I love my messy house, said no one ever. This is my one solution to keep our house clutter free!
I try to keep our place free of unnecessary house clutter laying around, putting things back where they belong when I’m finished and keeping organized. Yet, when I look around, I always find one or two small things that need to go back to its place. Walking up 3 flights of stairs in our townhouse to put something little away, such as my nail polish, seemed silly and exhausting (although it definitely counted as a workout).
Enter: Decorative Baskets
I bought these 3 matching baskets, one for each floor of our townhouse, to store any clutter in that needs to be put away. Initially I debated whether to do this or not, as the baskets were actually additional clutter themselves. But within no time, these baskets were used on a daily, if not hourly basis. Anytime there was something to put away on a different floor, I just drop it in the basket. Then when I do need to go up or downstairs, I bring the basket with me and drop off all the clutter to it’s home.
With the baskets all matching, it’s easy to swap these out as I bring one basket upstairs for a delivery and another downstairs.
Added benefit: it’s the best for a quick clean before guests come, literally throwing everything away in the baskets!
Another idea is to give a basket to each member of the family to put their items in, but since it’s just Joe & me (and really most of the clutter is mine), one basket on each floor worked best for us.
UPDATE: Although Joe & I don’t have separate baskets, I decided that Reagan, the newest member of our family, needed a DIY version just for her!
Now that I’m not walking up and down the stairs as much, I should probably get a gym membership!
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That’s so clever! I NEED to do this. So bad at just leaving things lying around. A pretty basket would at least contain the mess until I deal with it 🙂
In many ways men are so lucky. They never have to deal with clutter, baskets, and cleaning every nook and cranny of a home is truly a daunting job. Men never have to clean out drawers, know that there is a button missing on an article of clothing and actually know how to sew it on. Every single room in the home is the women’s job to clean, bathrooms and knowing when you are nearly out of supplies, changing beds, laundry, grocery shopping, cooking, and then if there are children there is another long list of things to be done and looked after.. Wow, I feel tired after writing this. Understanding good men do realize all the work women do and have made the decision to help out.
Hi Lindsay! This is so smart. I usually just pile everything up on the stairs, and it looks cluttered. Perhaps I need to be on the lookout for some new, cute staircase baskets. 🙂
What a great idea! I’m notorious for clutter scattering!
This is a great tip. I’ve been reading a book entitled “Taming the To-Do List.” The author has a chapter on a similar subject. The book has been incredibly helpful in my quest to get more organized and keep my house more clutter free (a real challenge for 2 people who are pack-rats). Blessings!
I love baskets for organizing things! It always seems like a simple solution…until you don’t think of it.
Great tip – I use baskets to keep winter scarves, gloves and hats; to keep socks for each member of our house – otherwise it’s an unorganized mess.
I’ll need to find a stair sized basket! We usually just put things on the stairs and walk around it many times before I finally deal with it! They are usually socks!
They have stair-step baskets! They fit on 2 steps are fantastic!!
I’ve been hearing about these and I think I’m going to have to try them out! Genius!
This is a great idea. We all need baskets to round our stuff up and take them to our rooms. Thanks for the tip.
This is perfect! I’ve been hosting MinsgameBOSS on my blog this month and we have a huge community joining us in decluttering this month! Great idea! Thanks for sharing on the Small Victories Sunday Linkup!
Just getting things to the right floor of the house is a good 75% of the battle! I do this from time to time with laundry baskets, but using a set of pretty, interchangeable is a great idea.
Hi Lindsay. I love your baskets. I’ve been using this system for years except my baskets aren’t as pretty as yours. Thanks for sharing this great tip. I am pinning and following you. I look forward to reading more organizing tips.
And if you get a chance, I’d love it if you checked out our Creative Challenge Link Party.
Best wishes, Darlene
I love the idea of using a basket for each floor! I am moving to a three floor home soon and this will come in handy for keeping the clutter low and my four kids. We use baskets for everything else why not this too! Thanks for the idea!
JEM
PS. I came by from Inspire Me Monday Linky Party
Love this idea. I pile stuff on our stairs all the time.
