Yup, it’s another random weekend post about stuff on tables (remember this one from a few weeks back?). I have a new mission in life: to keep our kitchen table clear of junk.
Okay, maybe “mission in life” is a bit strong. This goal ranks far below real life missions like to be a good husband and father, put food on the table, and avoid aspartame (I’m mildly allergic). But just like my resolution last fall to make the bed everyday for a month, I recently decided I was fed up with how our kitchen table was increasingly becoming a not-so-temporary landing pad for shopping bags, unread mail, sewing supplies (notnaminganynamessherry) and other clutter. Meaning it was becoming less and less functional as a dining spot (and less and less pleasant to look at).
So without even telling Sherry (she’ll probably learn about this goal when she notices this post at some point this weekend) I’ve taken on the task of clearing off the table each night before heading to bed. Since keeping it clear 24/7 would be unrealistic (not to mention counterproductive – what’s the use of a table that you can’t put things on?) I decided if I could just clear it at the end of each day it would avoid becoming overrun with random items. And in the morning it would look nice. At least for a moment.
I’ve only been doing it for about a week (and I’ve already fallen off of the wagon a couple of nights) but so far I’m liking the results. For one, it’s forcing us to actually deal with some of our clutter (i.e. sort the mail, unload shopping bags, put away dishes). And I’m no psychologist, but there’s gotta be some mental health benefit to starting your day off with a cleared-off, ready-for-anything table. If nothing else, at least I’m enjoying the fact that I don’t have to push aside magazine piles to feed Clara breakfast first thing every morning.
Do any of you have nightly cleaning routines? Or are you currently planning your own cleaning resolution? I’m proof that they can stick. Yep, believe it or not, I still manage to make the bed every single day since last fall’s resolution.
Jen says
I like this idea a lot. I think I will suggest it to my husband. He has a problem with all the clutter and mess.
I would suggest to him about the bed thing too but he is already gone and I’m still asleep. I guess I could always do it. Thanks for the good ideas :)
lana @ make a house a home says
ha! first!
lana @ make a house a home says
dammit.
Amanda says
HA! I laughed out loud when I read this.
DanielleR says
I like your new goal … I just had a “porch cleaning” party tonight with my husband after we copied your herb garden idea (yay for fresh home grown herbs!). We have a big farmers porch and I tend to throw things out on the porch and then not pick them up for a while, random flower pots, shovels, rope, paint from painting our living room like 3 weeks ago etc. So tonight after we made our new herb garden, we cleaned everything off the porch so it looks oh so pretty there now. Thats my new goal, keep the junk off the porch each day :)
Carol N. says
Love the Burger videos! I have a thing about the newspaper being in the recycle pile every night and the magazines should be in a happy pile on the coffee table as well as the sink being cleaned out. I’ve tried to break my husband of the ‘leaving mail on the counter’ habit but he still does it after 29 years of marriage so I probably need to give up on that one!
Callie says
Yeah Carol! Your nightly preferences sound like mine – I go through and do a quick “clutter bust” on the living room, dining room, and kitchen – newspapers, dishes/bags/randomness, any furniture not aligned at my preferred angle ;) I love having a clean slate every morning!
We have had that problem of mail too but kind of fixed it by having a special basket near the door that it tries to go in. Haha. At least it’s somewhere I can always move it to and he knows where it got “organized away” to. ;)
Erin C. says
I’m allergic to aspartame too…does it give you migraines? I never knew anyone else that has to avoid it!
I try to clear our coffee table (of remotes, baby supply stuff, cups, etc) before bed.
YoungHouseLove says
It makes me clammy and jittery. Deet does the same thing to me. So weird.
-John
Krystal says
Aspartame is the leading causing of restless leg syndrme, leg muscle depletion (which causes significant pain), and IBS…EVERYONE should avoid it!
Grace says
I’m also mildly allergic to aspartame! Funny to find two others right here, as I never knew anyone else who was.
My clutter catcher seems to be the chair in my bedroom; I can’t remember the last time I actually sat there.
erika m says
Aspartame is also a known carcinogen. Its in some chewing gums too *I’m talking about you Orbit*
threadbndr says
Nope, you’re not the only one; count me in the ‘allergic to the Ubiquitous Junk Sweetner’ crowd. One diet soda and my ankles look like the StayPuff Marshmallow guy. It’s disgusting and my fingers swell up too = ouch.
Re the daily pickup. I try to have all the dishes done and in the drainer, the table cleaned off and the laundry folded before I hit the rack. There’s something about having a clean slate in the morning that just gets the whole day started off better.
