Post by juliahenry on Jul 21, 2014 20:25:53 GMT -5
I'm really working to de-clutter and create places for everything. We use our side/ kitchen door for access, and there is no convenient closet. I'm constantly dumping my purse and keys on the island, and dh loses his keys and wallet somewhere in the house at least once a week. He also doesn't like that my purse is so visible from the door. And, I have a permanent small pile of things I'm working on(not work-related, but home/family stuff) scraps of important paper, etc etc.
What do you do with 1) purses, keys etc? And 2) current pieces of paper?
i keep thinking I need a small piece of furniture just for me to stash things in. But maybe I just need a better system (other than papers in the fruit bowl any ideas? What do you do? Thanks!
I try to keep papers to a minimum. I used to have a basket, but things just accumulated.
I have a folder in my daily bag for current stuff. Some more papers are by my nightstand. That way I can sometimes take care of things before bed and it's a space that I don't want piled up so that help keep it under control.
I have a small countertop in the kitchen next to the fridge that is just to your left when you come in from the garage. I use that as a dropping station. The cupboard above it stores papers and sunscreen or other items we need on the way out the door. We also have hooks on the wall where you come in from the garage for coats and backpacks.
iPad and phones live there. DH's wallet, our keys, and other small odds and ends (including the checkbook and stamps for paying bills) go in the drawer section. On the top surface I have the cordless phone and a pen/pencil cup. As far as papers, I try to deal with them as they come in and then either shred or file.
I usually just set my purse next to it on the counter.
I our old house I had this little table. Shoes in a boot try on the floor, the low shelf was for purses, a drawer for each of us, and then a tray for keys
We are so bad about clutter unless we have a dedicated spot, but we just haven't figured it all out here yet.
At our old house I had a decorative lidded box for keys on a shelf near the front door. DH would walk in and drop stuff off there on his way in.
I had a pretty little record cabinet there that was empty, so I could shove my purse in and DH could toss in his bag of stuff from work. It worked well because it was convenient, but in this house, not so much. The cabinet is currently being used as a bar cabinet, so no room for our bags.
Post by laterbloomer on Jul 22, 2014 15:02:42 GMT -5
We each have our own hook for keys, purses go to our rooms. Mail goes on the kitchen table to be sorted into bills and junk. Junk gets tossed immediately. Bills get paid or moved to dresser in bedroom. I have a box of old bills I need to go through and toss right now, but it is out of the way.
Post by simpsongal on Jul 22, 2014 15:08:14 GMT -5
I have one of those letter holders from TJMaxx that sits on the phone/bill area of the counter. I try to go through it weekly and only keep very pressing/pertinent papers there.
Next to the garage entry (where we enter) I installed two coat racks that I made out of oak thresholds (I screwed pretty hooks). I put up two rows - the high one gets long coats in winter and the low is good for stuff (e.g., purses) and small coats. I'm going to hang one more coat rack on the other side of the door for kid stuff (anticipatory....he's ~6 months now)
There's a table in the foyer where DH keeps his keys and stuff.
I can take a picture of ours but we have essentially have a metal spaceship design that has 3 key hooks and a small shelf on top where DH puts his wallet. It's hard to explain but it's worked wonders. All papers/mail etc goes in a basket in the office and the minute we get the mail we throw the junk out so it doesn't even make it in the house.