I love decorative baskets. Thank you so much for sharing!
I found you at themodestmomblog.com
Thank you for this tip! I’m getting some of these ASAP!!! 🙂
Great idea. I live in an apartment so no stairs, but I do keep a “clutter basket” that I try to empty once a week.
What a great idea! We only have one floor, but still the clutter adds up! Thanks for sharing at the Thoughtful Spot!
Nice! They’re sort of like a catch-all. I keep one by my desk for electronic cords and what not. It’d be great to implement this idea in other areas of the house as well.
That’s a great idea! This would be very good for our main room. Thanks for sharing & have a great week 🙂
We are big basket fans in my house too. Plus we are also too lazy to walk up and down the stair to out 1 tiny thing away. I have seen this tip before and started using it in my house and it really makes such a difference doesn’t it! #allaboutyou
Simple but effective! They are the best tips. Thanks for sharing this goodie on our Tips & Tricks Linky. I love seeing what you share every week.
Patti
A great idea… although I fear my lot (all boys) would use it as a dumping ground for anything I told them to put away. Then refuse to ACTUALLY put it away! 🙂
#AllAboutYou
If you dump their stuff out of the basket and onto their beds, they will be quick to put it all away. Especially if you take the cords to their TV and game consoles until they do! And yes, this does work!
I’m so obsessed with this baskets! I love them!
Thanks for joining Cooking and Crafting with J & J!
I need this in my life. Such a great idea!
I’m always putting shoes and toys at the bottom of the stairs as I clean. I never thought of the fact that the baskets would make it easier to carry the items upstairs, lol. The baskets also look a lot nicer. Thanks for the tip! Visiting from The Alder Collective Link-Up!
I need more beautiful baskets in my life! This is a great idea.
Thanks for linking up with The Alder Collective! Your posts have been pinned to our group board. We hope you’ll join us again next Tuesday at 8 pm EST!
Wow! I love this! I am the queen of annoying and numerous piles! Coming to you from #EspressosofFaith via #WomenWithIntentionWednesdays! Blessings!
Yes! Baskets are a great help. One of my friends has three (one for each of her kids) that they are responsible for keeping on the stairs and emptying.
Yes, I sometimes use a similar tactic. Fascinated that you only find “one or two” items out of place. With two small children it’s finding items in the correct place that comes as a surprise. #sharewithme
I love baskets especially when they have a dual purpose….decorative & organizational tool. We occasionally use this method on our staircase & it really did work. I need to get back to this…great post & reminder. Thank you for linking up to our Small Victories Sunday Linkup.
I don’t have the pretty baskets but I totally collect things on the stairs to take up when I’m going the next time. With a chronic illness that makes my feet hurt, it saves me a few steps and a little pain. Of course, when my littlest son was home with me, I would send him up and down the stairs for me to at least get the clutter in the right room. He has boundless energy!
Congrats on being one of the Featured Bloggers this weekend on Small Victories Sunday Linkup !
Great idea. I am always sitting things on the stairs to go up when I go up because I don’t use the upstairs unless company is here.
Fantastic idea! I need to do this on our stairs. Dh complains about the clutter, but the baskets would make everything look so much better.
Lindsay, I LOVE this idea! I put stuff on the stairs or landing to take when I go up or down and put them away. However, I just stack the ‘stuff’ or have it in a grocery bag. I need to follow your example and have it in pretty boxes, it would look so much nicer and a bit covered up too, lol. Thanks for the tip. Carrie, A Mother’s Shadow
Hi Lindsey! I’m thinking this is a pretty fantastic idea! ; ) Although my downfall may come when I never empty them!! Yikes!!
Great idea! We’ll be moving to a three story house soon so I’ll definitely implement this!
I am a huge fan of decorative boxes or any box /container in my house. I have them everywhere and sadly all full up too. I love storage. lol Thank you for stopping by LTM and linking up to SWM. I hope to see you again tomorrow for another great round of #sharewithme
Lindsay, I love the matching basket idea. I always have a pile at the end of the stairs and that looks so much nicer!
I found you on Pinterventures and I loved your URL name.
I had to come to your site.
