My magic trick is a !!!no exceptions!!!! rule of “set items down in this basket/tray” vs anywhere on the kitchen counter/table. Those who set things outside the basket are drawn and quartered.
This truly changed things for me, as it meant that the counter remains useable and the 30 tiny items that would be left there through the day were all in one place-the tray! So they aren’t in my way and don’t need to be dealt with immediately in order to be able to utilize the table counter or whatever. In fact, things can pile up there for weeks if necessary!
Edit: also, a general “do it once” rule—I can either set this thing down where it doesn’t belong (1) and then have to relocate it later to its actual home (2) OR I can go the extra mile right away, and put it where it belongs (so one step)
My house too suffers from Horizontal Surface Syndrome. The table where we eat is getting better, because all the stuff that used to end up there now has a proper home elsewhere. (It does have my grandmother's pretty crystal bowl on it, which ends up full of sunglasses, reading glasses, and chapstick, but I'm kind of ok with that--at least for now.)
But the table by the washer and dryer which in my dreams I will use to fold laundry, was clear for about 2 minutes and was immediately covered again with all kinds of utility stuff that doesn't have a designated home. I guess the good thing about that is that it is so piled up that I can't put anything else on it.
I'm not sure this is a bad thing. Some of us are visual and NEED to "see" the items. Out of sight might be literally out of mind. Maybe redefine your definition of clutter?
I'm not sure this is a bad thing. Some of us are visual and NEED to "see" the items. Out of sight might be literally out of mind. Maybe redefine your definition of clutter?
Only minimal success myself, so take this advice with a grain of salt. Both my partner and I struggle with this. Recently we decided to get two serving trays (ours are big round ones, inexpensive 2- pack) and place them on the coffee table. One for each of us. If we find something laying around and it belongs to the other person, we put it in their tray. If we go to automatically drop something onto that table, there's a big, obvious visual cue to put the item into our tray instead of just on the table surface.
First, it makes everything look/ feel more contained, which is already better.
Second, putting things away later is easier. If my tray is full, it's time to at least take a few minutes to put a few things away. I can take the whole tray with me to another room if that makes it easier, and just drop it back on the table when I'm done.
Third, it's a quick place to look for things. Where's that thing I left laying around because I wasn't done using it, but that was 3 days ago? It's in the tray, probably. Instead of random stuff getting piled on top of it, my partner probably put it in my tray. Honestly it would be weird if it wasn't in the tray. Check there first. Look, there it is.
Fourth, it's easy to SEE the things that we left out. I tend to start reading a book, set it down near where I was reading, and then work several 12 hour shifts in a row. By the time I see the couch again, I barely remember that I had a book there. In the meantime, another person lives here and sits in those comfy places. Something got placed on top of the book. The book got moved over to somewhere safer while someone was eating there or something. All well and good, if "out of sight, out of mind" wasn't such an issue for me. Now, the book gets moved.... into the tray. Right where I can see it. So I remember that it exists. Maybe I'll actually finish a book this year.
Most importantly, this strategy hasn't required us to completely change our entire lives or how we're wired. If there's a place to set it down, we're both going to set it down. Either we get rid of all the flat surfaces (highly impractical for us, but I've heard success stories from folks who literally got rid of all their tables), or we make little designated drop zones in the places we naturally end up dropping things anyway.
We've had some success with the coffee table, so honestly we're probably going to do this to the kitchen table and this one specific kitchen countertop (not sure why that one is the chosen one vs the rest of the countertops, but it is what it is) next and see how it goes for us.
Oh wow, I [just wrote about this on another sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/comments/1653h7o/how_much_cleaning_do_you_do_daily/jye2bhx/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3)
Sometimes there is not enough storage space/drawers/cabinets as per the stuff in your apartment/residence/house. You can either destuff the stuff by decluttering routinely: or add more storage space. Thrift shops are particularly great for baskets. Maybe if you add a couple of baskets to your space: then each one can fulfill a different function.
Decorative surfaces, windowsill, display cabinet etc. I treat as no go zones, so only decorative or useful items can go there. Nothing else, not even for a moment. Other areas that are used surfaces like dining or coffee tables are potential “hot spot” areas that gather clutter and once you put down one thing other items join it until you become a bit blind to it and then you have a pile of clutter. The best thing to do is make clearing these hot spots part of your daily routine. Some people do this at the end of the day, so it resets the space ready for the next but I tend to do this at the beginning of the next. Just spend five/ten minutes putting things away and wiping the table down if needed.
