The twenty-seven most important rules for keeping your house in order.

Every Wednesday is Tip Day.
This Wednesday: The twenty-seven most important rules for keeping your house in order.

To keep your house from falling into cluttered chaos:
-- never buy “souvenirs.”
-- somewhere, keep an entirely empty shelf or drawer.
-- strive to keep surfaces bare. Put away kitchen appliances you don’t use every day; don’t cram stuff onto every ledge.
-- get rid of newspapers and magazines as soon as possible. Never keep a newspaper overnight, and never keep a magazine for more than two months—unless you find a positive joy in keeping an orderly collection.
-- have an exact place for everything.
-- know where to give things away: books, clothes, kitchenware, toys. It’s much easier to get rid of things if you can imagine who will benefit. Figure this out before you start a major clutter-clearing effort.
-- fight the piles that accumulate in the hallway, in corners, on bedside tables, on the dining room table.
-- use dimmer switches.
-- don’t buy things on impulse, particularly from bargain stores.
-- storing a thing means you don’t need to use it. So before you squirrel something away, ask yourself, “Do I really need to keep this?”
-- never accept anything for free, unless you’re thrilled with it. A mug, a tote bag, a hand-me-down toy, the lamp from your mother-in-law--if you don’t need it, don’t take it.
-- According to “broken windows theory,” signs of decay like broken windows or graffiti create an atmosphere that contributes to larger crime. Burnt-out light bulbs and empty toilet-paper holders are the broken windows of the home; don’t tolerate them.
-- have enough hangers in every closet.
-- make your bed every morning.
-- keep your keys in the same place each day.
-- every night before bed, do a tidy-up to put away everything that’s out of place.
-- if you have stacks of unopened CDs, unread books, unwatched videos of PBS series, or unopened spice jars, don’t let yourself buy any more until you’ve made a dent in what you already have.
-- don’t let yourself run out of necessities like envelopes, tape, toothpaste, stamps, Band-aids, batteries, and the like. If you hate to shop, buy large quantities and stockpile them.
-- don’t hoard huge quantities of things that you could never use up: binder clips, rubber bands, clay pots, florist vases, plastic grocery bags. Give the rest away.
-- hang up your coat (this is probably the rule I personally violate most often).
-- buy a box-cutter. They really are handy.
-- if you have lots of things that you’re reluctant to throw away because you’re not sure what they are—mystery cables, random remote-control devices, important looking screws that appeared mysteriously on the floor, obscure vacuum-cleaner attachments—put them all in one box. You’ll never use the stuff, but you’ll know it’s there.
-- for extra credit, put a date on the box, and if you haven’t opened it in a year, throw it away.
-- never allow a drawer or a closet to get so full that it’s hard to open and shut.
-- get rid of things that don’t work. If you’re like me, you’ll be amazed at how many things you have around the house that are perfectly useless.
-- set aside a place where you put things to give away, and as soon as you realize you want to get rid of something, put it there. That way, you prevent clutter from accumulating.
-- if you can’t find something, clean up.

Comments

[Barbara]

This is all such wonderful stuff. I have only just found your web-site but I am visiting daily. Thank you so much. I do not have a blog and hope this message is fine as it is. So much positive advice and really excellent help. Thank you again.

[Mark]

I agree. Great tips, and great site. As a small side note, the web designer in me would really like to see these tips marked up as an unordered list.

[Monica Ricci]

Gretchen are you channeling me again!?! LOL... ~Monica :)

[Gretchen Rubin]

I'm so pleased you're finding the rules useful.

Mark -- I don't even know what it would mean for the tips to be marked up as an unordered list. Sounds desirable, whatever it is! I throw yourself at your mercy for a quick web-design lesson. thanks, Gretchen

[me]

Heres one tip for you.
Whenever i feel im not happy, i just think to myself "this is happiness, get used to it"

[Rhea]

Keeping your keys in one place is a great one. I know so many people who spend tons of time searching for them -- every single day.

