Tips For Keeping Clutter At Bay In Your NYC Apartment

Two DIY blue poka-dotted bins within a white shelf that is seperating bills from receipts
Photo Credit: https://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/

Ahh, NYC–home of the tiny apartment, and an even tinier closet! It wasn’t until I moved to New York that I realized how important–scratch that–ESSENTIAL it is to keep clutter at bay. Here’s 5 tried and true tips I swear by for keeping a tidy living space.

White and blue DIY cabinet with whicker baskets on top
Photo Credit: https://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/

Sort Mail the Second it’s in the House

Save yourself from a pile of mail and sort those envelops the second they come in. Take care of any letters/bills that require immediate attention and discard the rest into a bin. If you’re in need of some organization tips, A Bowl Full of Lemons can help you get the job done!

And as for junk mail? Unless you’re planning to use catalogs for making a collage, go ahead and recycle those too!  Clean out your digital mailbox and unsubscribe from mailing lists you have no use for (which I bet is most of them!) Not only will this cut down on the mail that comes to the house, but you’ll be doing your part to save a tree or two.

By following these quick tips, you’ll soon see that the little piles of paper/envelopes/catalogs that tend to collect are no longer an issue.

10. A Modern Family Bathroom Makeover - Pretty Fluffy for IHeart Organising
Photo Credit: https://www.iheartorganizing.com/

Use Up What you Have Before you Buy More

This rule applies to everything: shampoo, body wash, peanut butter, aluminum foil. The only thing that gets a pass on this rule is toilet paper (because that could be kind of tragic in a certain situation, now wouldn’t it?) But seriously, take a look around areas that tend to collect clutter in your apartment. Your bathroom, for instance. How many lotions do you have lining the medicine cabinet? How long have they been there? When do you anticipate you would ever need that much lotion!?

If you’re looking to section off your bathroom space, do what IHeart Organizing did and design a space for anything and everything! Use disposable items up before purchasing more. You’re not only cutting down on clutter, but also making your wallet happy! Less stuff in means less money out. Who could complain about that?

Inside a modern organized pantry with organized white shelves
Photo Credit: www.minnesotacabinets.net

Get Rid of Duplicates

Let’s talk kitchen appliances. That quesadilla maker is nice, sure, but in actuality it pretty much does the same function as your panini press and George Foreman grill. Clear some space, and only keep the one that you use the most.

How about gym clothes? Do you really need 17 t-shirts and 10 pairs of yoga pants? Closet space is precious, people, and by keeping only your favorite few, you’ll be encouraged to do laundry on a more regular basis. A win for everyone!

Take Care of that Clutter

Do you hoard those little plastic takeout containers? Granted, they are really nice, but will you ever really have a need for 20 of them?  Probably not.  And what about soy sauce packets, chopsticks, and paper plates that come with takeout orders? While I can understand you may feel bad throwing them away, you’ll probably never have a need for an entire drawer of soy sauce. Instead, bring all this random stuff to your place of work (or local public school) and stick them in the communal cafeteria (or teacher’s lounge) where they’ll actually have a chance to get used. You’ll be helping out a coworker in need of a soy sauce fix and clearing space in your apartment.

Overview of a modern uncluttered kitchen counter
Photo Credit: https://www.hgtv.com/

Have a Home for Everything

This may sound a bit Marie Kondo-ish and time consuming, but I promise it works. The reason things tend to build up in high traffic places (think kitchen counter, dining room table, living room coffee table) is because they don’t have a proper home. By putting your bag away in it’s place the second you walk through the door, your keys on the key hook, your shoes on the shoe rack, and your jacket in the closet, there will be no buildup of stuff around your apartment. Everything will be snugly tucked away for the night, and you can also go to bed knowing the clutter is, alas, at bay!

What are your best tips for keeping yourself organized?  Share your secrets on our Twitter and Facebook!

Posted in Apartment Living NYC, manhattan living |