There are certain places in our homes where we leave out items because we think it is more convenient. For example, we leave something on a counter because it is easier for us to grab it the next time we need it.
We see this happen at countless places in our home: the kitchen, the bathroom, the living room, the office, the bedroom.
Consider items like:
- small appliances on our kitchen counters
- toiletries beside our bathroom sinks
- office supplies on our home-office desktop
- DVDs on the entertainment center
- tools on our tool benches
- art supplies, keys, canisters, magazines, newspapers, a knife block
By leaving these things out in the open, we think we’re saving time when we need them and we think we’re simplifying our lives, but the result is anything but. I call this the “convenience fallacy.” And it’s a huge source of the visual clutter in our homes.
Sure, by leaving them out, you may save a couple of seconds when you want to grab one of them. But for the other 99.9 percent of the time they’re sitting out, where they create visual distraction, get in the way, add to the disorganization of our spaces, and attract more clutter.
Consider those old CDs you’ve held on to for years in a CD tower in your family room. Since it would take very little time to pull a CD out of a storage cabinet and put it back when you’re done, wouldn’t it be better to store them out of sight instead of where it’s contributing to clutter and acting as a visual distraction in your space?
The same goes for most, if not all, of the things we leave out for “convenience” around the house. They actually spend far more time as clutter than in service to our lives and our environment.
For example, if you make toast for breakfast, it will take you roughly three minutes to toast your bread. After that, the toaster will sit unused, on your countertop, for the next twenty-three hours and fifty-seven minutes.
Is leaving the toaster out where it’s taking up space and creating visual distraction worth the few seconds you will save pulling it out when you’re ready to drop your slice of bread into it in the morning? Think of all the times you’ve needed to move it to clean around, or behind, or had to shuffle it about to create more working space on your counter.
Rather than allowing these appliances to take up space, find a home for them in an easily accessed part of the kitchen, such as inside a cabinet or on a shelf. When you do, you will immediately reduce the amount of visible clutter for both you and your guests.
How to Overcome the Convenience Fallacy:
1. Notice, and identify. Look around the room you are sitting in right now—maybe you are reading this in your living room, your bedroom, great room, or office (or maybe you need to wait until you get home). Where can you see the convenience fallacy at play? A coffee maker, a teapot, a blender, a video game controller, a stack of unread magazines or newspapers, a stapler, maybe even an unnecessary clock. Take note of how many items you leave out simply for “convenience-sake.”
2. Clear unneeded possessions from cabinets and drawers. One reason, understandably, people leave items out on visible surfaces is because their cabinets are so full, they don’t have space for those appliances to be put away anyway. In order to overcome the convenience fallacy in your home, you’ll actually need to minimize the possessions that are hidden away. But once you’ve gotten rid of things in your drawers and cabinets and under the sink, you can put more things away and keep that counter beautifully clean.
3. Find a new home, out-of-sight. Organizers will tell you it is best to keep the most-frequently used items in-front of rarely-used items, so they are easier to reach. That is good advice. Which of the items on your counter really do get used? And on what basis? Keep the most frequently used items stored out of sight, but near the front so they are easy to reach. In my home, that means the toaster and the coffee maker are in the front of our kitchen cabinet, while the tea pot and hand mixer are in the back… and the canisters of baking goods are kept in the pantry.
4. Be intentional at the beginning to store items away. Habits can be tough to break. Once you have found a new home for your Convenience Items, be intentional and diligent to put them away—especially at the beginning. After a short while, you will begin to appreciate the empty space and those items will feel like clutter when you forget to put them away. But at the beginning, you’ll need to re-program yourself through intention to put things away immediately after use.
5. Take special note of the new, empty space. There is wonderful possibility in empty spaces. It keeps our eyes, minds, and attention focused on other things than material possessions. An empty space can be used for anything, at any time. Energy is free to flow. And an uncluttered space is less likely to attract more clutter. Notice these benefits as you clear surfaces and keep them clutter free.
There are many different factors that contribute to the clutter in our home. The “convenience fallacy” is one of the them. Now that you are aware of it, notice it in your own home and I’ll work to notice it in mine. And together, we’ll live more focused, intentional lives, focused on the things that matter.
Nance Burrell says
BEAUTIFUL REMINDER …
Thanks
Eve says
Such great advise. I decided from the beginning to only allow three things on each counter top, dresser top, table etc. It made such a difference. On my dining table I put flowers or a bowl of fruit. That’s it. Things will accumulate fast if you let them put one extra thing down. I have to stay on it but it’s worth it.
Ola says
I’ve never heard the term “convenience fallacy” and I really like it. I used it as an excuse all the time… but now that my space is limited I actually put things away, and with the toast example it (maybe) adds 30 seconds to my total time.
It’s more convenient too, since I have space to set out my waffle maker when I feel like waffles instead of toast.
A win-win.
Mary Jane Pore says
Thank you for all your suggestions. Recently I thought I was putting my house up for sale so I had a realtor help me decide what to put away. After tackling that project I decided to refinance the house. As I continue on this journey of simplifying I felt less stress and it was much easier to keep my house clean and working my fulltime job. I am realizing I am outgrowing too many conveniences. I am also realizing I can give some of my prized possessions away to people that will appreciate them. I am also documenting what I use on a daily basis creating a new grocery list and the items that I use daily in my house. It is a challenge to live in a more simple way to open the doors to new things that I will enjoy while my house is more organized to come home to. When my house is decluttered I feel happier. I always keep my desk decluttered, too, so I can be ready for work when I arrive each day. Here’s to a SIMPLE LIFE in 2019!
