Please help me cope with normal family clutter

[Autumndays14]

Posting because I am at the end of my tether and know I need to trying and adjust my views or I will go mad. We are a family of 5 (7 and 5 year old and a baby). We live in a terrace house and the downstairs is all open plan albeit divided into 3 separate areas. I just cannot cope with the clutter of everyday life. It makes me feel physically sick to see it and I feel stressed just being in the house. Our main problem is that we don't have a hall and so coats, bags, shoes etc all make it into the main living space and seem to take up so much space. I can't embrace the chaos, it just drives me mad. Sorry, I am just venting really. Does anyone have tips of how to deal with clutter? I feel physically lighter when I throw anything away and it makes me so happy. I must just be crazy!!

Get rid of as much as you can.
Divide your open plan space into zones (just mentally, or with painting the floor, lighting etc) and work out what goes in which bit. Get as much storage in as you can - hooks, cabinets etc, be creative. Look at blogs about design for inspiration, e.g. tiny houses and house boats, there's so much dead space in a house that could be used for storage.
Make rules about not dumping stuff, and police them for everyone. You'll need to recruit DP for this. Might be easier to introduce a rule at a time, e.g. start with shoes away, then toys away, etc. With a reward system if need be.
But also bear in mind that nobody has a completely perfect house, those instagram types have just kicked all the clutter out of shot for a moment.

Thanks - you're right I need to recruit others as I tend to see it as my problem as it doesn't bother DH. He grew up with a neat freak mum and wants our kids to be more relaxed and able to enjoy our home. I think storage is key really. I am just not sure how to get creative. I need to get onto Pinterest I think! I need to involve the kids more. I just wish it didn't upset me so much. I dread birthdays and Christmas or the kids making anything as I don't know where the stuff will go

Could you use a blanket box or large chest for shoes and bags? Either against the wall in the living space nearest the door, or as a coffee table?

Likewise a wardrobe might be suitable for hanging outdoor coats and storing boots,hats and gloves.

Depending on the style of your home and budget, obviously.

We have a tiny terraced too and our problem at the moment is shoes, giant swim bags, school bags and coats...

It really is bags and coats and stuff. It's hopeless! Good idea about a box or something.

Coat Hooks in there room and Male sire they know to bring there bits straight to the room.
It's the small things I get the dc to do. Not loads but clothes in washing basket, hang coats up bring plates out.
Are you overly stressed about anything else?
Because when my mind is cluttered the house looks worse to me

We had 2 sets of cloak hooks - high up ones and a row beneath much lower so the DC could reach.

Take your time thinking about storage. You need to use the height of the room to the max.

Seriously declutter - even if it's a case of putting stuff in the lift if you're not ready to get rid. Kitchen cupboards - declutter so there is space in there for stuff too. We found a tall set of compact drawers much better in the dining area that anything else.

Toys and clothes - just gave what they need, we packed away toys that weren't getting used into the loft and rotated them.

Clothes we had 2 rails in one wardrobe for the DC baby clothes at the top and other kids on the lower one where they could reach. Same with drawers- tall set with baby stuff at top. You will wash so often how many clothes to the DC really need? I kept all their "best" stuff and got them wearing it! Washed it, dried as much on hangers as I could then straight into wardrobe. Got them to help sort out pants and socks and put away as a before bed activity.

Eventually we had a cloak cupboard built downstairs, worth it if you can.

Halloween - I think you're right that when I am stressed I tend to focus on the house more. I used to work 3 days a week and so I wasn't at home so much and in the evenings I gave myself a break as was tired from work. But now I seem to torture myself about it as I am in the house so much and feel like I should be tidying all the time

Thanks randommess (good name!) - we don't have a loft as we converted it but you are right that I need to get rid of stuff.

If you celebrate Christmas you have a heap more clutter turning up soon...

I have kallax for shoes, scarves, hats, bags etc. fit nicely under the stairs with a small section for coats next to it. no shoes left strewn about as everyone has their own box.

It's not easy to be at home a lot, I'm with lo and all I do is tidy move stuff all day, but 4pm it feels like I've been at work.
My oh had to take care of the house cause I was so sick, 2nd he said I don't know how you do it, it's driving me mad - and I've hadn't done half of what you do
I liked how he understood but sometimes it's like being in limbo.

Tbh OP, it also comes across to me that you might be stressed about something else but are 'blaming' the clutter for it. If you live in an open-plan house, it can't be a new thing for you?

Is there any scope to improve storage?

What’s under your stairs?
The coats, shoes and bags would drive me mad.
I have a cupboard under the stairs for coats and bags and this in the hallway for shoes
furniture123.co.uk/search-results/torino

Can you draw a basic plan of your downstairs for us, would really help? Does your front door open straight into your downstairs or do you have a closed-in porch?

Storage cubes are perfect for this type of living arrangement (we have same age children and living situations)

I have 2×9 set of storage cubes in my living area and these are used for all sorts (baby toys, arts and craft, electronic devices etc)

2 sets of coat hangers in our hallway and a set on our living room backdoor (I have a pushchair that gets in the way of one set of hangers, so find the extra set helpful!)

As for the rest of the clutter, I feel similar to you in that it is just everywhere. I just try my best to stay on top of it and definitely make sure I get rid of anything that's not needed. Children have 2x6 cube storage in their bedrooms too so this helps to keep their toys etc in and out of the way of the baby

We have the smallest hall imaginable. We have a vertical coat rack from ikea. Like this www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/small-storage-organisers/hooks-hangers/tjusig-hanger-white-art-60291708/

Shoe storage is the narrowest shoe cupboard ikea do, fixed to an interior door. www.ikea.com/gb/en/products/small-storage-organisers/shoe-cabinets/trones-shoe-cabinet-storage-white-art-00397307/

Those who said it's a stress thing I think you're probably right. I focus a lot of energy on worrying about it for some reason. Almost punishing myself for being at home all day yet it's still messy (I have 3 kids though and DH works about 80 hours a week so I know in my rational mind I am being hard on myself). I think volume of stuff is an issue as we all have too many shoes and coats. Under the stairs there is a tv on the wall unfortunately so a bit of a waste of space.

We technically have a hall but it's as wide as the front door so doesn't really count as couldn't hang up coats

We are like you , all open plan , we put coats away in wardrobes , shoes and bags ditto in bottom of wardrobe

Not much help but I’m glad it’s not just me that stresses over this. We’re in a flat and although it’s actually a decent size the clutter makes it feel so cramped and tiny. And yes to being at home more (I’m on maternity leave with number three) making it worse.

One ray of hope is that this baby is a boy and my older two are girls, so there’s a limited amount of stuff that can pass down to him. I’ve been ruthlessly charity shopping stuff as soon as DD2 grows out of it

Posted too soon - and only keeping stuff that a boy can wear as well. Another thing I’ve done this year is to challenge myself to get rid of one carrier bag a week of stuff either in the bin or to charity (I have a tracker to tick them off and everything ) which is a good incentive to clear out every so often

How are you storing coats at the minute?

(I am vaguely obsessed with coat storage, sadly)

Storage storage storage and bin anything you can.

We live in a terrace, do have a hall which helps but two coat racks one high one low, shoe rack, kallax all under the stairs. I regularly go round with a black bin bag and just ditch the shit.