Sharon says
My resolution is the kitchen sink/counters. I live alone and don’t have anyone to blame for the clutter … and it seems that by day end this is always lots in the kitchen. I’ve recently tried to end the day by cleaning up the clutter, particularly the things in the sink. It makes starating the morning so much nicer.
Cassie says
Couldn’t agree more, John. I try to empty the kitchen sink of dishes and glasses every night before bed. Days definitely seem to start off better when clutter isn’t in sight!
Kate says
Yes! Just this past week I’ve been making it a priority to clean up the kitchen! I am tired of waking up to a sink full of dirty dishes and a dishwasher full of clean dishes to put away. Keeping the sink and counters clean has actually spilled over to the kitchen table and the family room… It’s all staying cleaner now.
Much easier to do a little each day than be faced with a mountain of junk at the end of the week.
Stefanie says
It’s ridiculous how easy it is for the flat surfaces in a home to get overrun with random things.
I used to be the same way about my kitchen table (and every other surface in my house to be honest) but then about 3 years ago I started this thing where EVERY NIGHT I clean for 20 minutes. Even if it just means picking up a few things or putting some clothes away. It’s amazing how much you can get done in such a short amount of time. Sometimes I’ll vacuum my entire house in the 20 minutes. It seems to really keep things from building up to the point where it’s overwhelming and when I get up in the morning and things are already in their place it does start my day off on a happy note.
Stay on the wagon John. =)
Callie says
Yeah Stefanie! Me too. It’s so ingrained (and enjoyable to get the clean rooms/surfaces) that I barely notice anymore.
Candy from Candied Fabrics says
OMG! Those videos are so funny! So darn cute – yet if that were my dog I’d be so ANNOYED!!!!! Bless his little cotton socks! :-)
Courtney says
hahah, my thoughts exactly!
Kelly says
My hubby and I were painting a coffee table I found at goodwill for 25.00 recovering a foot stool that I also found at goodwill for 7.00, painting an antique bench for the bathroom. Then we also painted a bunch of little pieces too oh yeah and a door! I also supervised the kids pulling weeds…a family affair. Wow we were busy!
Julia @ Chris loves Julia says
Love this goal and may even adapt it for our house as well. As I started reading this post, I immediately thought of your goal to fix the bed every day. So impressed you are still keeping up with it! As far as nightly cleaning routines ’round here, polishing off a bowl (of ice cream) and making sure the dishwasher gets turned on gets big high-fives. :)
Chris Loves Julia
Rachel says
Make sure you aren’t turning on the dishwasher RIGHT before bed. Remember John and Sherry’s post a while back about that awful fire that happened to that woman’s home? In it they gave fire safety tips like not running the dishwasher or dryer right before bed (or right before you leave the house) so that if it catches fire you can be alert and out of the house. That post changed my life! I’d always run the dishwasher right before bed, turned on the dryer before leaving the house, etc., so not only did I stop those things, but I also permanently assembled the cats’ pet carriers and placed them in different locations throughout my home so that I’d be ready to get them out in a hurry no matter where the fire is. Anywho please just keep that tip in mind for your safety. :)
Callie says
Good point Rachel! I know someone that had a similar tragic circumstance, and I try to always run the dishwasher/washer/dryer when I’m around to notice what’s going on. Worked out the one time I accidentally set leftovers on fire in the toaster oven – I was “around” in the kitchen and had time to run it outside with the fire extinguisher. :P :)
Eleanor says
What a good resolution! Our kitchen table can be a catch-all most of the time, also. Just like the picture in your post – our table & dining room look so nice when the table has been cleared. It does make just as much difference to the room as making your bed each day (which, btw – I conquered late in college & am thankful I did!).
Sarah says
I have a whole new respect and love for Burger, now.
Always liked the little dude, but… now… that I know he is waiting for you to disappear so that he can tunnel, burrow, and nest in your warm bed… well, he is a way-cool pup.
And very very very very smart.
Bindy says
I couldn’t agree more!! LOVE Burger!!
Jill Stigs says
I am so anal that I am constantly putting things away. Of course it’s easier for me because it’s just myself and my 12 yr. old daughter. I have given up on her room though……my solution to that is close the door. sigh.
Boy John, you sure do stick to your guns with your resolutions! WTG!!
sarah says
this is a great idea. i wish i had so much desire at the end of a day to do the same thing. my husband has affectionately named me the “queen of clutter” and says in our next house we will not have any flat surfaces.
