Get Organized: Take a 10-Day Simplification Challenge

10. Clear a shelf — then leave it empty. Let an empty shelf you’ve cleared off breathe awhile. “Our first instinct is to go buy something to fill it, but let it just sit there empty, even though that can feel oddly uncomfortable,” Ley says. “This is how it feels to have a margin at first, whether it’s an empty shelf or a free hour in your schedule. If you take the time to figure it out, these things will fill up in a better way naturally.” Other chock-full areas can spread out a bit, or something interesting and unexpected will turn up to place there. For example, after completely clearing her kitchen counters, Ley let them stay uncovered for a bit. Later she unearthed a tattered and beloved recipe box of her grandmother’s, and now it sits proudly in the kitchen and she admires it and uses it every day.How to Conquer Kitchen Counter Clutter, Maybe for Good

10. Clear a shelf — then leave it empty. Let an empty shelf you’ve cleared off breathe awhile. “Our first instinct is to go buy something to fill it, but let it just sit there empty, even though that can feel oddly uncomfortable,” Ley says. “This is how it feels to have a margin at first, whether it’s an empty shelf or a free hour in your schedule. If you take the time to figure it out, these things will fill up in a better way naturally.” Other chock-full areas can spread out a bit, or something interesting and unexpected will turn up to place there. For example, after completely clearing her kitchen counters, Ley let them stay uncovered for a bit. Later she unearthed a tattered and beloved recipe box of her grandmother’s, and now it sits proudly in the kitchen and she admires it and uses it every day.