Cluttered Kitchen Table

chris1203 · 04-30-2009, 12:23 AM

I don't know WHAT my problem is, but I almost ALWAYS have a cluttered table. It seems to be my "catch all" for everything. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can change this bad habit of mine?

katharina · 05-01-2009, 07:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chris1203

I don't know WHAT my problem is, but I almost ALWAYS have a cluttered table. It seems to be my "catch all" for everything. Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can change this bad habit of mine?

I've noticed that everyone seems to want to throw their mail on the table here, and it doesn't take long to build quite a stack of mail. All I do is pick up that stack and shred the junk, or have someone else do it.

I'm thinking that if they hate shredding a big stack, maybe they'll remember to walk to the shredder right away instead of just piling it on the table.

justontime · 05-03-2009, 07:34 AM

We have the same trouble with our dining room table, everyone dumps books, school work and all sorts of stuff on it.

SageMother · 05-14-2009, 03:21 PM

The only time this isn't a problem is if you have young children that you need to have sitting at the table to eat.

Most adults without kids seem to have the same amount of stuff on their kitchen tables, unless they have maid service!

Just_Jessie · 05-20-2009, 09:08 PM

I had taken in a couple of teenagers (long story) and I had an issue with any flat surface being clogged up for a while. What I did was I put, right by the door, a tall, but thin fake fire place. As soon as they came in, they could put the mail right there, their bags- it was long enough to handle most of their things and convieneint enough for them to do a "pop by" to just drop their stuff off when going out with friends. A simple table could help with that too.

At the end of the night, if their stuff was still there when I was going to bed, I would put it on their beds... even if they were in them! Haha! They understood that rule, and after a few times of finding their bookbags being put on their beds with them while they slumbered, they learned pretty quickly to bring their things up at night. (They were 16 and 17, so not young kids)

Fleur · 06-08-2009, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_Jessie

I had taken in a couple of teenagers (long story) and I had an issue with any flat surface being clogged up for a while. What I did was I put, right by the door, a tall, but thin fake fire place. As soon as they came in, they could put the mail right there, their bags- it was long enough to handle most of their things and convieneint enough for them to do a "pop by" to just drop their stuff off when going out with friends. A simple table could help with that too.

At the end of the night, if their stuff was still there when I was going to bed, I would put it on their beds... even if they were in them! Haha! They understood that rule, and after a few times of finding their bookbags being put on their beds with them while they slumbered, they learned pretty quickly to bring their things up at night. (They were 16 and 17, so not young kids)

Good job Jessie! LOL

I have the clogged flat surface syndrome too and it's just me and my husband. I have yet to defeat the beast. I have good intentions to make files but my husband panics if a bill isn't right where he left it.

He and I have had many..;mmmmmmm....discussions I guess you could call them about things laying about all over. I have yet to break him of the habit. If he slept alone I'd do what Jessie did!

katharina · 06-13-2009, 06:22 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Just_Jessie

At the end of the night, if their stuff was still there when I was going to bed, I would put it on their beds... even if they were in them! Haha!

Wow, that was a very good idea you had there! I'm glad to hear that it
worked so well for you and they started remembering.

cero · 06-13-2009, 03:02 PM

We have a sofa table in our dinning room that is the mail spot, until I go through it all and end up clearing it off. Where is that from March when our insurance changed companies paper at? Yep, you got it, on that darn table!

SadieLou · 06-14-2009, 09:27 AM

I currently have piles on the coffee table in the living room, the kitchen table and the desk in the den. It's pathetic! I do have files for everything in the desk, but it's getting the stuff to that point that is the hard part, lol.

Amanda · 06-14-2009, 05:16 PM

Kudos for you, Jessie. If we had a rep system here, you would be at the top of the list. I love that idea. If you don't mind I may start adopting a similar one myself, for all the clothes and stuff left on the floor.

Although, I don't understand the idea behind the original question. Isn't the sole purpose of the dining room table meant for collection?

Lol. We actually found a table that had drawers under the table top. My husband was ecstatic until he saw the price. It seems it is a pretty common condition to store mail, school work, lists, etc. on the good ole tabletop. I guess somebody figured if they put drawers underneath the table top, that would solve the problem.