Diana says
Good idea…. I’ll try cleaning off the dining room table every night. (our favorite dumping ground)
Danielle says
I just washed the few dishes that had collected in the sink. Thanks for the encouragement :)
Candice says
One of my favorite routines in cleaning the kitchen every night. My grandmother still does this: at a certain time, and after offering dessert since we’re Southern, she “closes” the kitchen. I do the same thing, without the announcement. I love setting up the next morning for smooth success, and love spraying down the countertops with my Mrs Meyers basil spray. It’s so nice to come down the stairs the next day to a sparkling kitchen where I can make breakfast without dreading a sink full of dishes or unsorted mail…
rachel says
I try to do this with the kitchen sink and island. I feel much calmer when things are not cluttered.
25 good husband points to John!
Bonnie says
I like your nightly table-clearing ritual and I think I’ll take a lesson from you and try this myself. We have a corner of the kitchen peninsula that has become a read-mail pile and general drop zone for all kinds of stuff. We eat at the peninsula everyday and my hubby’s seat is right next to that spot, which requires clearing the junk that has accumulated there. But it always “creeps back.” I’ve realized that I need to develop a better paper/mail/records organization system. We have a built in desk in our upstairs hallway with some good storage spaces, currently empty. I’m curious, how do you handle your bill/mail/records storage?
YoungHouseLove says
We have a little three-cubby shelf thing on our desk where we put mail and things we need to respond to (we do try to pay bills as soon as they arrive though, just so they don’t sit around piling up). As for records we have two filing boxes that we use to store that stuff in different labeled folders. Seems to work.
xo,
s
Beth R.S. says
I would highly recommend the Freedom Filer system. You don’t have to buy anything, can just use file folders and a box you already have, but watch the 3 minute demo video to see which labels to make: http://freedomfiler.com/ If there’s not a label under which something would be filed, it can be tossed!! So nice. :)
Kate says
OMG, that freedom filer thing looks great! I have a system of my own, but I like this better and might be able to stick to it more. Thanks for the idea!
Elizabeth says
I like this part of the Freedom Filer description…
“The Premium Set is ideal for large households or filing enthusiasts.”
LOL at “FILING ENTHUSIASTS”!
YoungHouseLove says
Haha- hilarious!
xo,
s
Amanda @ Our Humble A{Bowe}d says
I usually make the bed every morning. Recently, I read that people who make their bed every day sleep better. Perhaps because those people have more of a routine, so they probably fall asleep and wake at the same time each night. Most nights, I clean up all of the toys for a fresh start of the living room. For some reason, it makes me feel better. Oh, and dirty dishes in the sink or by the sink are the same story. I feel better not having them. I think you’ve set a great goal.
Anne says
My husband and I recently started doing the dishes and cleaning the kitchen every night after dinner. It’s amazing how much better I feel when I come home from work and the kitchen is all clean and neat ready for me to cook in it! I feel like I can just focus on cooking instead of cleaning and running around the apartment doing five other things at once. I also love that we’re doing it together and working as a team. We get done faster and it ends up being a nice “bonding” session :)
Ana Silva says
The kitchen is a big one! It’s just too easy to pile on the dishes. Who wants to load or unload a dishwasher right? I try to make it a point now to load it as I go and just unload it instead of procrastinating. Not an easy task. But you are right. There is this calmness about a clean kitchen…a clean house.
Allyn says
Our dining room table is just like that. Somehow it’s where everything winds up. Really need to start working on that.
I’ve started making the bed every morning, and it’s amazing how such a little things helps my frame of mind. I’ve found that I keep the bedroom as a whole a lot cleaner when the bed is always made. Plus, it’s just so pretty.
David says
Burger rocks!!!
As for the kitchen table, I’ve been doing what you’ve started for several years now. It works, and it definitely makes me feel better. I’m a libra and I guess I like to keep my scales balanced. Clutter is not good for me. I also have been making my bed everyday for years and years. I can’t stand walking into a bedroom that looks like someone just got out of bed. That said, I would always give Burger a pass!
Kerry Rossow says
I have four kiddos so it literally takes a village to keep the battle of STUFF under control!
Kerry at housetalkn.blogspot.com
Randi Cooper says
I am trying to wash the dishes every night before bed. I don’t have a dishwasher and washing dishes is my LEAST favorite chore, but I am trying.
debbie says
Your table clearing routine is such a great idea! Every flat surface in our place can get so easily cluttered and the table is the worst! I think I will try to adapt this nightly routine too. Thanks for the idea!
