We all have piles. If there is someone out there that doesn’t have a pile of “stuff” somewhere in their house I need to meet you. Recently, a very dear friend of mine was asking about how I tame the kitchen clutter pile. You know that stack of “who knows what” that accumulates over a day . . . or days . . . or weeks. It may start out with some artwork from school, or receipts, or mail. No matter what is starts with, it never seems to end. It can easily ruin a great design of a space and nobody wants that. So I am here today to open up the door into my clutter pile. I am in no way claiming that my system is fantastic. I will say that it is the best it has ever been. I will share my tips, but more than anything, I am hoping to open up an honest dialog about our piles of junk! Let’s get control of it. Here are my three biggest tips with some photos to back it up! Tip #1: DO NOT hide the pile. Whatever you do, do not tuck the pile away in a spot where it can’t be seen. I have learned that it only grows bigger when it is out of sight. 
So this is where all of the junk goes during the day. It starts out each morning looking like this! I can walk downstairs, start my coffee, and have a clutter free space for about . . . . ummmm. . . maybe 40 minutes! I’ll take it. So the key is to have it in plain sight. Don’t hide it away. After the preschool drop off, it starts to look like this. {notice the Starbucks green stick, the random sticker, and the sunglasses} And so it begins. 
Over the course of the day, this is how my little tray will look: 
Tip #2: Deal with the pile EVERY NIGHT. If you don’t, it will only get worse. So it makes me weak just looking at this. I detest the pile. However, there is actually a method to my madness. So I let it build up all day long and I try not to care. That has already helped. Just admitting that it’s a necessary evil to running a smooth household. In our house, I cook dinner and my hubby cleans up. So after he is done cleaning the kitchen {and normally after the kiddos are in bed or while they are watching their evening show} I swoop in and take FIVE minutes to get rid of the pile. That is all it takes. First, I get rid of all the trash. Then I make a pile of the little toys that have accumulated {my daughter puts them away in the morning}. Then I just sort. The bills go immediately on top of our laptop. The rest of the papers are hole punched and put into the appropriate binders. I keep the binders around the corner in our Expedit. You can read more about that here. 
Tip #3: Binders can be your best friend. I have a binder for preschool, home improvements/maintenance, mommy info, and medical paperwork. These binders have cleared the clutter in a major way. 
I have always LOVED binders. I have dividers in each one. If you don’t have time to hole punch and put each piece in place, then just sort and stick the few papers in the front pocket. You can put them behind the correct dividers next time. They make life so easy. If I need to know something about he preschool schedule or grab a phone number, I just take out the binder and there it is. I just use the white binders {Costco has had them recently} and put scrapbook paper in the clear pocket to make them pretty. I honestly timed the whole process last night and it took just over four minutes. That is four minutes well spent if you ask me because I can go to bed at night with my kitchen once again looking like this. Things are organized and in their place {at least for a few hours of the day}! 
So this is what has been working over here for a while now. In the interest of full disclosure {haha} there are nights where we are out late or things are too crazy and I don’t sort through the junk. If that happens I try to do it in the morning when I wake up. I really have learned that if I let it build up, it seriously gets out of control. I would love to hear how you handle the pile. I am always up for a better idea and I know there are lots of us out there that need some more tips. Do share! If you want to email me a photo I would be happy to do a post on other organizational ideas for the dreaded pile.
Hmm, I'm liking this idea. I have file folders in a basket in our kitchen, which I prefer to a binder. Just eliminates the hole punching and bulk of the binder. But, your's are so pretty.
Brittany
http://www.prettyhandygirl.com
Great post! I despise piles!! My family however, could care less. I am very quick to sort our mail the minute it is in my hands…we have mail slots above my desk in the kitchen, so you could call them "organized" piles I suppose. I throw out any junk mail immediately, put the bills in the bill slot, coupons in another slot, magazines/catalogs in our basket in the family room, and anything else that needs attention goes in another slot to be gone through as soon as I get the chance (but usually the same day as it came in). I too am a HUGE fan of binders. I have one for Important Phone Numbers, one for take-out menus, one for each of the girls school papers (even the one in college), one for favorite recipes, etc. I love the idea of purchasing the white binders and personalizing them with scrapbook paper!! I do have to say, I am a sahm with a hubby who is at work all day, a teen in high school and then at sports later and one in college. So, my piles aren't what they were when they were younger!
Ahh! Another girl in love with binders!!! I knew I liked you. I forgot about the magazine basket in the family room. We do that too. I am envious of your desk kitchen. Must be a great "hub" for the house. Have a great weekend with your family.
Love your kitchen and your tray. Great idea. I try to handle it as it comes in. Sometimes that works and sometimes it doesn. Hugs, Marty
I just wanted you to know you have almost exactly the kitchen that i want. We just inherited the house I grew up in and it needs lots of remodeling. just saved a pic of your kitchen to show the husband, because he can't picture my vision!
