Hasta La Ideas

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I have two dogs that I love dearly, Batgirl and The Bug. But boy, do they bring on the clutter.

Toys. Leashes. Food. Treat bags. Beds, shredded toys, slobbery tennis balls. And my favorite: fur. Lots and lots of fur. If you’re a pet lover, I suspect this sounds familiar. Fear not! Your furry friend need not be a source of incessant clutter. In this article, I’ll share tips for keeping pet clutter under control and out of sight. Let’s get started.

Let’s start with something simple: food. This will be easy or difficult to stash away, depending on the pet. A small container of fish food, for example, is easer to store out of sight than a 10 pound bag of dog food. For that reason, I’ll focus on the latter.

While Bug loves his food,* I don’t love the unsightly bag that his kibble comes in. To keep it stored away yet accessible, I needed a nice-looking bin. The answer was one of these “half barrels” as it fits my home’s decor and is something I don’t mind looking at. It easily accommodates a large bag of dog food plus a bag or two of treats.

If you have a spare cabinet that you’re willing to dedicate to pet food, even better. Just make sure it’s still convenient to get at. With that sorted, let’s move on to toys.

Oh, the toys. My dogs are worse than toddlers when it comes to carpeting the floor with a huge mass of toys in various states of repair. Of course they don’t pick up after themselves, so I limit the number of toys they have access to at once. Yes, pets are super cute and yes, we love buying toys for them. Just remember, the more they have, the more you must pick up. We got a small basket that sits on the floor that holds the half-dozen toys the have access to.

Speaking of, take some time to occasionally go through the collection and get rid of anything that’s badly damaged or potentially harmful. For example, that stiff rubber chew toy can get quite misshapen and potentially scratch their gums. Throw those toys away.

Leashes and harnesses are the next thing on the list. I bought a dedicated hook to hold these items and I installed it on the wall right next to the back door. That way it’s out of sight yet very convenient when I need it. You don’t want a dog who needs to “go” waiting around while you hunt for the leash, trust me. Now, a controversial subject.

Pet clothes. I don’t like them. Yes, Fido looks super adorable in that little sweater. Perhaps he’s prone to cold and genuinely needs that doggie argyle. In that case, I get it. Keep him comfortable and warm. But the goofy outfit that’s meant only to delight Fido’s human is not my cup of tea. If you must (or if you have legit clothing like what I’ve described here), find a convenient, safe place to store it. Preferably near the leash. Or in the trash bin. I kid! I kid!

Finally, the items you don’t use daily like a carrier, shampoo, outdoor toys and so on could all live in one location. Perhaps a large plastic storage bin, or a shelf in the basement or garage, clearly labeled.

Pets are members of the family with all that entails, including the clutter. It doesn’t take much to gain control of it, and it’s just as easy to let it get out of hand. Set up a few stations, buy some nice storage and enjoy your pets even more.

*Seriously, you should see him eat. It’s embarrassing.

Post written by David Caolo