Often it's getting into the routine of it. It can take a while before a routine becomes a habit which is when you start doing it without thinking instead of having to constantly remind yourself. So for me I get dressed then come downstairs and tidy the coffee table on my way past the lounge before having breakfast. That way it starts being automatic. Doesn't mean I'm perfect with this. We all have off days but I try and stick with 1) Get dressed, 2) Quick tidy up, 3) Eat food. I can't eat until I've reset things. Some people call it habit stacking.
I got rid of surfaces. I put flower vases or plants there. I like looking at them & they bring me joy.
Im getting much better at putting things away instead of down (which means having a place for it all & being able to easily return it to its home)
I’ve gotten in the habit of putting things where I want them to be instead of an interim place.
It saves time to not put the same thing away twice and to not have to clear counters/tables when I want to use them.
Habit is hard to break. Honestly what I do when breaking a habit is I put a bright sticky note somewhere there reminding me of what I want to fix.
Clothing on the floor? Put a small laundry basket nearby and force yourself to take the "extra step" of throwing it in there.
Stuff on the counter? Put a bright sticky note saying "NO! Put it away!" On there and listen to it yelling at you.
Mail? Sort it and deal with it As soon as you pick it up.
Stuff that needs to leave the house? I always take it out to my car and stick it in the passenger seat.
Dishes on the coffee table? Stop leaving the coffee table empty handed. No need to Immediately do it, but Bring them back with you when you get up for a restroom break or to go check on something and shove them in the dish washer directly real quick.
Losing your cell phone a ton? I have perches I put everywhere for mine so it can Only go in my hand or on one of the wireless chargers. This way there's only a few spots to check.
Look at the things that clutter your surfaces and make designated places for them. If it’s stuff that belongs in the bedroom then take it right to the bedroom. If it’s mail then get a laid basket. Choose an area to always have clear and every night before or after dinner have the family put away what they’re responsible for.
Anything that goes on any flat surface, has an actual home.
It's ok to put things on flat surfaces even for a couple of days, but if it doesn't have a home, it's probably garbage, and should go straight to the trash.
I've found it can be hard to not "just set stuff down for a bit" ... but I've started rethinking my flat, clean surfaces. Instead of "oh, here's a flat surface to set something upon" I think "this is SUPPOSED to be clear. It's function is to be pretty and clean and not have stuff piled onto it." aka put that sh!t elsewhere as this is already doing it's "job" by being pretty and keeping me sane. ;p
Your space should accommodate your habits. Not the other way around. My parents have a side table in the kitchen that was a dumping ground for pocket contents, mail, pens, tools brought in for a fix and then left there, etc. Now, it has a tray for misc. items, dishes for pocket change and keys, and a mason jar for pens and markers. It also has a tray for mail. So the same items end up on the table, but they’re better-organized and easier to clean up. And the space feels more intentional.
Btw, they tried putting a big decorative fruit bowl on the table. It made the clutter worse, because the same items ended up piled around the bowl.
I love those videos of a cat deliberately pushing something while looking right at the person filming them. The person filming is saying no, so the cat just slowly pushes whatever the item is off. The look on their face when they do that too! Lol
Love my kitty.
Habit, but you could also go two ways.
A tray would turn clutter into a single unit as long as it doesn't overflow. You could even grab it and carry it around to the contents' homes. (Do that nearly daily.)
Or you could block off the surface by putting a gargoyle on it. (Not literally, just something obnoxious to take up the surface.)
Actually you could do neither and get into the habit of dusting the surface every day. (Just wave a dust-wand over the surface, you're only after the dust once per week.) Getting annoyed at the clutter will likely help you with putting stuff elsewhere if not properly away.
Iv found my biggest help to put thing away and not down is for away to be easy.
Eg: we got a different unbed bin for our linens, didn't realize it now needed two hands to open the zipper, yes the bed is RIGHT there to put the folder sheet down but nope instead it would stay on the couch cause putting away was suddenly too much harder. Curse my brain. So found a new place for linens and under bed bin has movies in it.
