What's the secret to keeping the kitchen table clean? - Page 2

[crunchy_mommy]

We have (had!) the same issue right down to the entry door opening up to the kitchen table. What we ended up doing is refurbishing a desk we found on the side of the road & putting that in the same room as the table. We made sure to find a desk with lots of drawers. So now the old mail etc. goes in the drawers 'til I find time to organize it, projects can be done right at the desk, and there's a space between the desk & the wall where I can throw my backpack & bags from an outing if I don't have time to put it all away immediately.

Two weeks since we got the desk and TWO WHOLE WEEKS of being able to eat at the table!!! YAY!

[kayabrink]

We have an extra chair at the table... I stack stuff on the chair and push the chair in so you can't see the clutter. every now and then I declutter thid chair properly.
soon, i'll have to think up a new system so dd can use this chair...

[sunnysandiegan]

I think the key is to find new homes for the items that seem to live on the table. New permanent homes and then develop the habit of putting them there. It takes some time and may take a few rounds of "new" homes before it becomes routine.

Papers, for example, used to be the main issue for us. I had too many "homes" for papers and they inevitably ended up wherever someone left them because they couldn't remember where they were supposed to go. Enter "the tray". DH has an old metal tray that he likes. It was clutter to me, but since he really liked it we brainstormed on a way to make it useful (thereby changing its clutter status). "The tray" is where all incoming papers of any sort go in our house now. It is located next to the computer where I do finances every week and I flip the whole tray over every Tuesday morning to empty its contents. I go through each piece of paper and take care of it, if possible, right then and there. Most are finance-related, which is what determined the location, but even DD's school papers and my "oh, I want to scrapbook that" stuff goes there (and so on). Everyone in the house knows where to put any and all incoming papers now. No questions, easy.

Also, what someone else said upthread, we commit to eating every single meal at the table. Placemats help, too. We are a family of three and have four placemats at the table. Those four areas are always clear! Our table is big enough that DD can do art projects or homework at either end of the table and leave the placemats alone. If the project requires more space, she (or we) can move the placemats (usually by stacking them all on top of each other) easily enough. She knows we eat every meal at the table (and she loves food!), so she returns the table to meal-ready status when she is done. She has grown up this way, though, so she doesn't really know any different. KWIM? DH & I are the biggest offenders and required the most "retraining"....

[PacificNWMom]

I agree that the key to a clean table is to have a place for everything, so that when a family member is done using the table (for projects or whatnot) they can put the items where they belong. This may take some getting used to, but it is definitely worth it.

We use our table everyday for homeschool and/or crafts. My daughter also likes to sit at the table and paint or draw just about every day, so I understand the need to constantly clear the table.

Here is what works for us...

We live in an apartment, so I had to get creative with storage space. Our kitchen and dining room are separated by a granite ledge/counter -- the type that you can use with bar stools. Rather than set bar stools under the ledge (our table is too close anyway), I put a bookcase, craft storage bins, and one of those plastic 3-drawer storage bins under the ledge/counter. These storage areas work together to hold all of her books and craft stuff. The short distance between the table and the storage areas makes putting everything away a simple task.

We eat dinner together every night as a family, so the table has to be cleaned off before we eat. I suppose that helps keep it cleared off as well.

[lucyem]

What worked for us was having a toddler. When anything was left on the table became fair game it was amazing how clean the table was

Though now that he is older the table gets messy again.....

[2lilsweetfoxes]

Originally Posted by ikesmom

I don't know if a cubby for each person would help because that is just another space to pile stuff. We use napkin holders for our mail , receipts, papers ect. I put a charging station on our bakers rack for phones and keys and pocket stuff. My problem is drinking cups all over the kitchen and if you ask anyone " it's not mine:"

No one claims the cup: the drink gets tossed down the drain and the cup into the dishwasher (or sink if the dishwasher is running: ours only has 2 modes: dirty or washing--I run it at night and empty it first thing in the morning as my coffee brews).

Our big problem is the island counter in our kitchen. It is like your table. Right by the door, and used as a dumping ground. I clear it off, but things just keep finding their way back onto it. Such an eyesore. I have to have my phone with me at all times, so I charge it in my room at night. I think I'll give each kid an underbed storage box (small) for their art projects, get a filing box for the things we need to keep that I just have thrown on there: shot records, pet records, homeschooling pamphlets (in a temporary file, of course--to be tossed or kept when we decide what we are going to do). We have a hook for keys, but keys rarely make it there. The only thing that really needs to be there is the family notebook opened to the proper week's motivated Mom's page.

I think the big issue is that one thing gets put down, then another, then another until it is a big issue.

[ParisApril]

Our house is small 850sq/ft so we have a rule that once you are done with a toy or project you have to put it away.

We eat every meal at the island that is our table. Because of that I have to clean it off 3X a day and that keeps it clean.

We have a small canoe shelf on the wall in the living room by the front door that has 3 shelves in it. One is for sunglasses. One is for DH's wallet, keys and etc. And one is for my wallet and keys etc.

We don't have a lot of papers piling up anymore now that I'm HSing the kids and we put a NO JUNK MAIL, FLYERS OR NEWSPAPERS sign on the mailbox.

Our fridge blocks a corner of the counter from view of most of the house so I keep our glasses there(we use the same cups over and over) and I've started piling the dishes to dry there as well.

[BunnySlippers]

Originally Posted by lifeguard

Not a clue. We eat at one end & the stuff piles up on the other.

ya, that, . When the pile starts to topple and spread to the chairs I go through it and start over.
Im working on just not setting anything down on the table.