7 Ways to Hide Clutter Neatly ...

If you don't have time to put away all the kids bathtub toys, and whatever other clutter might be laying around in the bathroom, put it all in your shower and close the curtain. Your company would have to be pretty nosey to figure out that you've got clutter hidden away in there!

Don't worry if you haven't had (or don't have) enough time to clean it all before company comes. Simply open up that dishwasher, place all those dirty dishes inside and close the door. Simple! Now, enjoy your company and look as if you have it all together and dishes have been done and put away! Hehe! Just don't forget to pull back out the things that aren't dishwasher safe before running it!

Purchasing a storage truck or bench would not only make a great addition to your home decor, but it also offers a great place to hide some clutter. I'm sure many of you, like me, have magazines that are in your way, in terms of clutter, but you just can't bear to get rid of them yet because of all the great articles. Storage benches or trunks make great places to put them all. Just make sure you go through them occasionally and weed out the old ones!

Baskets are wonderful for neatly hiding clutter. Baskets come in all shapes and sizes, are decorative, and easily placed around the house. Book shelves are nicely dressed up with baskets that hide much more than the shelf alone would, and some of the larger baskets with lids sit well at the end of your couch or beside your recliner. I have a larger one that houses all my loose pictures and family mementos that doesn't fit in my cedar chest. Baskets are also great to hang from your ceiling in your kitchen, and also nail to the wall for towels or other things you might like to store inside!

Even if you have a load of darks and one of lights, if you don't have time to do all the laundry before company comes over, just throw it all in the washer until after they leave. Then you will have time to separate and wash the loads you have.

Although I would never tell you to keep clutter and junk under your bed, it's a great place to "temporarily" hide things you might not have put away quickly enough. Hey, make your bed, pull that comforter down, or drop that bed skirt, and they will be none the wiser! Just remember to go back and clean it all out!

Kid's rooms tend to clutter the most. Between all of those happy meal toys grandpa gets them and all those dollar store "goodies" grandma gets for her babies, things tend to pile up in the blink of an eye. Here is the fix: buy a bean bag shell and hide all the excess toys inside. Of course, you will want to take all of the hard ones out before your kid flops down on it though! They can also be used as storage for stuffed animals all the time, which makes for a perfect seat for your little ones!

Of course, the very best way to hide clutter is to keep things gone through and cleaned up all the time, but sometimes, you just get in a pinch for time. So use these ways to hide clutter for the quick fix and do your best to keep your clutter down to a minimum when you can. So come on, it's time for confessions! What have you done to hide your mess in a pinch? Please share with me!