Do you have washing hampers in everyone's bedrooms, or just a central one in the laundry? Does it work well? I'm a tad pedantic: a big washing basket in DH's and my room, one in DD1's room, and one in the lounge room (the kids tend to strip off in front of the TV when we get home from the shops) AS WELL as a massive (like, bigger than my 8kg washing machine) hamper in the laundry where it all goes to get sorted before washing!
Where do you keep your extra doonas, sleeping bags etc? We have a linen cupboard in the hallway where sheets, doonas etc are all kept. Sleeping bags live in the shed as they're for camping (and usually full of sand), otherwise they go in the spare room (which, I promise, DD2 will be moving into ONE DAY...).
My big kitchen bench is wonderful but attracts all sort of crap from everywhere - has anyone found a way to deal with this? That's what our sideboard is for Right next to the kitchen bench, looks nice (when not covered in junk) and even has drawers and cabinets for EXTRA junk!
School notices etc. Bills - I can't keep them in a file cabinet because it's out of sight out of mind for me. I used to have a little pile on my desk, but then the pile had babies, then grandbabies....Maybe I should learn to use my NASA ready phone properly? Our solution - a big wire basket (kind of like a peg basket, but bigger) that lives on the sideboard - every 'incoming' item goes in there to get 'sorted' and once dealt with (bills paid, letter replied to etc), it goes in the neighbouring filing cabinet, which is just one of those cheap plastic ones from Kmart with a few manila folders labelled 'Tax', 'Centrelink', 'Loan stuff', 'Telstra', etc etc. That way it's all in my face until I can be bothered dealing with it, but it doesn't get lost. If I need it, it's 'in the basket'!
Kids lunchboxes etc - where do they live in your house? Lunchboxes (and DD2's spare bottles for daycare) live in one of the top cabinets where I keep things like glass serving/salad bowls, gravy boats etc. Stuff that I rarely ever use, but can't throw out because I might need it 'one day', so other stuff gets thrown in on top. Thankfully lunchboxes get used regularly so they're always on top of the pile!
Do you have washing hampers in everyone's bedrooms, or just a central one in the laundry? Does it work well? I have a hamper in each bedroom for clothes and a basket in the laundry for towels/face washers/etc. I used to have one of those Ikea hampers in the laundry for towels but it tended to get mouldy from the damp towels at the bottom. I find that the baskets have better airflow and I don't get mould.
Where do you keep your extra doonas, sleeping bags etc? Folded up on the top shelf of the wardrobe in the relevant bedroom.
My big kitchen bench is wonderful but attracts all sort of crap from everywhere - has anyone found a way to deal with this? I have one corner where I pile things. Needs to be sorted through again.
School notices etc. Bills - I can't keep them in a file cabinet because it's out of sight out of mind for me. I used to have a little pile on my desk, but then the pile had babies, then grandbabies....Maybe I should learn to use my NASA ready phone properly? I have an in tray on my desk. I'm on the computer most evenings so they are always in sight plus I tend to put them in my calendar so I know when they're due. All other bits and pieces tend to accumulate on the dining table (drives me nuts!) or the sideboard top drawer.
Kids lunchboxes etc - where do they live in your house? I have one cupboard in the kitchen for all my plastics and the lunchboxes get kept here too.
Are there any other potential black holes of clutter I have missed? Our dining table seems to be the drop off point for everything. It's the centre of our house on the way in through to the kitchen and then through to the bedrooms, so things tend to get dumped on here. I clear it daily or at the very least stack things neatly at one end of it. Currently, it is covered with Christmas presents to be wrapped
Do you have washing hampers in everyone's bedrooms, or just a central one in the laundry? Does it work well?
We have one in each room plus a sorter (3 compartments in one on wheels) in the laundry. It's not the dirty washing that's the problem... it's the clean washing GAH!
Where do you keep your extra doonas, sleeping bags etc?
In cupboards in the bedrooms.
My big kitchen bench is wonderful but attracts all sort of crap from everywhere - has anyone found a way to deal with this?
Clear it off as soon as you can. And do the "Don't put that there" with everyone. Its the only thing that works.
School notices etc. Bills -
We have a drawer. The drawer is used for shoving crap in and then when it's full it gets filed and sorted out. You should keep a control journal next to the microwave. Just a little ring binder with sleeves to keep bills and important stuff in. If it gets full then it gets cleaned out. And yes! As soon as you get a bill put it into your phone. I'll even help
Kids lunchboxes etc - where do they live in your house?
We keep them in the cupboard with the plastics. You can seperate them by stacking and having a container for lids but we just stack them inside each other.
Are there any other potential black holes of clutter I have missed?
Our biggest problem is kitchen stuff, I just have too much we need a new kitchen. Better furniture and other stuff. I would definitely look at furniture that has storage in it. My gf has this and it is brilliant you never see ANYTHING. She even has an ottomon that she used to keep the nappies and wipes in so when changing bubs in the loungeroom it was right there and no one knew. Her house is always immaculate and it is because she has good storage and clean surfaces (no nick nacks or rubbish!)
Lucy in the sky with diamonds.
Right next to the kitchen bench, looks nice (when not covered in junk) and even has drawers and cabinets for EXTRA junk!
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