Simplify!: Conquering the Paper Trail

Ooooooh yes babies this is one of my favorite topics! If you want a clean clutter-free house you will have
to stay on top of things – and as difficult as that sounds I have faith that you can do it. To start on our cluttering adventures, here are 5 problem areas that you could probably deal with – right now:

1 – Junk mail/ newspapers etc

But of course! This stuff is the worst! It piles up and if you are not careful, it will quickly give your home an appearance of clutter and mess even if everything is otherwise very very clean! I love to read the news online these days – and I know that it is contributing to the death of print – but I think it is so much faster, more up-to-date and kills fewer trees. Junk mail I have not yet fully conquered, but I do recommend sending it to the recycling bin as fast as you can. You might want to post a “no junk mail” sign on your mailbox to further deter this. And make sure that you sign up for paperless billing for every account you can. This will save you tons of time – and paper – in the end. Of course this one is the worst. It comes in the mail, it arrives by the mail man. We stack things up just in case we will ever need them again. Well – you probably won’t!

2 – Manuals

Manuals come with every little gadget these days. I even got one with my luggage! They stack up and get
lost and when the day comes that you actually need one, can you find it? Usually the answer is no. These days most instruction manuals are available online in PDF form so when you are having problems you just need to do a little internet search to find what you are looking for. Basically, you can throw them out (read: recycle them) and you will never miss them – promise! If you absolutely must keep them, make a big file folder and keep them all together. Then at the very least you will never waste time hunting when you need one.

3 – Your purse/wallet

clean this one out!

I am totally guilty of shoving random receipts into my bag where they become a crumpled mess. At least once a week I clear out: throw out all those old lotto tickets, grocery reciepts and used bus tickets. These little things can really stack up and create a mess. If you are never going to use a coupon, recycle it! Ditto for those points cards for lunches at places you don’t frequent. Who even cares if you miss out on saving $5 over the course of the next three years. It’s so not worth it babe.

4 – Books

Now before you get upset, I love books and I read constantly. But I know I can’t keep absolutely everything. I can relate to having a desire for lots of tall shelves stacked to the brim with books, complete with library ladder. But until I can afford a huge house where I don’t plan to move from for a while this dream is on hold. Every time I move (which is, on the average, every two years) I curse those heavy boxes of books. Besides, I don’t usually re-read books. There are a precious few that I must hold on to just in case (Harry Potter series included oh yes) but I have cured my addiction to holding onto everything I have
ever read. The rest I usually pass along to my book-reading friends or return to the thrift shop or used books store. I honestly feel that the more books I “set free” the more come back to me. Of course, there is also the library! From there you can read all you want and not clutter up your home in the slightest.

5 – Magazines

you can't keep them all

This is another difficult one! I definitely love my design magazines, but I can’t hold onto all of them. I have the complete set of Domino (RIP) (as well as an almost complete set of Sassy which still makes me happy twenty years later). I have subscribed to Canadian House and Home and Style At Home for almost ten years but I do not hold onto all of those! I used to but it became way too overwhelming. Not to mention the styles change so after a while their once gleaming lustre wears away. Now when my new ones arrive I cull my old ones. I rip out the spreads or photos that I enjoy and put them into page protectors. Then they go into neatly labelled binders, which are all covered in craft paper so they look nice on my shelves.

I also love fashion magazines so I cut out images and outfits I love and put them into a little “look book”. This is really fun, hands-on stuff and it is so neat to look back. Fashion may change at lightening speed but I find that the stuff I clip and keep does not change too much (lots of black, crazy accessories and dangerous looking shoes always). This is also a great way to figure out your sartorial style, if you need a little help in that area.

The battle of paper is an ongoing one. It is so easy to fall behind. But don’t be discouraged! A little vigilance goes a long way.

Simplify – 5 Items to Turf – Right Now!

So many of us get stuck in a design rut. When you have been looking at something for years, you start to forget it’s even there. So it is only too easy to let dated items live in your house. While what is dated and what isn’t is definitely a personal choice, here are my top picks for things to get rid of – ASAP:

~ 1 – Matching bathroom accessories ~
Especially if they are floral or plastic! The matching look will date your bathroom like a spiral perm. I prefere minimal, clean lines for these essential items. I have a plain glass for drinking, a stainless steel cup for toothbrushes and a lucite tissue box. All of these are sturdy and easy to clean. Here is an classic soap dispenser from Pottery Barn:

Classic Glass Soap Dispenser from Pottery Barn

~ 2 – Potpourri ~

No Potpourri!

There are much better ways to scent your home! I not only is potpourri not effective but it is a dust magnet. The same goes for dried flowers. Turf the lot and be done with it!

~ 3 – Word Art ~

There has been a huge trend for poems, sayings and plain old words used as art for the last few years. I personally think it’s pretty dated. You want to be able to relax in your bedroom without a huge sign telling you to do so. If it’s a vinyl stick-on remove it, a hanging picture – replace it! I don’t want to read your walls and I don’t think anyone else does either. However, if you have old vintage signs or letters I will give you a pass on this one.

~ 4 – Food Themed Art or Liquor Posters ~

Say No to Cinzano...on your walls

I, for one, am tired of seeing kitchens with photos or paintings of tomatoes, coffee, wine etc. Once again, I am in the kitchen for a reason but looking at a tomatoe does not inspire me to be more chef-ly. These are so common right now and I really think they bring an otherwise amazing kitchen down a notch. If you truly have a need for art in the kitchen, it does not have to be food themed!

~ 5 – Polyester-fill pillow inserts ~

This one isn’t really about looks but more about comfort. These are on my hit list mostly because the cheapy ones lose their shape so easily. A cushion should be cushion-y not kind of flat, or even worse, lumpy! Ikea makes great feather pillow inserts for cheap (like Fjadrar for example). They really will make your throw cushions look all that much better.

Making your home the best it can be is an ongoing battle. Keeping the dated items out in one of the best ways to ensure your home stays fresh and current.