Kate says
Clutter free surfaces are wonderful, but it is just plain silly to lump coffee makers and toasters with DVDs, toiletries, and art supplies.
I’ve tried it both ways. At some point I had to apply common sense and not be a zealot about this stuff.
First, dragging regularly-used appliances out of storage every day and plugging them in is an inconvenient waste of time in my morning routine.
Second, assuming a kitchen even has the needed storage space, appliances need to be cooled down, clean and dry before storing in a closed cupboard or drawer.
Third, cleaning crumbs that inevitably fall out of a toaster going in and out of storage is more challenging than simply wiping a countertop. Plus, crumbs attract insects. Stowing a coffeemaker that is not fully dried out can lead to mildew and mold.
Fourth, while some prefer an empty counter look, most people tend to prefer a space that feels inviting without being cluttered. When houses are staged for sale, kitchen appeal increases when otherwise bare counters sport a bowl of fruit, an attractive cookbook, pretty plant, etc. to project a warm, welcoming feel to prospective buyers.
Mary Ann says
Kate, my thoughts exactly.
Gina says
Ditto this – I am all for everything in its place. The toaster’s place is on the counter. There is no way I am lugging that thing out of a cupboard every time I want toast.
Jenny says
I leave my dental floss out on the counter by my electric toothbrush. While this might be regarded as clutter, its presence provides the visual clue I need to floss. When flossing consistently becomes ingrained in my grooming habits, it shouldn’t be necessary to keep it out.
Sometimes leaving an object out such as floss or running shoes can help provide a cue when one is attempting to establish a positive change in behavior.
Karen T. says
Jenny, I agree that when establishing a new habit or routine, visual reminders are a must! Your idea is a good one.
I have a table near my front door where I put grocery lists (once I’ve written them), or library books that need to be returned, or bills to be mailed. It looks cluttered until I pick everything up to leave the house, but it insures I don’t forget anything. It’s a very useful space. But it’s not covered with dusty piles of junk mail or stuff that I never got around to putting away…just with “pending” items for that day. So it’s not really clutter at all.
I think the term “clutter” applies to stuff that’s just out in sight for really no reason. It’s not used regularly, it’s not beautiful, it’s not a visual reminder…it’s just there. It should either be put away, given away, or tossed. Maybe that’s what this post is talking about, rather than suggesting a completely empty/”sterile” home.
CJ says
Thank you for this post. I have followed you for years and appreciate the tips. We’ll see what my husband thinks when he arrives home from work to see that I’ve hidden his espresso maker and bathroom supplies! Hope he gets used to it and keeps it up. :)
D says
I have clear counters for the most part and I get asked where my stuff is when people walk in. My kitchen is also my entry. But I do still have a knife block out. How do you store knives safelty out of sight? Without taking up a bunch of room? I also leave the toaster out as we use it 1-2x a day. I appreciated the other comment about not wanting to move it because the crumbs some how come out and get everywhere. Thanks for the long term commitmemt to this blog. I’ve been reading for many years.
Mary Ann says
Although I really appreciate this blog and have learned so much from it, this particular post goes WAY too far for me. And actually makes me wonder about the sensibilities behind this.
The goals here — nothing on any surfaces, anywhere — strike me as extreme, and as contributing to a sterile space.
For example, I would never put the toaster away every day, for all the reasons people have mentioned. Picking it up after it cools, folding up the cord, crumbs falling everywhere — and for what? So that the countertop is absolutely empty of anything? No thanks.
Same idea for other things that I use daily.
There’s a difference between wanting a neat, tidy, uncluttered space — and being so extreme about it that it becomes… um… too extreme.
Mary Ann says
Sorry, D, I put my comment in the wrong place. I didn’t intend it as a reply to yours, but rather just as a comment on the main blog post.
Kristine says
I use a strip magnet that attaches to the wall. I love seeing all the knives in a row so I can easily grab the one I need.
Like this one:
https://www.amazon.com/Modern-Innovations-Stainless-Multipurpose-Organizer/dp/B016ISHAC8/ref=sr_1_4?crid=3FNMZRX7KKACC&keywords=magnetic+knife+strip&qid=1646588079&s=home-garden&sprefix=magnetic+knife+strip%2Cgarden%2C91&sr=1-4
Jen says
It was transforming when I went through and cleaned off everything form my surfaces. First it made me clean out the other places they would stay. Secondly, I keep out what I find useful every day so the blender and electric tea kettle are mainstays on the counter. I also have a vessel of cooking tools since I use them almost daily and find it a great help to have them in a grab and go set up. I find things rooms so much more peaceful with clear surfaces (as much as possible.)
Daniela says
I couldn’t put the coffee maker away, just from it’s sheer size, and also that we use it for half the day. Also, I like to open it and let it dry out properly before its next use. But I have started putting my toaster and some other things away, and that’s created more counter space. It’s great, and takes no time at all! What I have a hard time putting away though, are things like medication or supplements, because “out of sight, out of mind.” I forget to take them or give the kids theirs if I don’t see them sitting out. For my supplements, at least, I realized I can keep them next to my bed, out of sight, and it’s actually made it easier to remember to take them!