Things within easy reach

Most importantly - the remote control and the laptop; then pencils for doing puzzles; manicure kit; eyedrops; pack of Paracetamol; Kindle. I'm sure I could think of more things that would be useful but those are what I have at present.

I don't have a 'usual' chair. It all depends on what I am doing. If I am watching television, which I rarely do, I slump on the settee, if I am reading I have a very comfortable low chair in front of the fire and if I am sewing, I sit the other end of the room in a higher chair beside my work table, which contains all my tapestry wools.

I'm looking at the coffee table in front of the couch I'm sitting on and I see pens, pencils, note paper, manicure tools, Chapstick, phone charger, hand lotion, box of Kleenex, and a pile of books waiting to be read, and crossword puzzles. Oh and a space heater and blanket for when it gets cold at night.

Newspapers,book,phone,writing pad,pens(3),scissors,cup of coffee,letter awaiting reply,box of tissues,remote controls and laptop. All essential though!!

Remote, tissues, pen, phone. In the draw of the coffee table, note pad, emery board.

I deliberately don't have things to hand. This is to make me get up and down and walk about as much as possible.

At the end of the settee, next to me, I have 2 pairs of specs, for reading and computer, my book, a pen, TV remote and the phone. Later on there will also be the DVD remote. When not in use, my laptop is propped up round the corner at the end of the settee, so not far away.

By my seat a small side table with my Kindle,notepad and pen,small embroidery scissors and a small ruler, phone charger, handcream and box of tissues. Glasses when not in use.
Oh has a couple shelves and a small box seat beside his perch, tv guide and whichever newspaper he is hanging on to. DIY and garden catalogues. Tissues, handcream, pens and paper, indigestion tablets, various nicnaks, plugs and leads. Glasses. Car keys.

Mine is surprisingly tidy at the moment; my phone, my diary, a box of tissues and a yoghurt I am about to eat! DH? His diary, a book he is reading, two half eaten bars of chocolate and a nearly to the bottom bag of liquorice allsorts (I have to say, at this point, that one of the bars of choc is mine, and I am partly responsible for demolishing the allsorts! ). He also has his phone and a fistful of writing implements.

I don't have anything like that, phone on dresser,pens in jug in the kitchen, etc etc my H has what I call a bloody clutter table next to his chair,pens,books,papers,letters,specs,remotes,etc and I hate it!!! I don't have 'a chair' either, just sit wherever whenever......

I sit next to a bookcase and since I cleared the two shelves within inches, my clutter is all over them placed around the ornaments and tealight holders. Amongst my 'essentials' not previously mentioned above are several USB sticks, SD cards, a small selection of nail polish plus remover and a collection of handy paperwork. I also have a little pile of 'essentials' on my other side too!

Maybe it needs a little bit of a tidy.

We got rid of a large coffee table because it was always filled up with piles of books and clutter, bought a small one instead and guess what? It’s filled with clutter including a teetering pile of books like a mini skyscraper, two used mugs, assorted pens and magazines, a box of Kleenex and a phone, Kindle, iPad.At the moment there is also a discarded crisp packet.

Beside me on the side table are my sewing kit, tea mug, mobile phone and two Tunisian crochet hooks. Beside me on the sofa are a set of crochet hooks in case, an almost complete hat with yarn still attached, remote controls and DH.

I have a small side board beside my chair on which sits a lamp, my mobile and the house phone, remote, cup of tea,glass of water,an orchid, pad and pen, the results of my latest diabetes blood tests. My iPad sits there when I'm not using it.

I don't think it is just laziness - it just takes a bit more effort to get up and down as you age, especially in the evening. At the moment I have my Chromebook on my lap, newspaper on the sofa beside me along with phone. A small table on my left has a small box with post-its and a pen. Over the course of an evening various things appear on this table (glass of wine, books, mug of drinking choc, etc. Also close to hand at the side of the sofa is my knitting bag, books, magazine rack. Wouldn't like to disclose what is in the rest of the room as we have definitely have more "stuff" around now than in our previous house having dramatically down-sized and I have held on to a bit more than I should have!

I admit I am bad at putting things back where they belong, but the things by me are not things my DH would be looking for anyway. I suppose the answer is to organise 'my shelves' so that's where the things in question should live. I will give this some thought.

In my defence about laziness, I'm supposed to conserve my energy so I can pace myself. Getting up and down a lot would use energy and restrict what I can do.

I'm glad I am not the only one who keeps all her 'things' nearby. I have a small side table next to where I sit on the sofa. On it is a small square basket with reading glasses, pens, pads, hand cream, lip salve, emery board, my phone and tablet. I also have a basket on the floor with papers, magazines etc. Everything to hand.

Nothing downstairs
Upstairs however is another matter!

Apart from a bedside lamp and a small basket that holds my drinking water bottle, my bedside table is clear.

That is until I go to bed, then it has....
My water
Meds, (until recently deep heat for my back & cough mixture)
my glasses,
mobile with charger,
kindle with charger
Alexa.
Watch and bangle.
Its no longer a matter of just going upstairs to bed!

My bedside table is just as bad as my shelves!

Sar53 you've reminded me I used to have a low sided basket by the side of me that was borrowed for something else. It's still used for the other thing, so I've got a couple of ideas to replace it.

An old tea towel of my mothers which explained decimal coinage is on the arm of the chair I sit in and I use it as (computer ) mouse mat.
I tend to leave my knitting bag handy so I can do a few rows, I have a book or few about and the radio times.

Sewing is something else you cannot sensibly keep putting away and getting out again.

Why not! I look at these show houses with nothing on display no books, or any sign of life really.
Do any of these exceptionally tidy people people actually do anything with their lives.
I am not very tidy.

You’re all very organised. I can never find my mobile, a pen, a note pad, my charger, my car keys and I expect if I wore glasses I’d lose them too.

Invariably whatever I’m looking for is in another room or, more likely, upstairs. When I had a Fitbit (before I put in through the wash) it used to tell me I had climbed stairs way above my target.

So I don’t let this worry me and look on it as a Keep Fit exercise. Cheaper than the gym, I don’t need special clothing and it’s now part of my lifestyle ?

It looks quite tidy where I am - just iPad, TV remotes and box of tissues on a small table. I keep my handbag handy (glasses, mobile, pen, nail file etc.).
The TV remote often ends up with OH though, he uses it to help him to doze.

It's almost spring, so I'm about due a decluttering frenzy!

Well if my laptop isn't on my lap it's under the sofa, with the charger plugged in nearby. On the table next to my sofa are the remote control, notepad and pencil, a backscratcher (yes, really - I have terrible itchy psoriasis on my back!!), my kindle, iPad, phone, earphones, box of tissues, hand cream and a pack of glasses wipes.
On the sofa is a pretty storage box full of knitting yarn, brought down from its usual place on the shelf while I'm crocheting squares. Oh, and a pile of crocheted squares and a crochet hook!
But I actually don't think this is just an age thing - I can remember laughing with my DH many years ago, in my 30's, at the number of things I would have around me in the evenings - knitting, book, newspaper, notepad and pen, magazine etc. (and cigarettes, lighter and ashtray in those days )