Wow, sometimes it takes a genius to point out the simplest things. Since I have moved, I haven't been able to figure out where to put the file cabinet. Well, forget the file cabinet! Pretty binders!!
I have been following you for a while and love your home and ideas. This is a great post. With 3 kids I have piles of school (after school and Church) paper everywhere and have not found an easy solution for it. I will have to try the binder method. But,please share how you divide your binder. Thanks! Lydia By the way, I don't have a blog and just have you on my favorites…is there any other way I can get your updated blog? Thanks again.
Ugh, piles!!! My husband thrives on piles…he even sings "Pilemaker, pilemaker, make me a pile!" I like binders too, but I curretly have a pile of stuff waiting to be placed in one!
I'm looking around at all my piles now, thanks a lot. I will use this post as motivation and go tackle them!
Hi Lydia! So happy to have you following. Prior to having a blog, I used my favorites as well. I will have to look into whether their is a different way. The binders all vary. The medical one is divided by each person in our family. {all paid bills, receipts, etc go in each section} Home is divided by car maintenance, home maintenance, decorating, improvements, inspiration. Preschool is just chronological plus a section for calendar and phone numbers. I think that covers it. Please email if you need more details. Very happy to help!
I could talk about organizing all day! Our pile is on the kitchen counter and it drives me nuts!! I always have to take my husband's mail (and stuff) into his office. I use an accordion file for bills, medical docs, style files, etc. James has his own accordion file (decorated of course:) for things that pertain to him like all my research about daycares, his medical info, things I want to scrapbook. Coupons go into a cute holder in my purse, receipts into another box. Our biggest pile is a box of stuff that needs to be shredded that we haven't gotten to yet. I like your system and your cute tray. Also, now I see where your chalkboard lives most of the time- great spot:)
What a great idea, I love it. Organization is definitely a weak point for me. I love the binders as well, keeps everything tidy, and you always know where to look for it. thanks!
Great post! I have been trying to tame the pile for a while now. Thanks for your tips.
Agreed! I don't know anyone who doesn't have a "pile" in at least one place in their home. I like your idea of having a tray that acts as a resting place, I may have to try that out as my bar is mine and can get a little out of control!
Great post! Thanks for visiting my blog!
Courtney, thanks for responding to my post. It does help. I will be shopping soon for binders and pretty paper to make them look cute. I will continue to follow you on my favs. Loved the picture of you and hubby at the Eiffel tower. Have one of me and hubby, before kiddos too. 🙂 Thanks again. Lydia
I am new to your blog. From what I've seen I really love it. You have great advice especially this idea. So true, if you hide it, it only grows. I will now be on the look out for something to put our daily pile. THANKS!!!
I am new to your blog and loving it. Thanks for your valuable tips! I have to admit that I have hidden a pile or two in my life! The tray is such a great idea. And I love the binder trick too!
Oh, I know about "the pile." ugh! it grows so fast…paper is the worst culprit.
So you are the only one tier- still love ya!
how can i miss this? one day, ill show you all my kitchen work desk ~ its a mess! courtney to the rescue, pls!
I love that you shared your tips for taming the pile! I am wondering… can you share more about your binders? For instance, what categories do you have? What do you do with receipts? Do you also keep a filing cabinet, or are the binders in place of that? Lots of questions, but I'm curious to know more!
The tip about binders is a great idea! I think that I may have to try that. My kitchen junk pile is always horrible and I only go through it about once a week, but I'm determined to try a daily sort-and-clean like you've suggested. Thanks!
I am going to show this post to my husband. I think he believes I am the only person with this issue!! Our kitchen counter takes the brunt of our "pile" stuff. The trick with this plan is dealing with it every night. I'm more productive in the morning, so might have to adapt this plan to be dealt with the next AM. My question is: how do you organize your binders? Can you provide me a link to a post you might have done on that? Or could do please do a post? 🙂 Thanks! Enjoying your site. Referred over here by Ms. Simple Daisy! Love her!
I know this is an old post, but I LOVE your binder idea. I might just scrap the idea of using filing cabinets and bins, and go with this!
How do you decide what goes in the tray? Do you find yourself not wanting to stick something in the tray because you know you'll have to go through it later? Is it just for whatever you have in your hands when you walk in the door? I think it sounds like a great idea. I'm one of those people that has to have it all figured out before I start, though. Ha! 🙂 -Jenny
I really like this idea! i may have missed this info… but where did you find that tray? I really like the look of it! thank you for all of the information that you provide. I am new to your blog, but will be visiting often!
Hi, I love your blog! Can I ask where you got the tray? It's so cute and this is exactly the idea I needed to keep my kitchen clutter free. Thanks!
Great advice.. I need to reign in on the piles (I know horrible) that I have all over my place 🙁