[Starbucker]

Gosh Gretchen, where was this list when I needed it last weekend! I just posted my thoughts about hoarding mementos and other "stuff" yesterday, and here is your post - how serendipitous. I just need to repeat "storing a thing means you don’t need to use it" about 25 times every day. Thanks.

[mk]

Regarding the tip "never buy souveniers". I just saw a bit on a morning news show where the subject was happiness. Seems that experiences (like vacations) rather than things make us happier. Souveniers remind us of that experience.

[Anita]

You can always buy "useful" souvenirs like T-shirts... just nothing to add to the shelf CLUTTER!

[Meg]

Why not change NEVER buy souvenirs to only buy what you will use when you get home. Journaling books with the city name on it, gardening gloves, bookmarks, even coffee to grind and drink while reading the book. I love knowing that I am using something that came from a place my neighbors don't have one.

[passby555]

Look in the Mirror...every morning
Love yourselves more...
Take great care of yourselves...
then you'll be happy...
Do 10 little things today that help to get what you want to be..

[Joe Andersen]

Dimmer switches? I don't understand that tip. The others are good ideas and I'm working on applying them.

Joe

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[rusty morgan]

When you bring something into your house throw something of equal size out.

Keep as much space as stuff; If there's more stuff than space throw some stuff out.

[Nick Kiey]

Who needs souvenirs when you have a digital camera or camcorder. And a scanner lets you convert loads of paper clutter into digital format. Convert your CDs (even LPs and tapes) to mp3 format. Just remember to keep a backup and you can store your whole life in your iMac.

[JFK]

These "tips" are ridiculous. Reading over it is like peering into the diary of someone with OCD.

Also, why is "-- use dimmer switches." in the middle of that list?

[JFK]

I take back my comparison of this list to the diary of someone with OCD as it casts that disorder in an unfavorable light.

These tips are more like the guidelines used when setting up rooms for furniture catalogues. It would make your house look and feel sterile. Maybe that's your thing if you are a surgeon, but most people's houses do look like the pictures in a magazine (just as they don't look like the people in magazines either).

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[Erin]

I really liked this list and try to keep those tips in mind in my own home. One very cool souvenir tip (I think) is if you are going to buy a souvenir make it a pretty watercolor or print of a painting of the place you are visiting. I like the 5x7 inch size prints and those fit into any 8x10 frame at Michaels. You'll get beautiful artwork and a cool story behind the painting!

Also, my interpretation of the dimmer switch thing, is that lighting can make everything look better (even people...) so why not use them to help your house :)

[Caroline]

The dimmer switches are so that people can't see your clutter and dirt as easily as in bright light. Hello, you guys aren't clutter-keepers, are you? :)

My mother is a notorious clutter-keeper. She has emotional attachments to objects rather than memories. Interestingly, when she does get the gusto to declutter, she attacks her closet first, where visitors are least likely to see. I think our closets are a metaphor of our emotions - if we have things we're holding on to, a dress we wore once on a fabulous date, a pair of shoes we bought ourselves when we got that promotion, or a handbag that goes with nothing but that reminds us of our whimsical side - I think we are reluctant to throw these things out because they are parts of our lives. Helping to resolve clutter in the lives of people we love requires support, patience, and understanding that simply throwing something away is never "simple." It's a transition that needs time, good friends, and a good cry sometimes. It's cathartic.

[Liz]

My husband taught me that it's a huge mistake not to buy souvenirs. Each member of the family only buys one. Now as I walk through the house, I'll come across on a wall or shelf a reminder of a fun trip we were on. And that certainly makes me happy!

[wondering]

As far as getting rid of things that are uselss, and don't work.....does that include signifigant others?

[naga]

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[Mary G.]

