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20 Worst Clutter Traps in Your Home

20 worst clutter traps in your home. Maintaining a home that's free of clutter is hard work. I spend at least five minutes a day (either morning or night, depending on how tired I am) clearing up any visible mess. It doesn’t seem like a lot, but five minutes add up if I’m putting this clean-up method to practice every day. It makes cleaning less intimidating, too. Clutter doesn’t pile up as quickly in my home, and I feel like I’ve done something productive. Even with my five-minute practice, I still have clutter traps all over the house. It’s easy to fall behind in cleaning if the day has been hectic. However, there are ways to prevent messy mishaps with a little planning.

Consider where the clutter originates from and figure out a way to solve it. Start the decluttering process before going out to buy storage supplies. Figuring out what’s truly needed to keep everything organized will be beneficial in the long run. For people hoarding unnecessary or multiples of an item, it can become overwhelming finding ample space to store everything. Ask yourself if it’s essential to your day-to-day life. If not, someone else could benefit more than it collecting dust.

Remember that decluttering is an ongoing process; it’ll take time to sort out what’s taken years to collect. Having a perfectly clutter-free home won’t happen overnight. But by identifying these top clutter traps, we can be aware of these mess magnets and tackle each spot to achieve a tidy home.

The Entryway

The Entryway

Our first instinct when getting home is to kick off our shoes and relax. The entryway is a prime spot for clutter as we enter our homes.

Invest in a storage unit for shoes and hooks to hang jackets.

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The Mail Spot

The Mail Spot

Getting the mail isn’t exactly exciting, so we often brush aside bills, letters, and newspapers until it becomes a giant paper pile. 

 

I make the habit of sorting important papers into our mail sorter and throwing junk mail right away.

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The Coffee Table

The Coffee Table

I like to curl up with a good book or magazine in the living room, but I have a bad habit of leaving my reading material on the coffee table.

A quick trick to clean up that clutter is to keep a basket on top or under the table to give it a home.

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The TV Console

The TV Console

The TV console is a hub of all sorts of entertainment from games to DVDs. There are likely many wires coming out of the cable box and DVD player.

Easily fix up that bird’s nest of wires by hiding the cables behind the console with Velcro strips.

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The Kitchen Counter

The Kitchen Counter

The kitchen counter is another place where clutter may lurk in our homes. Identify where countertop clutter originates from--is it from the pots and pans or spice bottles?

Address it by looking for alternative organization methods like a spice rack or shelf.

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The Kitchen Cabinets

The Kitchen Cabinets

Some of the major mess culprits are Tupperware, canned goods, trash bags, linen, and cleaning supplies.

A way to declutter cabinets is adding pop-up shelves, Lazy Susans, or pull boxes for these items.

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The Fridge and Freezer

The Fridge and Freezer

Unless we’re constantly chucking out expired food, chances are that there’s a jar of nasty pickles in the fridge. 

 

Set reminders to clear out the refrigerator and freezer periodically to make room. Also, don’t forget to dust the bunnies off the top of the fridge.

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The Pantry

The Pantry

Can you have too many snacks in the pantry? I think not but remember to check and make sure the food isn’t expired. 

 

Clear containers with labeling systems (with written expiration dates) are an efficient way to see everything in the pantry.

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That Junk Drawer

That Junk Drawer

You know the one. I’m guilty of piling items that don’t have a home into my junk drawer. 

 

Take some time and sort these items by their function in drawer dividers.

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The Workspace

The Workspace

The best method to clear out dedicated workspaces is to figure out which items get the most mileage. For example, my printer is my best friend and lives on top of my desk, and the printer paper is always in the drawer beneath it. 

 

I hardly ever use stamps, washi tape, or crayons, so those materials are tucked away in a bottom drawer.

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The Nightstand

The Nightstand

The nightstand is a prime spot for me, especially. Sometimes, I forget to take off jewelry before bed, so I place them on my nightstand. 

 

A way to combat the clutter is to have a jewelry dish there as a reminder to put those rings away.

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Under the Bed

Under the Bed

One of the most utilized spaces (and least cleaned clutter traps) may likely be under the bed. 

 

To maximize that space, invest in storage bags and garment boxes to keep out-of-season items still in reach but out of sight.

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That Bedroom Chair

That Bedroom Chair

That trusty chair in the bedroom invites us to throw unworn (and maybe even dirty) clothing on top of it. 

Resist the urge and remove that chair to prevent any future clutter. Taking an extra three minutes to put away a blouse makes a huge difference.

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The Closet

The Closet

It’s good to go through the closet and really figure out what items have overstayed their welcome. If an article of clothing is uncomfortable, toss it in a donation bin. If it still fits, keep it.

 

Storage bins, boxes, and crates are perfect for sorting smaller garments like underwear, bras, or socks.

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The Guest Room

The Guest Room

The guest room usually has two purposes: for guests to stay in or to keep random items that don’t have a place. 

Keep the guest room organized to prevent from scrambling to clean it up when guests arrive.

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The Garage

The Garage

A random assortment of clutter can live in a garage. If it hasn’t been touched in a while or won’t be needed, get rid of it. 

 

Store highly used items in visible places like wire shelving, clear bins, or shelves to avoid searching through every nook and cranny for a specific thing.

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The Kid’s Room

The Kid’s Room

It’s almost impossible to keep a kid’s room clean, but there are ways to do it. Having storage units at a child’s eye level helps them see where they are supposed to put their toys. 

 

Also, incorporating tidy time into a daily routine as a game or song will encourage them to clean along. Simplify storage for kid’s clothes and donate whatever doesn’t fit anymore.

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The Bathroom Counter

The Bathroom Counter

Bathroom countertops are usually full of products.

 

As more products are added to the collection, keep the counter clear with makeup organizers, drawer dividers, and shelving units.

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The Medicine Cabinet

The Medicine Cabinet

There might be expired medicine sitting in the medicine cabinet if it hasn’t been cleaned out lately.

Be sure to check the expirations dates and replace any essentials.

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The Cabinet Under the Sink

The Cabinet Under the Sink

Whether it’s the kitchen or bathroom sink, clutter accumulates here easily because it’s out of sight. They’re usually tiny, too. 

 

Effortless ways to organize underneath the sink is to include a storage rack, caddies, or baskets that hang on the cabinet door.

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