Organizing Your Dining Area

We could say that this is about organizing your dining room, but most folks I know are one, ditching the formal dining room set up, and two, tend to have more than one meal area; for example – a kitchen bar and a table elsewhere.

No matter where you have your meals a common issue among dining spaces is their ability to clutter. These areas usually have a table – flat and perfect for setting stuff that really shouldn’t be there. In fact, I can see my dining room table from my desk right now, and here’s what’s on it:

• A library book.
• A product I’m reviewing for a blog (and not it’s not actually food or dining related).
• All my mail from the last week.
• My winter ear flap hat.
• My bag that I took grocery shopping last night.

How sad. Geez.

This is how lots of people treat their dining space table but you shouldn’t. For one thing, everything in your home needs a place and I doubt the dining room is that place. I KNOW where my library books go, they actually have a space, I just made a pit stop at the table. Also, by leaving stuff all over your dining space, you’re less likely to eat family meals together at the table. I try to leave my table clear usually (it’s been a bad week) so that my son and I don’t have to clear it at mealtimes.

Tips that can help clear your dining space:

Make no table clutter a rule. One thing that works well is to obsessively keep flowers on your table. Who wants to ruin that look? You can get older flowers on the cheap from wholesale flower sellers in your area. Go in and ask which flowers they’re getting rid of or tossing soon? (I worked at a flower shop once – mainly for the free flowers), so I know that shops discard flowers that look amazing still but that are getting old. If you make it known you’re willing to buy regularly you’ll get a discount.

If you really have table clutter issues, place a small basket or nice box near your table and make that your catch-all.

Unclutter the sideboard or hutch: You really don’t need to display each and every dish you own. Pack some up.

Quick open storage solutions: If you use your dining room for crafts, game night, or other activities, get a nice chest in the dining room, and store items in there. You can shut it, or even use it for extra seating (like a bench type chest).

What are your dining room issues? Does your table look like mine does today?