Easiest Way to Get Rid of Someone Else’s Annoying Clutter

Dear K & K: My wife is driving me crazy with the amount of clutter she leaves hanging around our apartment. Some of it is important papers. But other things are random bags, junk or even trash that she leaves lying around for weeks on end. That is, if I don’t attend to them first. It seriously stresses me out to live this way. What’s the easiest way to get rid of someone else’s annoying clutter?? Sincerely: Stressed out in Strousburg.

Dear Stressed Out: Kelly, a Classic, feels exactly as you do about her husband even though he ironically is also a Classic. He leaves his suitcase in their bedroom for weeks after a business trip until Kelly complains. Please imagine Kelly’s eyes rolling right now. It’s annoying because you don’t know what’s permanent clutter and what’s eventually going away. Like Kelly, you know clutter happens but likely prefer it happens behind closed doors when it does. The easiest way to get rid of someone else’s annoying clutter is a three-step solution.

First, you guys both need a cubby — as does anyone in your house. It sounds like your wife’s cubby should be large enough to handle a bin for papers and a bag or two so you need to find a free shelf or two somewhere. Whenever you find something that’s not in its home, this is where you put it. Second, have a waylay station, a bin, a hamper — hidden somewhere that will not annoy you — for things that you think perhaps are trash. Every once in awhile ask her to go through these or warn her that you’re about to throw out or donate things. Finally, have a talk with your wife about this new system or there will be hell to pay. And to make the system really hum, get her input to tweak it so it works for her.

And last but not least, read our post on a woman whose husband couldn’t stand the piles of paper she kept on her nightstand. We think it’ll help you better understand your wife’s point of view. Best of luck! Katie & Kelly