Megan Brewer says
That Burger is adorable and a crafty little guy unmaking your bed like that! He’s so cute! Enjoy your weekend! Are you guys readers?
http://cottagebluedesigns.blogspot.com/
Megan
YoungHouseLove says
Yup! Right now we’re reading The World Is Flat (yes, were lame and we read the same book together sometimes).
xo,
s
Jen says
I need to start doing that! When I’ve really got it together, I try to have the kitchen sink and counters clean every night before bed. In fact, when our toddler was a newborn, that was the one chore I managed to keep up, because nothing was worse than sitting up in the middle of the night nursing a baby and staring at a sink full of dirty dishes I couldn’t do anything about.
Lately, my husband and I have picked it back up as a routine. After toddler bedtime, we pack back down to the kitchen, and he works and I clean up while we listen to an audiobook. It feels very homey.
PatC says
Ever heard of Flylady?
She has some daily routines for ‘sidetracked home executives to use. The first is to shine your sink, then there is decluttering, etc. If you choose do her routines, you shouldn’t ever have to spring clean. Woo-hoo!
I’m working my way through my clutter right now – hitting the hotspots and trying to get to the point where I can do her daily routines (without breaking my neck falling over paint cans in the hall, etc. ) I’m getting there a little at a time.
YoungHouseLove says
Never heard of her. Off to google I go…
xo,
s
bridget b. says
haha! flylady was the first thing i thought of when i read this post. i actually joined the flylady yahoo group shortly after i got married 3 1/2 years ago. i have a much lower tolerance for messiness around the house than my husband, so i was really about to go nuts.
ironically, i ended up quitting the group pretty quickly because reading the daily flylady emails started to become one more chore that i had to deal with. BUT, there really was something motivating about taking charge with that one cleaning ritual each day. our dining table has been at the top of my list for quite some time, so i’m totally going to try this challenge as well.
Jennifer S. says
I LOVE Flylady. I am struggling a bit to implement her program – I guess I’m what she calls a “flybaby”, still learning to fly :) but the ideas are SO good and it makes so much sense. Also, she is so encouraging – you can’t help but love her.
Amanda B. says
Haha, I came to the comments to suggest Flylady too! My husband actually works for them, managing servers and website software. The whole “system” is based on building good habits, just one habit at a time, until your house seems to run on autopilot. Sounds like the Petersiks are off to a good start!
Anyone else looking for Flylady can point straight to http://www.flylady.net
CampDallas says
I try to keep the house picked up of ‘schtuff’, but with a 3-month old in the house, I struggle with all the extras that come along with our sweet bambino. How did the YHL crew deal with the baby gear that can easily take over? Oh, and I’m secretly hoping that one day, my husband decides to make resolutions like John does….:-)
Liz says
We have a routine of doing dishes every night – I wash, my husband dries. It’s not only wonderful to start the next day with a clean counter and sink, but a nice way to finish the evening together, chatting about the day and tomorrow’s plans.
Ana Silva says
Burger is too cute and hilarious!
I have been trying to have cleaning resolutions but keep breaking them. I get caught up on nothing which is the worst part! I have to play music in order to get crunk so I can go on a cleaning spree. I keep my house clean but I wish it was better. One day, one day.
Lisa in Seattle says
If I had the authority to do so, I’d award you 1,000 YHL points for “crunk.” Maybe if I throw on a little Ying Yang Twins, I’ll have the energy to tackle the Wall of Bookshelves Full of Random Crap, or the Kitchen Island of Wildlife Feeding Supplies.
YoungHouseLove says
Agreed. 1000 YHL points awarded for the use of crunk.
xo,
s
Jenna says
Kudos to you, John! Wishing every hubby was as motivated in that department. If I don’t pick it up, it won’t get picked up.But oh well… I actually employ the same “clean in the evening” method with my kid’s rooms. Every night while I’m preparing dinner they have to clean up their rooms. That way they start the day with clean rooms, can play all day, and I don’t have to step on random toys when trying to tuck them in bed. Works great!
Jennifer says
Its amazing how fast flat spaces become catch alls. I hate it, but I am at fault too. I refuse to buy another house without a designated purse/diaper bag/keys/shoes/soccer balls/mail place right inside the door. Most of the time, I clear off the table for dinner (or visitors) into a basket and empty it when it gets full or I have the time. Yup, even bills.
Side note: I had my very own John, Sherry and Clara spotting yesterday! I refrained from stalking you guys as you shopped (we were listening to music and watching our little guys dance). I didn’t have anything or any reason to stop your Friday evening stroll! But I did email my YHL reader friends and wrote my own US Weekly celebrity spotting post!
