Combatting Clutter

Last night, we were hanging out with one of our favorite families. 

They were telling a story about when they first got married and he would come home and set his keys, wallet, and various other pocket items down in a certain spot.

My dear girlfriend does not like clutter. 

She got very upset with him and the story of their fight was hilarious in a way that HH and I could totally relate because of the fights over trivialities that we remember from our first year of marriage.

This whole conversation got me thinking about clutter and then when we came home, it got me noticing every area of clutter in our house. 

It was like someone had taken a highlighter pen to it all. 

You see, I don't like clutter either.

In fact, I can't stand it.

But, somehow between our years of construction and then having four boys and then moving into a house half the size of our old house, I must have given up.

Sometimes I feel like I am playing dodge ball with the clutter—it comes in the door, I sort it, throw it way, put it in a stack. But, then more and more balls start coming to me and no matter what I do, I can't catch all those balls or jump out of their way. 

But, today I was ready to fight it. 

And when I get in a mood like that, I just have to go with it because who knows when it will strike me again. 

So, off I went to Target.

Because who wants to combat clutter without doing a little shopping first?

Actually, I went to buy some bins.

I knew I needed some new desk organizing bins, some for the kids DVDs and Wii games, a few for some storage in our bedroom and a magazine basket.

Can I tell you that cute bins just make organizing so much fun?

I didn't take any pictures. 

Sorry.

I was on a mission.

I can't stand jobs that take more than one day. 

I love the feeling of starting a job and finishing it in a day, so there was no time for playing around. 

I apologize in advance if this post has put a highlighter pen to your own clutter.

But, I can tell you that if you go out and get yourself some cute bins, throw out what you don't need, donate what others can use, and organize what is left, 

you will feel oh so much better.

I am one happy camper looking around my house right now and that will last until...

oh, about 7am when my kids wake up and come downstairs and start putting stuff everywhere. 

Do you have any good tips for combatting clutter?