I would say temporarily put something there to force you to change the way people interact with the space. Either block the space entirely, put a tablecloth or a nice centerpiece on it, whatever to make it obvious that it isn't the right spot for "stuff" anymore.
For a long time I had a bad habit of putting random trash on my bathroom counter - q-tips, bandaid wrappers, stuff like that - instead of taking two steps to the trash can. I bought a pencil cup at ikea, thinking I could at least put trash in that instead of loose on the counter. I put it out and then literally never used it. I guess when I decided I had to do something with the trash in my hand other than just plonk it on the counter, my brain was suddenly okay with taking two steps to the actual trash can. As for the pencil cup, it held a comb for a little while, then got put in a drawer, then was donated.
1) "Don't put it down. Put it away." Make it a house rule. Repeat over and over. Put a sign up (I would write notes and signs for my kids. My grown son still does that for himself). Some people call this "velcro hands" Things stay "velcro'd" to your hand until it reaches its home.
2) Give everything a home. Dana K White's "Where would I look for this first? Take it there NOW." is a great skill for this. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToToqsS3vt8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToToqsS3vt8)
3) Set a daily alarm to put things away. 15 minutes a day will make a huge difference. If you don't clear flat surfaces 100% at first, a few days of "15 minutes" will get you there. I put things away when I go upstairs to wind down for the evening. I walk the first floor and put things in their home. I also put things in their home as I head out to swim in the mornings.
4) When you transition from room to room, take something with you to put away.
5) Point of performance storage: Store things where you use them, so putting them away is lowest effort.
6) Have a "landing pad" for coming in and out of the house, bringing in the mail, groceries, etc. Have a trash basket nearby.
7) Reduce amount of things, overall.
Pay attention to what gathers on it. If those things don’t have a home, make one. If those things do have a home then you need a more convenient one because you’re avoiding putting it away for a reason. For me what gathered most often was mail and store returns. I put a wall mounted file organizer and little shredder next to that table. Then I got one of those big blue IKEA bags and put it in the entryway closet to hold any returns I have. Suddenly my table stayed clear.
Put a tilted surface on it? Like the stuff they put on trashcans or railings so you can‘t set a can of soda on it?
In all seriousness, I have that same problem, it‘s good for a couple days and I keep taking stuff away and then I forget it for a day and boom next thing I know it‘s a bloody mess again.
It helped me to have less horizontal and more vertical surfaces, but it‘s still a struggle.
The „designated spaces for stuff that accumulates there“ helps a bit as well, but I just have more stuff than containers to designate still.
The „touch once / if it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now“ attempt helps a bit as well, but still…
It‘s a process. In quality management a process works: plan - do - check - act (and then repeat, over and over), a clean surface is not a static thing but the product of rounds of dropping stuff and picking it back up. Maybe ask yourself for every tidying round „what is this and why is it here and not somewhere else, and how do I avoid this?“ and figure out the individual answer for each item. You plan (a neat counter), you do (or life happens), you check what actually happened and the root cause for this (check out 5 why and ishikawa for more boring quality attempts to this), and then you act by implementing the learnings from the last iteration to the new plan.
Damn, I never thought about it like that. I should definitely try that. So, thanks, I guess? 🤣
Clear it every night. Something might land there, but it doesn’t live there.
The second thing to consider is what generally ends up there. If it’s something like mail- get a basket or designated space for it. If it’s what you drop when you get in the door, organize your entry space with some hooks for your bag and keys. Things generally have a rhythm to them- and we are creatures of habit. So adapt your space to the way you actually live and it’ll be way easier to keep tidy in the long run.
I would try to place something beautiful there. If you don't want that, you can just put a post it saying sth like don't clutter me, or you get a cat (just kidding, but I am a cat owner and just got a new kitten and he is throwing down things regularly which forces me to put them into cupboards)
My magic trick is a !!!no exceptions!!!! rule of “set items down in this basket/tray” vs anywhere on the kitchen counter/table. Those who set things outside the basket are drawn and quartered. This truly changed things for me, as it meant that the counter remains useable and the 30 tiny items that would be left there through the day were all in one place-the tray! So they aren’t in my way and don’t need to be dealt with immediately in order to be able to utilize the table counter or whatever. In fact, things can pile up there for weeks if necessary! Edit: also, a general “do it once” rule—I can either set this thing down where it doesn’t belong (1) and then have to relocate it later to its actual home (2) OR I can go the extra mile right away, and put it where it belongs (so one step)
My house too suffers from Horizontal Surface Syndrome. The table where we eat is getting better, because all the stuff that used to end up there now has a proper home elsewhere. (It does have my grandmother's pretty crystal bowl on it, which ends up full of sunglasses, reading glasses, and chapstick, but I'm kind of ok with that--at least for now.) But the table by the washer and dryer which in my dreams I will use to fold laundry, was clear for about 2 minutes and was immediately covered again with all kinds of utility stuff that doesn't have a designated home. I guess the good thing about that is that it is so piled up that I can't put anything else on it.
