The Decorating Tip That'll Make It Easier For You To Avoid Built-Up Clutter

Dining tables and other flat surfaces often become a magnet for clutter. How many times have you walked into your home and dumped an armful of groceries, backpacks, receipts, or spare change on the nearest surface top? It's certainly tempting to drop everything and "clean it up later," but there is one decorating tip you can use to limit your clutter clean-up. Try having a centerpiece for your dining room table and other flat surfaces to turn them from a drop-off zone into a classy, welcoming space.

Why would a centerpiece make such a difference? It's all about subconsciously preventing yourself from randomly dropping clutter and turning your tables into a focal point for the room. Whether you use a tiered shelf, a tray full of holiday décor, or a simple bouquet, adding a centerpiece can do wonders for your surfaces, and there are plenty of other tips to keep your home clutter-free. 

Create A Positive Center Of Attention

Whether it's your dining table, coffee table, or the top of a dresser, don't treat your flat surfaces like an afterthought. Instead, add a centerpiece to draw the eye to the middle of the surface and make it feel purposeful. Because the visual appearance is nice, you'll be more likely to keep clutter away and enjoy the space. In addition to creating a pretty focal point, having a pretty bouquet or arrangement in the middle of the surface also physically limits your ability to pile on items without moving the centerpiece. You can even go the extra mile by adding placemats to your dining room table, which are fun to change seasonally and provide another subconscious barrier against clutter.  

Of course, there's a trick to styling your centerpiece so it doesn't just look like more clutter. Less is more when it comes to table décor. Our brains find odd numbers more appealing, so one way to ensure your arrangement looks flawless is to follow the interior designers' rule of three or rule of five. For example, a simple formula could be a flower arrangement, one large candle, and one small decorative item. Place your centerpiece on a simple tray to ground the look and make it easy to move and reset as needed. 

Set Yourself Up For Success

Sometimes clutter is just a part of life, but it doesn't have to build up on every surface and become an anxiety-inducing eyesore. First, make an effort to tidy up a little bit every evening. Clear all the clutter off the table before dinner, but don't worry about putting things away yet. Just transfer them to a new location, like a large basket in the living room. Before getting ready for bed, pick up your clutter basket and put things away where they belong. This could even be part of your nightly kitchen closing duties. When things sit on the table for too long, we can become blind to the clutter, so sometimes this change of scenery is all you need!Finally, try to set some boundaries around your flat surfaces. It's important to decide what you want to use the space for and stick firmly to that intention. For example, keys must go in the key bowl, not on the dining table, and mail should get sorted as soon as it's brought inside. Keep your entryway clean and organized by installing hooks and bins, maybe even a shoe rack or purse shelf. Use catch-all buckets and baskets sparingly, such as an "inbox" mail basket by the door, a lidded box for charging cords, and a piggy bank for spare change. This way, you can filter out the clutter from your arms before it travels into the house.