Here are two things I do to keep from swimming in clutter:
-If something new comes in then something old MUST Go.
-If I have something I don't need anymore I have a box I put it in in my entry closet. When guests come to visit before they leave I pull out the box and ask if they or anyone they know who may need anything in the box. Many times someone needs something or knows of someone needing my discards. I feel great helping someone out while not filling the landfill. Note: I never share "the box" with folks with a clutter problem...sorry mom!

[Yasmin]

Great list. Most are right on the money for me.

[Alice Bachini-Smith]

JFK,
I use 21 out of these 25 tips already and, believe me, there is no house less sterile than mine. I have a LOT of stuff (eg 3 closets of clothes, in 1000 sq ft) and find that these ways of being organised really work well, and make life manageable.

By "work really well" I mean "save an enormous amount of time and effort".

And that's why if I can't find something, cleaning up (tip #25) ALWAYS works for finding it. Which is great as losing anything in this place would be a needle and haystack problem.

[ToddinFL]

Only 27 rules ? I thought it would be much more difficult. Who would think it was so easy ...

[CindyF]

These are great. They vary from the typical de-clutter tips and get to the root.

[CC]

Souvenirs - my house is minimalist and I dedicate the top of the very high book shelves in the family room for the very limited souvenirs (have to be absolutely something I love) from my travels. Besides memories, the souvenirs give my minimalist house a soul and great thing is that they are all contained within a space.

[Jessica]

Great tips. My personal archnemisis in clutter are my children's lovely art projects from school. I've finally found a solution--I scan them into PC files and then I make a calendar for grandparents for Xmas with the cutest stuff. I no longer worry about stray glitter or mice coming to eat the stash of pasta and beans used to create the 'masterpiece.' And there's no guilt!

[Kelly]

Yikes, serious comment spam today!

Wonderful list, Gretchen. Thank you! I'm going to print this and keep it handy - and share with my husband!

[Jo Paoletti]

My husband of nearly 40s has installed dimmer switches in every apartment and house we have ever had. Big boost in quality of life for a minimal investment. (especially in the bedroom)

[Matt]

Wow. TypePad anti-spam, not so great.

I like this list. A lot of good things listed here. Thanks.

[Sara Avant Stover]

this is a great post! helpful as i just moved into a new home--and moving is always a good time to clear out and revamp.

[allison davis]

Ok, dimmer switches are one of the keys to producing a great atmosphere in my house...no glare.

These are good, like having them all in one place. And lord knows I need it all right now. thanks

[Kristen]

"Seems that experiences (like vacations) rather than things make us happier. Souveniers remind us of that experience."

I buy a single refrigerator magnet on each trip. It's a very effective, cheery reminder but doesn't clutter.

[Hunter Johnson]

Re the unordered list thing: Don't know your editor software, but the HTML tags you want are (replace the parentheses with less-than or greater-than instead, which I can't render in this form): (UL) and (/UL) at the beginning and end of the whole list (UL = unordered list), and (LI)...(/LI) around each item: (LI)use dimmer switches.(/LI). They'll display as a bullet list. OL instead of UL makes a numbered (ordered) list.

[Marcie Lovett]

Great list, Gretchen. I would like to point out that many thrift shops will take all your donations, so you don't have to go to several different places to drop off the stuff you don't want anymore. People often wait until they have identified the "perfect" recipient for their treasures before they will let go of them. Instead, I encourage people to think of it this way: Whoever ends up with your item is the perfect person; the thing is out of your house and in the hands of someone who will be delighted to have it.

Keep a bag in a closet, drop unwanted items into it as you find them, then take the bag out of the house when it's full.

[Sarah]

I think the quotation marks on "souvenirs" are important. Don't buy tschotskes that will sit around collecting dust.

I love buying things in my travels -- but I make sure they're things I will actually use in my daily life: a batik tablecloth, a silk scarf, a handmade purse, a piece of art, and yes, always food. Basically, I buy things that I would want to buy anyway at home -- but this way I end up with a unique item that reminds me of my travels every time I use it.

