work:

store.biketouringnews.com/productimage.php?product_id=323

Also, if your solution is to carry things up each and every time, you're adorable and can click out of the post.

[bunnymendelbaum]

I like the basket idea. You are thinking of hanging it adjacent to not on the stair wall though right?

Clutter on the stairs was always an issue growing up.

Now, our steps are wood and we have a 2 year old so we keep the actual stair area clean and I set things to go up on a table near the bottom.

[vanillacourage]

I was thinking of a slimmer-profile version of this, on a wall adjacent to the stairs.

[stephm0188]

I have two plastic totes. One stays upstairs, one is downstairs. Anything upstairs that needs to go downstairs is tossed in the upstairs tote, anything downstairs that needs to go up is tossed in the tote downstairs. I try to empty them at least once a week.

[TBM]

I've always thought that the stepped baskets meant to sit on the stairs were a good idea. I just never got around to getting any so we always have stuff sitting waiting to be taken up or down.

[vanillacourage]

Jan 13, 2013 18:50:55 GMT -5 FormerlyRR said:

Click.

Lol, I have just come to know myself in my old age. Best of intentions, but it just won't happen. Oh well.

[jena]

Stair basket.

Mine is klassy like this one:
www.amazon.com/Woven-Wicker-Stair-Basket-Handle/dp/B002N2GG7E because MIL found it for me at a thrift store. But nicer looking ones can be found.

[Deleted]

I had a stair basket and it sucked. I'm glad I bought it at Goodwill. I felt like people were always tripping over it..and Rubes kept wanting to dig it. It's how she actually fell down the stairs one day when I turned away for a second. It's also never stayed on the step very level. Looked like hell. It also became a catchall for crap that never moved from the basket/didn't know what else to do with..lol.

Right now I just set it all on the step and while I don't take stuff every trip up and down I will throw it an emtpy laundry basket headed that way or clear it all at the end of the day.

Steps are just one of those PITA spots I swear. I also have doubles of things like bathroom soap and cleaning supplies for each floor so that stuff isn't getting hauled up and down constantly either.

[SusanBAnthony]

We had a stair basket. It just collected crap. Fail.

I vote organize the diaper bag area however you need to but stop dumping other stuff. Just carry it up or down right away and put it away.

[prazenjc]

my dh is actually good about taking things up stairs each time he goes (down, too). so, i do just stack it there and if i can (have my hands free of assisting the toddler with whatever they feel they must take either way), then i take some, too. i've thought about the stair basket, but am glad i didn't do it.

[pitterwoo]

That's a cute basket. It might be a catchall unless you specifically have a plan for who's taking care of it every day. I set things on the console that's near the stairs and take things with me every time. If I want H to take something I have to set it smack in the middle of a stair step.

[Deleted]

Growing up we always had stuff on the stairs...until our neighbor, who did the same, tripped, fell, broke his neck and died. I cannot keep anything on the stairs anymore. I have a flexible tub from Target with handles. I load everything into a tub and carry it up once a day or so.

[housegeek]

What does click mean?

[pitterwoo]

Jan 13, 2013 22:03:38 GMT -5 housegeek said:

What does click mean?

people clicking out of the post because of this:

Jan 13, 2013 18:15:35 GMT -5 vanillacourage said:

Also, if your solution is to carry things up each and every time, you're adorable and can click out of the post.

also rehabaddict that is a truly horrifying story!

[jena]

Jan 13, 2013 21:05:08 GMT -5 @callmefia said:

Jan 13, 2013 19:21:11 GMT -5 @justdairy said:

I had a stair basket and it sucked. I'm glad I bought it at Goodwill. I felt like people were always tripping over it..and Rubes kept wanting to dig it. It's how she actually fell down the stairs one day when I turned away for a second. It's also never stayed on the step very level. Looked like hell. It also became a catchall for crap that never moved from the basket/didn't know what else to do with..lol.

Right now I just set it all on the step and while I don't take stuff every trip up and down I will throw it an emtpy laundry basket headed that way or clear it all at the end of the day.

Steps are just one of those PITA spots I swear. I also have doubles of things like bathroom soap and cleaning supplies for each floor so that stuff isn't getting hauled up and down constantly either.

This is just so spot on for me. If I had baskets, I would let them be a catch all for junk. And I definitely don't take something every time, but I try. And if there is still something there after a day, I make an attempt. Taking 5 at the end of the day is probably a good practice.

The trick is to make the basket part of your routine. Basket goes up at bedtime and we can handle it while getting them ready for bed. It comes down with their clothes for tomorrow.

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[housegeek]

Oh haha. Gotcha. I don't know how I missed that.

[candreco]

If stuff goes into a basket, it's too easy to ignore. We don't grab stuff every time we go up or down if it's there, but keeping it where we can see it makes us much more likely to grab it.

[jena]

No, but I can carry the basket one handed while carrying an infant, the stuffed animal of the evening, and prodding another kid or two up the stairs. I can't carry an harmful of loose objects, so they would have to stay downstairs.

Also, clutter contained in a basket is less likely to be a tripping hazard and looks less scrappy during the day.

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