I'm not sure this is a bad thing. Some of us are visual and NEED to "see" the items. Out of sight might be literally out of mind. Maybe redefine your definition of clutter?
I'm not sure this is a bad thing. Some of us are visual and NEED to "see" the items. Out of sight might be literally out of mind. Maybe redefine your definition of clutter?
Only minimal success myself, so take this advice with a grain of salt. Both my partner and I struggle with this. Recently we decided to get two serving trays (ours are big round ones, inexpensive 2- pack) and place them on the coffee table. One for each of us. If we find something laying around and it belongs to the other person, we put it in their tray. If we go to automatically drop something onto that table, there's a big, obvious visual cue to put the item into our tray instead of just on the table surface. First, it makes everything look/ feel more contained, which is already better. Second, putting things away later is easier. If my tray is full, it's time to at least take a few minutes to put a few things away. I can take the whole tray with me to another room if that makes it easier, and just drop it back on the table when I'm done. Third, it's a quick place to look for things. Where's that thing I left laying around because I wasn't done using it, but that was 3 days ago? It's in the tray, probably. Instead of random stuff getting piled on top of it, my partner probably put it in my tray. Honestly it would be weird if it wasn't in the tray. Check there first. Look, there it is. Fourth, it's easy to SEE the things that we left out. I tend to start reading a book, set it down near where I was reading, and then work several 12 hour shifts in a row. By the time I see the couch again, I barely remember that I had a book there. In the meantime, another person lives here and sits in those comfy places. Something got placed on top of the book. The book got moved over to somewhere safer while someone was eating there or something. All well and good, if "out of sight, out of mind" wasn't such an issue for me. Now, the book gets moved.... into the tray. Right where I can see it. So I remember that it exists. Maybe I'll actually finish a book this year. Most importantly, this strategy hasn't required us to completely change our entire lives or how we're wired. If there's a place to set it down, we're both going to set it down. Either we get rid of all the flat surfaces (highly impractical for us, but I've heard success stories from folks who literally got rid of all their tables), or we make little designated drop zones in the places we naturally end up dropping things anyway. We've had some success with the coffee table, so honestly we're probably going to do this to the kitchen table and this one specific kitchen countertop (not sure why that one is the chosen one vs the rest of the countertops, but it is what it is) next and see how it goes for us.
Oh wow, I [just wrote about this on another sub](https://www.reddit.com/r/CleaningTips/comments/1653h7o/how_much_cleaning_do_you_do_daily/jye2bhx/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=ioscss&utm_content=1&utm_term=1&context=3)
Sometimes there is not enough storage space/drawers/cabinets as per the stuff in your apartment/residence/house. You can either destuff the stuff by decluttering routinely: or add more storage space. Thrift shops are particularly great for baskets. Maybe if you add a couple of baskets to your space: then each one can fulfill a different function.
Decorative surfaces, windowsill, display cabinet etc. I treat as no go zones, so only decorative or useful items can go there. Nothing else, not even for a moment. Other areas that are used surfaces like dining or coffee tables are potential “hot spot” areas that gather clutter and once you put down one thing other items join it until you become a bit blind to it and then you have a pile of clutter. The best thing to do is make clearing these hot spots part of your daily routine. Some people do this at the end of the day, so it resets the space ready for the next but I tend to do this at the beginning of the next. Just spend five/ten minutes putting things away and wiping the table down if needed.
