Organizing Kitchen Counters
November 29, 2006 by Maricar
Filed under Organizing and Clutter Control
Is your kitchen counter covered in mail, magazines, coupons and receipts? Does it act like a catch-all for all kinds of paperwork?
The island in my kitchen is such a hotspot for clutter. It is the first convenient surface for laying down all sorts of things right after we enter the back door. My problem is not being able to deal with the paperwork as soon as I get the mail. I don’t pay bills as I receive them. Receipts aren’t filed immediately. So they accumulate. Until today.
After today, I hope that I’m finally getting a handle on keeping it organized and clutter-free. I got this tip from a MOPS meeting I attend.
I went straight to Staples Office Supplies (aff) store and got this tabletop file. It’s narrow (5 1/2″ deep) while still able to hold letter-size hanging files. I can pick up the whole container or just one file. I set up files for: Bills, Receipts, Coupons and Promotions, Permanent Filing, my own personal materials, and Supplies like stamps and address labels.
Now I have a mini filing cabinet right on my kitchen island. I can go through the mail and stick items where they belong. They are kept contained and organized until I can sit down and attend to them properly. The great thing is, all the similar items are together.
And with this system, I hope to tame the paper clutter that always threatens to take over my kitchen counters.
Tags: organizing, clutter control, housekeeping, homemaking
The system that works best for me is having a ‘catch all’ basket in the kitchen. As I bring in the mail, I toss all the junk/advertisements in the garbage and everything else is put in the basket. Then at the beginning of every week I sort through the mail, pay the bills, stamp and address all outgoing mail, file everything else in the filing cabinet. This has been my system for years and it works best for me because it’s fast & convenient. Simply toss in two places (garbage or catch all basket) and then attend to everything weekly. My bills are always paid fast and ahead of schedule because of this method too
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that’s a great idea! i have a big 3-ring folder (ala Fly Lady) on the countertop where i slip in paperwork but maybe an organizer like that’s good too for loose paper.
a few more tips too, sis, i do at home…
1. tackle junk mail when you get it out of the mailbox. either have a shredder in the kitchen (or garage). don’t let it sit on the table or you won’t get it.
2. i don’t get the bills out of their envelopes; instead i label the envelope with the due date and amount to be paid. so when you stack or file ‘em it’s by the due date.
Thanks for a helpful article on organizing! I am amazed at how kitchen counters seem to attract clutter! Best wishes for continued success with your blog.
Lola
http://laudu.realtownblogs.com
Hi Tabby and sis (Grace),
Thanks for the tips. It’s great to see the variety of ways there are for dealing with paper clutter.
Hi Lola Audu, Thanks for stopping by! The kitchen counter in my home is definitely one of the hot spots for clutter. I’ve been trying to find a good way to deal with it, and this has been the best for me so far.