Pigeon Spikes…by Linda Carlblom

I sometimes think I need to install pigeon spikes on every level surface in my house. You know those metal spiky things people mount on their roofs to keep the pigeons from landing? I need them on every counter top, ironing board, bathroom vanity, kitchen table, and coffee table. You name it, I’ll spike it. Why? To keep those surfaces from collecting every little (or big) thing we carry into the house.

Our flat surfaces tend to become unloading zones. (Did I hear an amen?) I’m just as guilty as the other two members living under our roof. I bring the mail in and lay it on the kitchen counter. Sometimes I go through it right away and sometimes I don’t. Even when I go through it, I leave parts of it laying out for my husband to look through. When I pay bills, I put the stubs in a pile to file away later. The only problem is that “later” never comes until tax time when I’m scrambling to find receipts and proof of payments.

Then there’s all those receipts that my husband needs to keep for his business. He’s self employed and needs a paper trail for tax purposes. Not to mention that he’s a computer consultant and has computers and their parts scattered around various surfaces throughout the house. It’s all necessary stuff. But still, I can’t help but think some pigeon spikes might be helpful.

Our college-aged daughter is pretty good about keeping her mess in her own room. But she could seriously use some spikes in there as well. On the floor, mostly.

This is a picture of our kitchen counters. You may think it doesn’t look that bad. After all, there’s still countertop showing through. But this is what it looked like this evening after I’d already cleared a bunch of stuff off it earlier in the day. Trust me. It was waaaay worse before that. And don’t even ask about the whipped cream or the Whoppers.

All that said, I look around our home and I smile. While it’s nice to have an orderly home with everything in its place, I sorta like seeing our life splayed out in all its glory. There’s a certain beauty in seeing people live comfortably, without fear of judgment from others. Home should be a place of refuge, where we can relax and let our hair (or mail pile) down.

So I guess I’ll just wait on those pigeon spikes. I’d have to clear a place to put them anyway.

How do you handle the clutter of everyday life in your home? Give me your best decluttering tips in the comments below. 

Linda