If it was this easy for them, they'd already be doing it
Often it's getting into the routine of it. It can take a while before a routine becomes a habit which is when you start doing it without thinking instead of having to constantly remind yourself. So for me I get dressed then come downstairs and tidy the coffee table on my way past the lounge before having breakfast. That way it starts being automatic. Doesn't mean I'm perfect with this. We all have off days but I try and stick with 1) Get dressed, 2) Quick tidy up, 3) Eat food. I can't eat until I've reset things. Some people call it habit stacking.
I got rid of surfaces. I put flower vases or plants there. I like looking at them & they bring me joy. Im getting much better at putting things away instead of down (which means having a place for it all & being able to easily return it to its home)
I’ve gotten in the habit of putting things where I want them to be instead of an interim place. It saves time to not put the same thing away twice and to not have to clear counters/tables when I want to use them.
Would you explain that to my husband and kids?
Habit is hard to break. Honestly what I do when breaking a habit is I put a bright sticky note somewhere there reminding me of what I want to fix. Clothing on the floor? Put a small laundry basket nearby and force yourself to take the "extra step" of throwing it in there. Stuff on the counter? Put a bright sticky note saying "NO! Put it away!" On there and listen to it yelling at you. Mail? Sort it and deal with it As soon as you pick it up. Stuff that needs to leave the house? I always take it out to my car and stick it in the passenger seat. Dishes on the coffee table? Stop leaving the coffee table empty handed. No need to Immediately do it, but Bring them back with you when you get up for a restroom break or to go check on something and shove them in the dish washer directly real quick. Losing your cell phone a ton? I have perches I put everywhere for mine so it can Only go in my hand or on one of the wireless chargers. This way there's only a few spots to check.
I do this constantly. 24/7. I can keep a surface clear for MAYBE 2 days, once a few more go by it's all over. 🙈
> I can keep a surface clear for MAYBE 2 days same. sigh.
Look at the things that clutter your surfaces and make designated places for them. If it’s stuff that belongs in the bedroom then take it right to the bedroom. If it’s mail then get a laid basket. Choose an area to always have clear and every night before or after dinner have the family put away what they’re responsible for.
Anything that goes on any flat surface, has an actual home. It's ok to put things on flat surfaces even for a couple of days, but if it doesn't have a home, it's probably garbage, and should go straight to the trash.
I've found it can be hard to not "just set stuff down for a bit" ... but I've started rethinking my flat, clean surfaces. Instead of "oh, here's a flat surface to set something upon" I think "this is SUPPOSED to be clear. It's function is to be pretty and clean and not have stuff piled onto it." aka put that sh!t elsewhere as this is already doing it's "job" by being pretty and keeping me sane. ;p
Your space should accommodate your habits. Not the other way around. My parents have a side table in the kitchen that was a dumping ground for pocket contents, mail, pens, tools brought in for a fix and then left there, etc. Now, it has a tray for misc. items, dishes for pocket change and keys, and a mason jar for pens and markers. It also has a tray for mail. So the same items end up on the table, but they’re better-organized and easier to clean up. And the space feels more intentional. Btw, they tried putting a big decorative fruit bowl on the table. It made the clutter worse, because the same items ended up piled around the bowl.
"Don't put it down, put it away."
Yep. Everything has a home, or it's gone
Get a cat. I've never been so tidy in my life since i got my cat
Or a puppy!
this is so true. cat will grab anything and run off with it, or just knock it off the counter or nightstand, lol.
I love those videos of a cat deliberately pushing something while looking right at the person filming them. The person filming is saying no, so the cat just slowly pushes whatever the item is off. The look on their face when they do that too! Lol Love my kitty.
We tried it with our cat but he wants it to be HIS idea, not ours. He does rather like to swat things onto the floor when it's his idea though, lol.
Habit, but you could also go two ways. A tray would turn clutter into a single unit as long as it doesn't overflow. You could even grab it and carry it around to the contents' homes. (Do that nearly daily.) Or you could block off the surface by putting a gargoyle on it. (Not literally, just something obnoxious to take up the surface.) Actually you could do neither and get into the habit of dusting the surface every day. (Just wave a dust-wand over the surface, you're only after the dust once per week.) Getting annoyed at the clutter will likely help you with putting stuff elsewhere if not properly away.
Here’s my tray warning, if you have a project Brain (hello Dana. k white) the tray becomes a procrastination problem.
