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10 Things Smart People Do Every Day to Have Less Clutter

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Clutter. We all have it, and I have discovered, the more people in your home the more quickly clutter multiplies. If there is one thing I have learned about clutter, it is that it cannot be put off or it multiplies! I know I can’t be the only one who has discovered this. There is clutter help. There are some things that smart people know when it comes to being able to control their clutter.

While dealing with clutter, especially paper clutter, is one of the most annoying things to me. It is also the thing that drives me bonkers the most if it is around. Perhaps this is why I have had to become very intentional in how I deal with it.


Before you go any further, be sure to grab our list of decluttering questions that will help you decide what to keep and what to get rid of. Just tell us where to send it!

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Dealing with clutter doesn’t have to be overwhelming. It’s just a matter of having some proven strategies makes all the difference.

Here are the things smart people do every day to keep their homes clutter free!

clutter help

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1. To control clutter, smart people have only one designated place for things

Things like bills, school papers, and coupon inserts only go in one place. If paper items are put in more than one place, they subject to getting lost in the abyss.

They are also able to grow to monumental proportions undetected for quite some time. Not that I know this from personal experience or anything.

Making clutter easy to ignore makes it too easy for clutter to become a huge problem.

2. To control clutter, smart people handle things only once

The mail is a perfect example of this. If I am the one to get the mail, which isn’t always the case. When I get the mail, I put it where it needs to go right away rather than setting it down for later. And, I do my best to teach my family to do this too.

Likewise, trash goes in the trash. Recycle goes in the recycle. Bills go in the bill paying slot. Things to schedule go in my notebook/appointment book and so on.

No matter how hard I try to train my husband, he opens the mail and puts it back in the envelope after he is done reading it for me to deal with later. Not only is he not putting it in the right place, but he is putting in back in the envelope. This leaves me to wrestle to get it out of the mangled envelope later.

I’m sure you can see how this isn’t effective. It causes clutter & takes more time.

Taking care of mail right away is such a good habit to get into.

When you empty a can of something for dinner, put it right into the recycle or trash rather than putting it on the counter.

Handling things once saves time and clutter.

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3. Smart people do a quick declutter at least two times a day

With a family of my size, people are adding clutter to my life on a continual basis. I have to stay on top of it. This doesn’t always mean me doing it. But, remaining vigilant in not letting things gather in hot spots like on the kitchen counter is key to controlling clutter.

For more on kitchen counter clutter, be sure to read this post HERE

4. Smart people revise their home systems whenever necessary

Rather than putting up with their annoying storage system for DVDs, for instance. Smart people will develop a new system until they find one that actually works.

If you know clutter is a problem in one area, figure out something different. It’s not going to get better on its own.

Maybe using the Marie Kondo Tidying Up method is right for you. Read this post HERE to find out.

5. Smart people store things where they use them to make controlling clutter easier

I keep a feather duster on each floor of my house. Bathroom cleaning supplies in the bathroom as opposed to under the kitchen sink like many do.

I keep trash bags in the trash container for easy replacing.

This also applies to keeping envelopes, stamps, and bill schedules in my office where I pay bills. I also have extra diaper caddy and changing pad next to my bed while I have babies sleeping in my room at night.

When deciding where to put things, always put them in the most logical place that will make it easier to get – and to put away.

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6. Smart people label what goes where to make things easier for everyone to put away

When things are labeled, family members have no excuse for not knowing where to put things. This also includes bins and baskets for kids’ toys. It is much easier for kids to know where to put things this way. If they are too young to read, take a picture and include that on the front of the bin.

This is the label maker I love right HERE

7. Smart people declutter an area from start to finish before worrying about a mess somewhere else

They remain focused on the task at hand without getting sidetracked with another project they may stumble upon.

For instance, if I discover a mess in my storage area when I am putting something there from the area I am decluttering, I do NOT stop to deal with the storage area.

There is another time for that.

That’s not to say that all things can get done in one time period. But, before moving on to a different area it is smart to finish the original task.

8. To have less clutter, smart people get rid of stuff – often

This was another project that I had to work really hard on. I used to make a project out of purging things and while there are still times that I do this, I also keep a keen eye out for things I need to purge as I come across them.

This is something Marie Kondo teaches, and I love her Tidying Up show for this.

You can read the summary of the show HERE and use all her tips. She is amazing!

9. Smart people keep lists to make home organization easy

They have lists of Christmas presents already purchased, lists of what needs to be fixed at any given time, and a list of what projects they want to get to.

They keep a list of various things because they also see the value in having a decluttered brain.

A cluttered brain almost always means you will have a cluttered home as well.

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10. Smart people take advantage of wasted space

These include places like under the bed, over the bathroom door, and inside closet doors and cupboards as I shared here,.

These are prime areas of space that can be used for storage purposes. Smart people use both their time and their space efficiently.

Dealing with clutter seems to be a part of life as much as breathing is sometimes. I honestly love dealing with clutter because it gives me such a huge sense of accomplishment.

If you struggle with clutter, these tips will change your life!

Looking for more clutter help? Try these:

The Cheat Sheet to Marie Kondo

Kitchen Counter Clutter

Toy Organization

Having a Neat & Organized Home – Even If It’s Small

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14 Comments

    1. I could say the same thing. Once it starts becoming a problem, it can get out of control quickly!

  1. Such great tips. I’ve been accused of “purging” a little too much sometimes, but I can’t stand clutter. Deal with it and be done.

  2. Thanks for this great list. I do well with most on the list except handling things only once. Mail, bills, and paperwork seem to have second and third chances at getting in my ‘to-do’ perview before they are actually taken care of. Thanks for helping me realize this. Going to get to work on it. 🙂

    1. ah yes. This is my weakness as well…you’re welcome. Guess we’ll both work on this one!

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