My clutter is invisible. It has become part of the landscape of my home, and I didn’t even see it happening.
We are getting ready to move, and my realtor said, “Just declutter and then we will get pictures.” I about spit out my tea.
My realtor is a friend. She knows I blog about decluttering. Nothing will humble you more than being told you are still growing, even in your own field.
Where does the clutter come from?
What happened?
I’ll tell you what happened. Our clutter became invisible.
We started homeschooling this year. We added a shelf, and we kept our homeschooling to that one shelf. I was pretty proud.
We didn’t have an entire room dedicated to a schoolroom. We used our kitchen table, the great outdoors, and apparently this shelf, at max capacity.
Slowly, with time, our clutter started to simply become part of the landscape of our home. That’s just where stuff went so it was easily accessible. My home wasn’t really cluttered, was it?
I mean, we were spending a lot of time there, but surely things were as orderly as they had always been. Turns out, not so much.
Invisible clutter
I started to look around. Like really, really look around.
I was walking through my house as a prospective buyer. I was being critical, and I saw things I had not seen in years. Maybe this has happened to you.
Take a look around your home right now. Choose a clean space.
Really, do it.
Looking at this “clean space”, do you see clutter?
So often, our clutter becomes invisible. Things find permanent homes in a space, even the CLEAN spaces where they don’t belong.
How does that happen?!
>> Don’t have a clean space? Try these twenty quick hit areas to declutter to help make a dent in the mess!
Identify your dumping ground
One easy spot where clutter becomes invisible is at your dumping ground.
Do you have a dumping ground?
It’s that spot where you literally dump all the things when you come in the door, or when you’re busy or don’t know where those items go.
It’s almost like a junk drawer, but often visible.
After a while, many of us forget our dumping grounds are even a mess. It’s just that spot where we put things.
Heck, we may even think the area is “clean” or clutter-free because all the areas around it are cleared, and that’s where our dumping items belong… even though they don’t.
Has your dumping ground become a host for invisible clutter?
>> Check out this post on how to really declutter your dumping ground, finally finding a home for ALL THE THINGS.
Look at your flat surfaces
I love decluttering flat surfaces. This is where clutter often becomes organized or perfectly decorated, so it’s extra invisible.
Take a look at the following areas for the invisible clutter:
- Shelves
- Counters
- Furniture tops
- Nightstand
- Table
- Desk
What do you see on these flat surfaces?
Maybe you’ve decorated, buying the most up to date knick-knacks.
Maybe you put out seasonal décor with every new holiday or season.
Or maybe you are showcasing your collections, but your collections look cluttered and messy, as there are no shining stars.
Grab a box or a laundry basket, and start removing items that don’t belong or seem like too much.
Before you know it, you will realize some of those items had become invisible, just another part of the landscape in your home.
>> Learn more about the flat surface clutter rule.
Peek into your closets
As we were preparing for our move, I started to look into our closets for clutter.
I was surprised, even with all my organizing and decluttering tactics, there was still clutter to be handled.
In theory, there’s a one-in, one-out rule in our home, especially with clothing. However, it’s easy to forget the one-out and just fully embrace the one-in! 😉
Grab a bag and look for some easy items to toss or donate right now.
Maybe you have a few pairs of shoes (that you hate) taking up valuable space on a shoe rack or on the floor.
Check out your closet shelves.
Are there items up there you long ago decided you were done with but have become invisible? Go ahead and grab them for donation.
Related posts: Declutter Your Closets Fast
Look under your counters
Like your closets, under your kitchen and bathroom counters become little invisible clutter grounds.
It’s so easy to decide you don’t like a new hair product or cleaning product and then buy a different one. Then, when the new one comes home, we don’t get rid of the stuff we don’t use any longer.
Grab a trash bag or donation bag and go check it out. You might be able to set a timer for just five minutes and clear out a decent amount.
Related post: Create a Minimalist Bathroom
Change your mindset
Even if you aren’t planning to move, pretend you are moving.
Start in a corner and scan the room.
Are there things you wouldn’t take with you? Why not?
Go ahead and grab a box. Throw in the items you aren’t taking with you on your pretend move and get rid of them.
This new mindset makes your invisible clutter visible once again, as you are finally looking at it differently.
Related Post: Where To Take Your Clutter
Don’t let clutter become invisible
Clutter can easily become a permanent part of your home’s landscape, ultimately making it invisible to you.
Look at your home with a fresh, new perspective.
Scan the room. Do this daily for a week or two, just five minutes at a time. You may be surprised what you see that you didn’t see before.
Related Posts:
Declutter To Reduce Stress and Anxiety
How to Declutter When Your Family Hates It
Quotes to Inspire You to Slow Down in Life
Thank you for giving it a name. I was sitting on my couch the other day looking at the bookcases that flank our tv. It has pretty baskets corralling my kids toys. They are even organized by dolls, car track, and art supplies. But I was starring at the shelves thinking something’s still wrong. It’s because they aren’t neat. They are overflowing and it’s exactly as you say, become invisible clutter. Thank you for the reminder.