Stop Turning Your Living Room into a Storage Unit!

Ever feel like your home is more “chaos central” than a cozy sanctuary? As moms, caregivers, or just busy humans, it’s easy to let clutter take over. But here’s a tip that might just save your sanity: Stop turning your Living Areas into Storage Spaces!

Living Areas
Living Areas are where life happens—magical movie nights in the living room, mealtime at the dining room table, and those fleeting moments when your family sits down to do an art project together. But when your living room starts looking like a storage unit, things can get tricky. How are you supposed to whip up a quick snack when the kitchen counter is buried under the remnants of last week’s school projects, wrappers, dirty dishes and that random thingamajiggy nobody knows what to do with?

Storage Spaces
Storage Spaces are where all those non-essential but still-needed items should go. Think cabinets, closets, basement shelves etc... These spaces are supposed to contain your stuff, not overflow into your “Living Areas” like a never-ending avalanche of clutter.

Why Mixing Them Up Is a Recipe for Disaster
Mixing up your Living Areas and Storage Spaces is like trying to cook a gourmet meal in a closet. It just doesn’t work. You’ll end up with piles of stuff in the places where you’re supposed to, you know, live. Imagine trying to relax on the couch while balancing a basket of unfolded laundry and a stack of unpaid bills. Not exactly a zen moment.

For caregivers, this clutter can be a double whammy. It’s hard enough juggling your loved one’s needs without tripping over last year’s Christmas decorations that never made it back to the attic. And moms, we all know the struggle of trying to find five minutes of peace in a house that looks like a tornado hit.

Real-Life Survival Tips

• Pending Box Method: Ideally, we want to get in the habit of putting things away right away, however, I get it, things happen! Let’s say everyone in your family is hangry & it’s crunch time to get supper on the table, but your counter is covered in miscellaneous stuff such as mail, school papers, toys, and random items. Establish a “pending box” as a temporary storage space to ensure that your counter is a clear living space so you can get crackin' on meal prepping.
• The Caregiver Shuffle: You’re helping your loved one get around, but the hallway is a minefield of shoes, random boxes, and the dog’s toys. Clear a path, designate a storage spot, and keep those areas free for safe, clutter-free movement.
• The Daily 5-Minute Pickup: Spend just five minutes a day going through and putting things back in their designated "Storage Spaces" or letting them go (i.e. donating, discarding of garbage). It might not sound like much, but those minutes add up, and soon you’ll find your Living Areas are, well, livable again.

Remember, Living Areas are for living, not storing. By keeping your home’s spaces distinct, you’ll not only reduce clutter but also make room for what really matters—family time and maybe even a little bit of relaxation.