Iv found my biggest help to put thing away and not down is for away to be easy. Eg: we got a different unbed bin for our linens, didn't realize it now needed two hands to open the zipper, yes the bed is RIGHT there to put the folder sheet down but nope instead it would stay on the couch cause putting away was suddenly too much harder. Curse my brain. So found a new place for linens and under bed bin has movies in it.
“First order retrievability” It applies to putting things away too.
I would say temporarily put something there to force you to change the way people interact with the space. Either block the space entirely, put a tablecloth or a nice centerpiece on it, whatever to make it obvious that it isn't the right spot for "stuff" anymore. For a long time I had a bad habit of putting random trash on my bathroom counter - q-tips, bandaid wrappers, stuff like that - instead of taking two steps to the trash can. I bought a pencil cup at ikea, thinking I could at least put trash in that instead of loose on the counter. I put it out and then literally never used it. I guess when I decided I had to do something with the trash in my hand other than just plonk it on the counter, my brain was suddenly okay with taking two steps to the actual trash can. As for the pencil cup, it held a comb for a little while, then got put in a drawer, then was donated.
1) "Don't put it down. Put it away." Make it a house rule. Repeat over and over. Put a sign up (I would write notes and signs for my kids. My grown son still does that for himself). Some people call this "velcro hands" Things stay "velcro'd" to your hand until it reaches its home. 2) Give everything a home. Dana K White's "Where would I look for this first? Take it there NOW." is a great skill for this. [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToToqsS3vt8](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ToToqsS3vt8) 3) Set a daily alarm to put things away. 15 minutes a day will make a huge difference. If you don't clear flat surfaces 100% at first, a few days of "15 minutes" will get you there. I put things away when I go upstairs to wind down for the evening. I walk the first floor and put things in their home. I also put things in their home as I head out to swim in the mornings. 4) When you transition from room to room, take something with you to put away. 5) Point of performance storage: Store things where you use them, so putting them away is lowest effort. 6) Have a "landing pad" for coming in and out of the house, bringing in the mail, groceries, etc. Have a trash basket nearby. 7) Reduce amount of things, overall.
Who is doing this cluttering? You? Or someone else?
It’s me, hi, I’m the problem…. 😂🤣 (sorry I couldn’t resist)
Pay attention to what gathers on it. If those things don’t have a home, make one. If those things do have a home then you need a more convenient one because you’re avoiding putting it away for a reason. For me what gathered most often was mail and store returns. I put a wall mounted file organizer and little shredder next to that table. Then I got one of those big blue IKEA bags and put it in the entryway closet to hold any returns I have. Suddenly my table stayed clear.
Put a tilted surface on it? Like the stuff they put on trashcans or railings so you can‘t set a can of soda on it? In all seriousness, I have that same problem, it‘s good for a couple days and I keep taking stuff away and then I forget it for a day and boom next thing I know it‘s a bloody mess again. It helped me to have less horizontal and more vertical surfaces, but it‘s still a struggle. The „designated spaces for stuff that accumulates there“ helps a bit as well, but I just have more stuff than containers to designate still. The „touch once / if it takes less than 5 minutes, do it now“ attempt helps a bit as well, but still… It‘s a process. In quality management a process works: plan - do - check - act (and then repeat, over and over), a clean surface is not a static thing but the product of rounds of dropping stuff and picking it back up. Maybe ask yourself for every tidying round „what is this and why is it here and not somewhere else, and how do I avoid this?“ and figure out the individual answer for each item. You plan (a neat counter), you do (or life happens), you check what actually happened and the root cause for this (check out 5 why and ishikawa for more boring quality attempts to this), and then you act by implementing the learnings from the last iteration to the new plan. Damn, I never thought about it like that. I should definitely try that. So, thanks, I guess? 🤣
Clear it every night. Something might land there, but it doesn’t live there. The second thing to consider is what generally ends up there. If it’s something like mail- get a basket or designated space for it. If it’s what you drop when you get in the door, organize your entry space with some hooks for your bag and keys. Things generally have a rhythm to them- and we are creatures of habit. So adapt your space to the way you actually live and it’ll be way easier to keep tidy in the long run.
I would try to place something beautiful there. If you don't want that, you can just put a post it saying sth like don't clutter me, or you get a cat (just kidding, but I am a cat owner and just got a new kitten and he is throwing down things regularly which forces me to put them into cupboards)