Keep it neat. Use a tray.

I can’t claim this idea as my own, but I do use it and it works. It came from a little book someone gave me called
“Simplify Your Life: 100 Ways to Slow Down and Enjoy the Things That Really Matter”by Elaine St. James. The book has a lot of practical tips you can implement, and some others that are less practical for the way we live.

The goal of this particular tip is to reduce the number of times you have to vacuum (a good goal in my life) by reducing the amount of crumbs, drips and messes created when the family takes food into the family room.

Truth is, many of us eat meals and snacks in front of the television, and it’s not very realistic to demand that they eat only in the dining room. So, as the book suggests, I initiated the “Tray Program.” Every time we took our meals or a snack into the family room, we put everything on a tray. The tray went on the ottoman or our laps, forming a “TV tray.” The bonus of the Tray Program is that you actually have everything you need right on your tray – your food, your drink, silverware a napkin and even salt and pepper. So, you aren’t running back and forth to the kitchen. When dinner’s over, the trays simply get a wipe-down and they’re put back. Notice how many crumbs and drips are on the trays, and you’ll realize that those crumbs and drips could have been on your furniture or floor.

I had some fun with this. I went to a few antique stores and found some nostalgic old metal trays that were very inexpensive – less than $8 a piece. I started collecting them in just about every shape and size. Some are the “full meal” size, and some are just right for a snack and a pop. You could snap up some cute plastic trays at Kmart or Wal-Mart and they would work great, too. Stash them away or keep them out in sight, either way just insist that every time someone takes food out of the kitchen it goes on a tray.

When someone calls you a “neat freak” or OCD, just smile and thank them and imagine how much more they have to vacuum than you do.