YoungHouseLove says
Aw you must have been at Stonypoint! We would have loved to meet you. We’re there all the time so come on over next time!
xo,
s
Ali says
I have read that if you spend 15 minutes a day cleaning up your house at the end of the night, you’ll stay on top of stuff. I don’t think that person had children, however.
I like your goal. I have a similar goal, but it’s with our kitchen counters. Because, you know, we’re trying to keep the kitchen table clean, so everything lands on the countertops instead. Sigh. It’s like the people outside AA meetings chain-smoking away… trading one vice for another!
Lori says
I love this post! Right before I sat down to read this post I did my nightly “pick up”.
Each night after our two boys are tucked into bed and before my husband and I sit down to read blogs or watch TV, I like to make sure the kitchen counter is cleaned off (that is our landing space). It’s hard for me to unwind at the end of the day if I can see clutter and it’s hard for the next day to start right if I’m greeted by clutter.
The most important thing for me though is to make sure the “pick up” is done BEFORE I sit down to watch TV, or else, as you can imagine….It never gets done.
Maria says
Haha. I loved the first Burger video and this one is even more hilarious. What a little burger..err bugger.
Ellen says
I have a bad habit of dropping things on the table when I come in the door too! That Burger is such a cute little animal! He really does a number on your made beds!
rachael says
Oh Em Gee. I love that little doggie of yours soo much!!! I just want to snuggle him, those videos are adorable. I love the idea of clearing the table. I think I will go clean our kitchen right now before bed. Thanks for the kick in the butt!
Alisa says
Every night before bed I tell my husband to do the dishes. It doesn’t work. We need to do something about the clutter on our counter though. It’s outta control!
Audra says
So I heard a rumor today that made me immediately think of you guys. I heard from a friend (keeping my fingers crossed it’s true) that Ikea is coming to Short Pump next year. My husband up to this point has refuses to go with me because he does not like NoVa.
YoungHouseLove says
HOLYBANANAS!!!!!!!!!!!! If that’s true I’m going to be doing cartwheels and 6th grade cheers on my front yard. I mean it Ikea. If you come to Richmond I’ll record video proof of my celebration dance.
xo,
s
Audra says
I’ll be right there with you busting out my old high school cheers. I grew up in Europe and have had Ikea stuff since I was a baby. My husband just doesn’t understand how awesome that place is. I remember playing in a huge ball pit there. Oh the memories! Richmond needs it. Everybody say it with me… I scream, you scream, we all scream for IKEA!
Amanda says
You can always email them, and ask them for sure. I did that once because there was a rumor going around Ikea was coming to my area. Alas, it was just a rumor. :(
YoungHouseLove says
I’m too scared for them to dash my hopes just yet. I’ll just hold onto the dream a little while longer…
xo,
s
Carrie f says
Love your blog!!!! You might enjoy flylady.net
It is a free cleaning and organization tips site with great ideas and she calls spots like your table “hot spots”.
I don’t think you need her whole routine because you seem clean and organized anyway but she has some great ideas.
P.S. Don’t be put off by the ugly website (:
YoungHouseLove says
Thanks! You’re the second one to recommend that!
xo,
s
angie says
I must go to bed with a clean sink. Dirty dishes in my sink during the night skeeves me out.
I laughed when watching the Burger videos. Our cat does the same thing!
Tamsyn says
Oh my goodness Burger has so much character! I just want to sunggle up under the blankets with him.
Aimee says
So I may be a fairly new follower of you, but I saw a art piece in your pictures (kitchen, corner) that has a big P and then some other wording around it. Have you posted about it before? I want something like this for our new rental house…of course with an M…since our last name does not start with P.
YoungHouseLove says
Yup, that’s a super easy and cheap magazine monogram that we made. Here’s the post for ya: https://www.younghouselove.com/how-to-make-a-magazine-monogram/
xo,
s
Victoria says
That’s so funny, I have a rat terrier that looks like (a monochromatic version of) burger , and she does the same thing…. I have to tuck the covers in real tight to avoid this. As for cleaning at the end of the night…. It’s a ritual , a have a 2 year old who likes to keep a spread of toys all around the house. Never a dull moment.
Cassie says
GREAT post John. I wish my husband would read it and know that i’m not the crazy one. I have had this “thing” or “compulsion” since moving out of my parents house that before i go to bed the kitchen counter needs to be clean. NO CLUTTER. No random cups and it all sanitized. My counter is our catch all and always does when I am not doing this. I’m good half time, being pregnant has made me realize right now, it’s not the end of the world. But one thing that is very routine, is making our bed after we get out of it. It really makes us feel like every night is a clean slate and to start the day off fresh. We do it even on vacation and away from our house!