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Years ago I talked about this tip and today I’m bringing it back because it’s still working for usĀ and I think it’s a great tip!
QUICK TIP : Use a basket (or a bag, bin, or tub)Ā to corral items from one area to be returned later to another area.
We do a little clean up in the evenings before dinner – I either set a timer for the kids for 5 minutes or we’ll just have a contest to see who can pick up the most items from the lower level. (With a preschooler that loves Duplos, this is pretty easy.) Ā The kids bring any itemsĀ upstairs that need to be in their rooms and they check the basket on the steps to see what else needs to be returned to their proper places.
How do the items get in the basket? It’s basically anything that we don’t want to bring upstairs right now. So during the day it might be a couple socks left on the floor or a toy I find in the refrigerator and it can also be if the kids don’t want to bring it up right now. This works well for us because sometimes you just don’t want to go all the way upstairs to put one sock away. (Yes, this sounds lazy, butĀ I betĀ you feel this way too :)) Ā Everything gets returned to its proper place at the end of the day and that’s what matters.
So tell me – do you have an ‘on your way up basket’?
Alice @ Mums Make Lists Says...
Great tip Becky – I am a big devotee of “tidy baskets” (aka mess baskets) which is the stuff that needs to find its way home but really would be helpful to have one at the bottom of the stairs so more of it actually makes it up every day!
CBrooke Says...
I do this all the time and it works for me, although I don’t have a basket. I just set items on the stairs – a book that I want to finish reading before bed, my son’s library book from school, toiletry items just bought from the store, etc. I’m glad you posted this, because it reminds me that having a basket would certainly be a nicer way to contain everything should someone come to the front door. š
Morgan McRory Says...
This is a great idea, and I’ve tried something like it before, but I always end up with a basket full of junk I have no home for. :S Also, we live in a single floor apt, so it’d just be called the ‘full of junk I’ll never put away’ basket. š Any suggestions of the little nick-nacks that don’t have a home (things that don’t really have any ‘like’ items)?
I may start leaving one by my boys’ bedroom door while their napping, though. It always ends up that when I clean while they nap the majority of the clutter around needs to go in their room, and having a cute basket to corral it would help š
Carmen Says...
Hi there.
Great idea. We have been putting the items loose on our stairs so when we go upstairs we take them but I love the basket idea and I have plenty of those to put this in place.
Thanks for the idea. ????
Queenbee Says...
This is a great tip. I usually end up using a laundry basket at the end of the week and pile all the things that accumulated downstairs and load up the basket. The daily basket clean up is a better idea. I love all your tips and tricks. Keep em comin!
Alison Palmer Says...
*I’ve been using this strategy since I was a kid. My mom always would put things on the stairs for us kids to take upstairs on our next trip. I still do it today.
Cleaner Enthusiast @ Paul's Cleaning Melbourne Says...
This is truly genius! I love how simple but practical the idea is. I have a huge clutter problem at home and I need to catch on some better organizational habits, and this one sound great. Thanks for sharing!
Em Says...
We have an “on your way up” trail of stuff that takes up the right half of our stairs š maybe a basket that can be carried up each night would help.
Wendy Says...
This reminds me when I was a child, Saturday morning was cleaning day. Everybody had a “step” (or two). Everything that belonged upstairs was put on their step as we cleaned. They were usually full so couldn’t GET upstairs until everybody took their stuff up to their rooms! Lol Also, got to pick what downstairs room we wanted to clean in order of getting up so being the first one up and getting started was certainly an advantage! My mother was a genius!!!!!!!
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