Do you litter in your home?

​Do you leave it the way you like it?

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Do you promptly make your bed each morning because you appreciate a neat sleeping area?

Do you immediately wash your dishes after meals or snacks to maintain a clean, empty sink?

Are you habitual about putting objects back in their rightful places to keep your home tidy?

Do you value a clear desk and promptly return all items, including doing any filing, after their use?

Upon returning home, do you store all belongings appropriately so you always know where to find them?

Do you manage your emails daily to keep your inbox empty and organized?

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If your answer to any of these is no, you are essentially cluttering your own living space. How can these reminders below inspire you to not litter your personal surroundings?

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• Feed the can, man

• Do think you like picking up after you?

• If you litter, your future will be bitter

• Every litter bit hurts

• You are the only cure for litter

• Put It Back, It's a Simple Act

• Don't Delay, Put It Away!

• Keep on Track, Put it Back!

• Tidy Today, Easy Tomorrow

• Tidiness is Timelessness

• A Tidy Space, A Happy Place

• Swift to Shift: Put It Away, Don't Delay

• Don't Stack, Just Rinse and Rack!

• Scrub and Shine, Every Time

• Keep the Sink Empty, Keep the Mind Plenty

• Dirty to Clean: A Habit to be Seen

• Make a Clean Break, For Sanity's Sake!

• Don't Leave It for Later, Be a Plate Cleaner-Maker!

• Use, Rinse, Dry - Give It a Try!

• Don't Delay, Stow It Away!

• Easy to Find, Peace of Mind

• Stay in the Clear, Put It Back Here

• File on Time, Keep in Line

• A Place for Each, Within Reach

• Don’t Pile It, File It!

• File as You Go, Maintain the Flow

• The Key to Order, Is in Your Folder

• Keep it Crisp, File It Brisk

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"Keep on Track, Put it Back!"

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This is my favorite. It can easily apply to anything to inspire me to keep my home and office space the way I like it.

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Why do we litter in our own space?

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• Our schedules are often so tightly packed that we feel compelled to postpone tasks that are not immediately urgent with the familiar refrain, "I'll do it later."

• The act of cleaning up or picking up after ourselves can sometimes appear less appealing or significant when compared to the immediate tasks or activities that command our attention.

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The costs of littering in our own space

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• Our mental and emotional well-being can be affected by the subconscious recognition of our surroundings being out of sync with our ideal aesthetic, a mess that we'll have to attend to later.

• Often, tackling these tasks later (like washing dishes or organizing clutter) takes more time and feels more burdensome than if we dealt with them immediately, one at a time.

• In some situations, failing to pick up the "litter" promptly incurs additional costs. For instance, an unexpected guest might have to encounter our disorderly environment, which isn't the impression we'd prefer to give. Or, an important document that wasn't filed right away might be lost among a pile of papers on the desk, leading to wasted time and frustration when we need to locate it.

• Letting ourselves litter our own space makes it easier to over-commit and over-schedule ourselves, perpetuating the tension between our Now and our Next.