Oct 8 - How to Stop Clutter Creep - GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter

Published: Wed, 10/08/25

Updated: Wed, 10/08/25

Get Organized Now!

In Less Than 5 Minutes!

by Maria Gracia

October 8, 2025

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Before bed tonight, do a 2-minute sweep of your most-used surface, whether it’s the kitchen counter, coffee table, or nightstand. Return anything that wandered there during the day to its proper home. This quick reset keeps clutter creep from gaining a foothold.

How to Stop Clutter Creep

You know that feeling when you walk into a room and think, When did all this stuff get here? That’s clutter creep. It’s the slow, almost invisible way little things...mail on the counter, shoes by the door, knickknacks on the coffee table...build up until suddenly your once-organized space feels heavy again.

Clutter creep isn’t a big pile of boxes or a basement bursting at the seams. It’s more subtle. A candle you bought on sale, a kitchen gadget you used once, or a “temporary” stack of papers left on the dining table can all add up. Before you know it, your clear surfaces are busy again.

We live in our homes every day, and daily life brings items in, like groceries, mail, shoes, laundry, even gifts. Unless we’re mindful, these extras don’t get put away or weeded out. Instead, they quietly take over, inch by inch.

Here's how to tame clutter creep:

1. Reset Surfaces Daily: Take two minutes each evening to clear your counters, coffee table, or nightstand. Returning items to their homes keeps them from piling up.

2. Adopt a One-In, Two-Out Rule: Every time something new comes in (a sweater, a mug, a book) let two things go. It’s a simple way to make sure clutter decreases instead of multiplies.

3. Notice the “Hot Spots”: Pay attention to where clutter creeps most often. Maybe it's the entryway, the kitchen counter, or the bedroom chair. Knowing your hot spots helps you patrol them before the mess spreads.

4. Do Small, Quick Declutters: Once a week, pick one drawer, one shelf, or one corner. Spending five minutes here and there prevents clutter creep from becoming clutter chaos.

Clutter doesn’t usually roar in all at once. It tiptoes. By keeping an eye out for those sneaky little extras, you’ll maintain the calm, organized home you’ve worked so hard for.

Thanksgiving Must-Haves...

Host, Bring & Beautify!

Get ready for your coziest, stress-free Thanksgiving yet! This roundup includes everything you need, from bakeware and hostess gifts to charming decor and handy tools for potluck duties. Whether you’re hosting or contributing, these picks are highly rated, practical, and stylish:

Access Thanksgiving Must-Haves Here

The Rise, Fall, and Reinvention of Encyclopedias

Do you remember the towering set of encyclopedias many families once proudly displayed in their living rooms? For much of the 20th century, encyclopedias were seen as a ticket to knowledge, an essential investment in a child’s education.

Companies like World Book and Britannica sold them door-to-door, often with a polished salesperson emphasizing how owning a set meant giving your kids every advantage. Parents would pay in installments, sometimes hundreds of dollars, to ensure their children could write school reports with the best information available...without stepping foot in the library.

So, what happened? Encyclopedias began to vanish in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The internet made information available faster, cheaper, and more current than a printed volume could ever be. Updating a set of books every year was costly, and no family wanted to keep buying bulky volumes when online resources offered real-time knowledge. Britannica stopped printing in 2012, ending a 244-year tradition.

But here’s the good news: that encyclopedia-style education isn’t lost. Today, you can replicate it...sometimes in even better ways:

Online Encyclopedias: Britannica Online still exists, updated daily, and World Book offers digital subscriptions.

Curated Learning Apps: Apps like Curio, MasterClass, and Khan Academy provide well-rounded, expert-led knowledge on a wide range of topics.

Self-Guided “Mini Lessons”: You can create your own “encyclopedia education” by picking a topic of the day (dinosaurs, space exploration, Shakespeare) and diving into trusted sources online, much like flipping open a random volume years ago.

Library Databases: Most local libraries provide free access to digital encyclopedias and research tools with just your library card.

Encyclopedias may no longer sit proudly on our shelves (in most cases), but the spirit of exploring a world of knowledge is alive and well.

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Here's what just one GON reader had to say...

"Maria, Your August 28th issue couldn't have arrived at a better time. Thank you for all you do.
Have a wonderful day!"
-- Linda A., Scarborough, Canada

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Layered in Warmth Inside and Out
How Autumn Wardrobes Mirror the Small Rituals That Bring Warmth to Our Everyday Lives

12 Ways to Stay Warmer This Fall, Without Raising the Heat
Unexpected Ways to Beat the Chill…
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Bonfire Conversations
Why the Glow of a Fire Creates Some of Our Most Lasting Memories

9 Ways to Make the Ordinary Feel Special
Simple Ideas for Sprinkling “Special” into Everyday Life

Spending Smarter, Stressing Less
Simple Ways to Look Ahead Financially Before the Holidays

From Goosebumps to Giggles
Why We Reach for Spooky, and Sometimes Silly, Stories in October

When the Salem Witch Trials Ended
Why This Part of History Reminds Us to be Careful About Fear and Judgment

Easy Pumpkin Soup
Fall Flavors Simmered into a Velvety Bowl of Comfort

Shortcuts for Everyday Tasks
10 Ways to Make Your Life Easier

Finding Peace in Longer Nights
An October Invitation to Rest, Reflect, and Connect

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As a valued member of my GON in 5 Minutes Newsletter, you get exclusive bonuses, PLUS unlimited access to all of my previous ones. This month's featured bonus is my...

Fall Decluttering Checklist

As the air turns crisp and leaves drift down, it’s time to clear away what no longer serves you and create space for what truly matters.

My Fall Decluttering Checklist gives you 25 simple, doable ideas to refresh every corner of your home. Each tip is designed to help you let go with ease and make your home feel more open, inviting, and ready for the season ahead.

Plus, my 2025 Monthly Organizing Calendar is always available for you to access...jump in this month and start tackling those organizing tasks with ease.

October 2025 Monthly Organizing Challenge: Digital Clutter Challenge: Take on these daily 15-minute digital decluttering challenges to streamline your digital life, boost productivity, and create a more organized online environment. Complete one task each day this month to see a major difference

October 2025 Monthly Organizing Checklist: As the weather cools and seasonal festivities approach, it’s easy for small messes and unfinished tasks to pile up. My October 2025 Organizing Checklist is filled with quick, actionable ideas to keep your home neat, your days organized, and your energy flowing?

Web Poll: When do you feel most motivated to organize? Vote on my home page. Results will be shared in a few weeks in this newsletter

Results of Last Month's Web Poll: What phobias do you have? Access the results of this poll including a bunch of GON reader comments

"One alphabet at a time, you can write an encyclopedia. One word at a time, you can publish an entire library."
-- Israelmore Ayivor, How You Can Write Your Dream Book

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And remember...there's no better time to get organized, than to Get Organized Now!

Warmly,

Maria Gracia
GetOrganizedNow.com

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In this newsletter, you will find stories, ideas, inspiration, links and more to help you live a less stressful, more organized, more fulfilling life.

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-- Maria

Maria Gracia,

Get Organized Now!

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Get Organized Now!
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