Ask a room full of busy families where the mail ends up, and you will hear plenty of answers. The kitchen counter. The dining table. A stack by the door that grows until someone finally sorts it. One organizing creator took a close look at how another mom tackled that exact problem, and she has some ideas about how to make it faster.
The creator behind the channel The Minimal Mom opened her video by asking whether viewers have ever started decluttering and then wondered why it was not working. Her answer was to do something a little different. She went through a video from Meg of Millennial Meg, who was trying to find a spot for her mail, and shared what she herself would do instead. She says she got Meg’s permission first.
Forty Five Minutes In The Garage
Meg said she was trying to get a grip on her mail. She thought one area of her home might be the best spot for a mail system, but it was also serving some other functions at the time. She gave herself about 45 minutes at most to get it done.
Her first step was a practical one. She put the shoes in the cubbies, so she would not trip. As she stepped into the garage, it occurred to her that the garage might actually be the best place to leave mail, because that is where the whole family walks in and walks past things. She also said that while the usual advice is to look for trash first, she was going to start with the easy stuff. Among the things she found were little party favors from her daughter’s birthday about two years earlier.
The Minimal Mom was generous in her review. She says some things Meg is doing absolutely right in the space, and that she appreciates Meg’s thought process. But she also thinks a couple of things could be done differently, and that the whole job could be cut from 45 minutes down to 10.
The Time Will Tell Bin
A time will tell bin also comes up in the walkthrough, and The Minimal Mom says she appreciates what Meg does with it. Her own rule of thumb is simple. If there is one thing about an item that you do not love, you do not use it.
Where she disagrees is on leaving it sitting out. Her point is that clutter attracts clutter. That is when she suggests a clutter catcher basket.
The Clutter Catcher Basket Trick
The idea is a basket that gives random things a home, specifically items you are not yet sure are worth a permanent home. The Minimal Mom explains that you do not have to stand there and debate each one. A lot of these little things, she says, simply are not worth the time or the mental bandwidth it would take to decide on them right away.
She also offers a reassuring thought. Just because you do not know what something is does not mean you should get rid of it. And when you go through the basket later, there may be a handful of things you can let go.
How To Try It At Home
You do not need a special product to use this idea. Here is a simple way to get started.
- Pick a basket or bin. Any container you already own can work, as long as it is clearly the place for undecided items.
- Put it where the clutter tends to build up. Meg noticed that the garage is where everyone walks in, and that is exactly the kind of spot where small items land.
- Start with the easy stuff. Meg chose to look for the easy things first rather than the trash, which gets the momentum going.
- Do not argue with every item. If you are unsure, drop it in the basket and move on. That saves time and energy.
- Go back to it later. Set a reminder for yourself, then sort through what is left. You may find a handful of things that you are ready to let go.
Why Small Fixes Work
Many of us feel stuck with household clutter because we think organizing has to be a huge project. The Minimal Mom’s take is the opposite. A few small changes, like a basket for undecided things, can make a big difference. Her video is titled 7 Tiny Organizing Changes That Make a HUGE Difference.
It is also a good reminder that organizing is not about perfection. Meg gave herself a time limit and started with the easy things. The Minimal Mom then showed how to trim the process even more. Neither approach requires a trip to the store or a big budget. Both depend on making decisions in small steps and giving every item a place to land.
If you have a mail pile at your house, you might give the clutter catcher basket a try this week. Set a timer for ten minutes and see how far you get. You can see the full walkthrough on The Minimal Mom.
More Stories You May Like
- Professional Says You Do Not Need Another Bin You Need Six Decluttering Rules That Actually Work
- Minimalism Author Joshua Becker Shares the Powerful Question to Ask When Decluttering That Pushes Past Your Comfort Zone
- How to Thrift Things That Actually Sell Is Explained by a Reseller Who Says Most People Buy the Wrong Items