I am not crazy -organized — just crazy. haha
Baskets are a good idea.
I had a huge problem with my kids leaving stuff downstairs and when asked to put it away they just put it on the stairs! I go stark raving mad if things get too disorganized but unfortunately my husband and kids are not similarly inclined. I picked up 3 cute woven baskets from ikea and make little tags with everyone’s initials which I ached with a twine bow and now the everything goes in the baskets and the baskets get emptied regularly! As an added bonus the baskets not only reduced the clutter but added some charm to out otherwise bland stairway!
LOVE the idea of name tags for the kiddos! I was laughing and nodding as I was reading your comment. I think I’m the only one in my house that goes mad when stuff gets too cluttered too! hahaha!
We use tote bags, but baskets are so much more convenient and just better looking, too! Thanks for the tip!
I love this. We needed an entry table and I needed baskets for small laundry, items to leave the home and clutter for the basement so we purchase the shelf with squares that hold baskets and did essentially the same thing. I physically cannot take the stairs most days so it has been ideal.
Thank you for sharing with others.
When I saw your pin, my first thought was…The trash can? 🙂 I’ve done a lot of baskets around the house to help with clutter, but my family is multiplying and I’ve come to the conclusion that I just need a bigger house. lol
haha, at times I think it SHOULD be a garbage can. I have WAY too much stuff 🙂
Omg this is so smart! I used to do the same sort of thing but ended up just stuffing the basket away!
awww thanks so much! appreciate you stopping by!!
BTW I love your blog and am so thrilled u replyed
Years ago I had a cute basket that sat on the stairs. It actually sat on 2 stairs and was shaped like the stairs. I wonder whatever happened to it!
I’ve seen those shaped like stairs! Whoever thought of that is genius 🙂
I tried this with my girls. They each got a basket with their name on it. I was the only one to use them. Hubby didn’t get the point. He still complains there stuff is still not where it belongs.
This is a great idea! I am always looking for an excuse to buy cute baskets! I’ve tried the wall mail organizing system, but it still ends up on the counter or coffee table! I am going to have to try this!
I’ve been using baskets for years and I love them. Only problem is no one else in my family bothers to use them. 🙁
OMG thats our problem too!! 🙂
I love this! Our house is only one floor though. I wonder if I could find a spot for baskets to go to the kids’ rooms and our room. Everything seems to end up in the kitchen or on the liiving room floor.
Exact same with us…. everything ends up in the kitchen! Having baskets for each person would work great! I don’t do it mostly because it’s just Joe & me AND all the stuff is usually mine 🙁
When I was in a single story home, I used baskets in the doorway of each bedroom if someone left something out. They would have to move the basket to get into their rooms, so there was no need to remind them to empty! If not emptied in a reasonable amount of time, it got dumped on the appropriate bed!
That’s brilliant! I absolutely love it! Thanks so much for sharing.
I have used baskets since I married as he is very untidy! So easy to chuck his clothes etc into the baskets and deal with it later! Three levels in our house so lots of stair climbing, no wonder i am thin hahaha
Love this! I do this, too, and it helps SO much (even though our home is only one story with no stairs). It’s most helpful for us for kids toys that find their ways out of the bedrooms. Instead of staring at the mess all day I can toss the toys into our beautiful basket as soon as they’re discovered then put them all away at a later time. 🙂
I used to do this when I had 8 kids in the house. We had a basket for each upstairs bedroom (4) and one for the bathroom. In the evening, 10 minutes before bedtime, everyone had to search and find at least 1 item for the baskets to pick up end of the day objects.. We would do this also just before company came over. It worked extremely well for years.
The basket idea is a great one. We only have one level and it’s only me and my husband now. However, l can see it working when my children were smaller. Currently, my husband and l watch TV in different rooms. I am on the front part of the house, and when I retire to the bedroom, l load the basket with whatever l was using whether it’s books, magazines or writing out the bills, leaving the room clutter free. I love it. Planning to get a basket for my husband too! Thanks.
What a simple idea, I love it! We always have piles of stuff either at the top or the bottom of the stairs to go to the other floors. This way it wont look like we’ve just dumped everything.