3 Keys Thursday: Simple Habits for Making Progress When There's Plenty of Clutter, but NOT Plenty of Time

Dodgerton Skillhause via Morguefile

When we're striving for organization, clear, wide open spaces are beautiful to behold. Unfortunately, when life gets busy, those spaces fill up faster than free parking at the beach.

Committing to three simple habits can yield clear spaces amid the chaos -- even when life itself is chaotic.

Make the bed. I used to be haphazard about doing this, but when I read Marcia Ramsland's Simplify Your Life and she wrote that 50 -70% of your room is tidied up by this simple action, I was convinced. Now, even on days when it seems that every other surface is cluttered, that lovely stretch of bedspread is a balm for overwhelmed eyes.

Designate "no-drop" zones."Drop zones" are another popular concept when it comes to organization -- those assigned spaces where things reside temporarily when we first walk in the door. The trouble is, it's all too easy for drop zones to become homes and for piles to accumulate. To avoid every surface in your home becoming a "drop zone," designate a clear space as a "no drop" zone at a time when it's already blissfully clear. Then, stick to your guns -- don't put anything there, and don't allow anyone else to either. Feeling really brave? Designate a "no drop" zone in each room.

Give it Five! When you're feeling overwhelmed by clutter and/or time is scarce, set a timer and Give it Five! Better yet, set a timer and have everyone in the house Give it Five! When the timer goes off, you'll have made progress (I like to focus on clearing off one space if I truly have only five minutes). If you have time and you're so inclined, keep going beyond those five minutes, but remember that if you've given it five, you've met your goal. Now you're just showing off.

These three habits may not make your home clutter-free in busy times, but they'll ensure that your tired eyes have a place to rest, which is a pretty nice short-term solution.