[Sarah F]

We stole this idea from my brother-in-law regarding souvenirs: Christmas Ornaments that have the name of the places we have visited, or represent it in some way. That way the souvenirs are stored out of the way most of the year, and decorating the Christmas tree is even more fun as we are reminded of all the places we have visited.

[Telma]

GREAT ADVICE! I didn't realize how much useless and grown-out stuff I had until I down-sized to a 650 sq ft condo. It forced me to get ride of things that have been untouched for over a year and only keep a select few sentimental pieces. I now am organized, know where everything is, and recommend this to others.

[Megan]

I want to join in the comments about souvenirs. I have traveled rather extensively and what I do is not buy anything from stores like Bed Bath and Beyond or Crate and Barrel to decorate my house. This is kinda like your advice, but in the other direction. I don’t buy or display anything unless it means something to me. My paintings are done by family, friends, and a painter from Vietnam. My decorative items are grandpa's stuff he bought during WWII or the Korean war. I have wall hangings from India, table runners from Dubai and Australia, jewelry from around the world, and photos of it all. I wouldn’t have it any other way.

[Still trying]

Check out freecycle.com to see if there is a Freecycle email list in your area. It's a great way to get rid of things; people will actually come to your house and pick it up! (same with Craigslist's "free" postings.

The only problem with Freecycle is that you're then tempted to accumulate things that other people are offering....

[Susan]

I always buy a souvenir - a little silver charm. What started out as a charm bracelet when I was a child is now a charm necklace that looks just amazingly cool. I've spent more than 1 hour in a waiting room with my necklace in my lap and someone's bored child next to me explaining where each little charm is from. Note to all you parents with children in waiting rooms: where is your travel "bag o' tricks" for your child's entertainment? A couple of bags filled with little toys that are only for waiting rooms can be rotated through the visits and stay fresh.

[Candace]

I love the tip about the silver charms - it is a gift to the child's whose imagination you've captured! I generally get something useful, like a dish towel (called Tea Towels here in OZ)or a regional cook book.

I just moved yesterday and will use some of your tips as I unbox!

[Kathleen]

Such great tips - I'm going to go home and apply them this weekend. Whenever I get emotionally stuck on something, I tell myself, "Throw it or use it". And if I really can't bear to throw it, I will make myself use it - the vintage handbag, the glasses frames, the hand-dyed yarn. It is much less painful to wear out something loved than to never see it and let it moulder away.

[Joan Nagle]

We took our two daughters on a 9-week tour of Europe when they were 8 and 10. To forestall endless begging for useless souvenirs, we suggested they each buy a charm for each country we visited. It worked! (Although my husband complained that the kids were more interested in finding a charm than in seeing the great sights! So we tried to find the charms first ... get that over with ... and then see the sights.)

[Gina]

In relation to someone else's comment, I think the way the list is presented makes it seem dry and sterile, but the idea is to take what you want and leave the rest. Some things really hit the spot and make sense and others don't because we are all different and have different reasons for keeping things. We often outgrow those reasons too, after time, so it's always good to re-examine why we've kept something. I'm at a point in my life where I don't keep as much out of sentiment as I used to. That means I have LOTS of stuff to dispose of. LOL!

[Mary Ann Scholl]

Thanks for these 27 hints on how to keep your house in order. I appreciate your time for making that list.
Mary Ann

[Ben]

There's an interesting assumption in this piece: That the purpose of material posessions is that they are to have some useful, regular function, rather than being markers for our success as accumulators and connoisseurs of stuff. This may not be the case. Visitors to my home are delighted by the piles of brick-a-brack, musical instruments, mysterious mechanical objects and Objet-d'Art. I like stuff. Meanwhile, I've been to the homes of some terribly neat friends, the table surfaces are all bare and the chairs empty of laundry bags, only to openly laugh at their little keep-sake collections, carefully positioned in display cases...It's the same c**p I have all over the house!