Some spots in the home seem to collect clutter almost by magic: the kitchen worktop becomes a landing pad, the bedroom disappears beneath clothes and the charity bag by the door you meant to drop off last week is still sat there, mocking you.
It’s not always a willpower problem. Often, things gather where they’re easy to put down but awkward to put away. We asked professional organisers to share the ‘clutter magnet’ spots they see most often with their clients – and the small changes that can stop them becoming permanent fixtures.
Unopened post in the hallway or kitchen
Post is easy to put down when you come through the door, and easy to ignore when you’re short on time – but the longer it sits, the more daunting the pile can feel. Professional organiser Jo Jacob, from Benella Home Organisation, says people can put it off until it feels overwhelming.
Jo once helped a client who had more than a year’s worth of unopened envelopes. She suggests giving incoming post one designated place, such as a basket, and setting aside a regular time each week to open and action it. You can also unsubscribe from unwanted mail and switch to digital statements where possible.
Her mantra when it comes to clutter magnets is: ‘Whatever comes into your home needs to be actioned, have a place to go or it needs to leave.’
Kitchen worktops
‘Kitchen worktops are a big one because they become a landing spot for anything that doesn’t have an obvious home,’ says Emma Kenwrick-Meehan, interior designer and professional organiser behind Home Nip & Tuck. Paperwork, shopping bags and water bottles can all end up there, particularly as it’s a busy room that everyone passes through.
Emma says that when everyday items have no clear alternative, they can stay on the worktop long after they were put down. The pile then makes everyday jobs, such as preparing a meal, harder than they need to be. Notice what keeps landing there and give it a practical home nearby: hooks for bags, a tray for post or a convenient cupboard spot for water bottles.
The bedroom chair
Everyone knows what I mean when I suggest ‘the chair’ – the chair that was once designed for sitting has now slowly become an external wardrobe. Amount of clothes? Clean? Dirty? Nobody even knows any more. It’s an all too common clutter magnet in most homes.
‘Clutter tends to gather where it’s easiest to put something down and hardest to put it away,’ says Emma. If putting something away means opening an overfilled cupboard or taking it to another room, it’s likely to land on the nearest surface instead. Make the next step easier: clear some wardrobe space, add a laundry basket nearby or choose a small place for clothes you plan to wear again. If you’re throwing it on the chair because putting it away in the overstuffed wardrobe is too difficult, this is definitely a sign you’re well overdue a wardrobe declutter.
Donation bags
A clear-out can feel satisfying – until that bag you’ve now just filled for donations sits idly by in the hallway or boot of the car for the next six months. ‘When people clear out for charity and then the bags sit in their home or their cars for months, my tip is to always add a few bags on to another errand and do it straight away,’ says Jo. Working these habits into your pre-existing routines is a great way to make keeping clutter at bay second nature, rather than something to avoid.
The stairs
The stairs often become a halfway house for things that need to go upstairs – a clever idea on paper, putting something in our path as a reminder to action it, until we all become incredibly skilled at stepping over various miscellaneous items piling up on the naughty step.
Emma says clutter on frequently used surfaces and areas can make everyday tasks harder, as well as acting as a visual reminder of jobs still to do. The reminder only works if it means you do the job, rather than just make you feel guilty for ignoring it.
Instead of repeatedly shifting the same things, work out what keeps collecting and give it a nearby home. A basket at the bottom of the stairs can hold items to take up on your next trip to make the task less annoying or daunting, and much more doable.
The front door
Returns, donations, parcels to post and things to give back to friends can all end up waiting by the front door. The trouble is, without a plan for when they’ll leave, they can wait there for weeks.
Emma suggests giving these items a designated spot and setting a regular time to deal with them. Keep the space contained – a basket or one clearly defined area – and add the errand to your calendar or weekly routine.