Spring brings rain, flowers, and the official start of the spring cleaning season. Spring cleaning is the perfect time of year to declutter, organize, and start fresh. This allows you go over some of your precious belongings to see which ones you will keep, and which ones you might have to chuck to the bins. To some individuals, the idea of spring cleaning may be overwhelming, but we are here to provide you with a few tips and tricks for a productive and efficient method of tidying up.
Plan Ahead
Planning ahead is a great way to fully understand the job ahead. Make a list and divide each room into its own tasks. You can write down specific things you want to complete in each room, such as organizing the towel closet in the guest bathroom or going through a child’s toy box to get rid of any items they no longer enjoy.
You could also make a list of the tasks most vital to you to complete and then prioritize them above other organizational goals. For example, cleaning and organizing the guest bedroom may be a priority if you plan on welcoming guests over the summer months. Planning ahead and dividing rooms and spring cleaning tasks can prevent the whole project from feeling too overwhelming.
Choose one room on your list and start there, and remember “Rome wasn’t built in a day,” “Better late than never,” and “Good things take time, great things take a little longer.” While these may be cliches, they still highlight the importance of taking your time, and we at Kingdom Keepers Cleaning believe this also applies to spring cleaning.
Designate a Place for Everything
Once every item in your home has a designated storage place, you’ll find it easier to regularly put everything away. Spring cleaning is a great time to consider individual items and where they should go. Before designating a place for everything, review your space. Take a walk around the room you’re working on and identify any areas of improvement.
Are there ways to increase storage or better use current storage? Do some items need to be moved to other rooms? Sometimes, adding a few shelves or organizational compartments can significantly increase your storage options. Make a drawing of the room you’re organizing, including current storage. This visual representation can make it easier to identify a place for everything.
You can also designate a specific purpose for each storage place in your home. For example, you might designate a closet in the spare bedroom for extra bedding or towels. The storage corner in the basement may be where you’ll store holiday decorations. If you can’t find a place for something, you might consider whether or not you still need it. You may also find that you need to add storage to certain rooms to accommodate items that don’t currently have a spot.
Divide Everything You Own Into Piles
Creating piles can help you make progress when spring cleaning. Organize all your items into four categories: keep, unsure, donate, and trash. You can use an empty box for each category for organizational purposes. Once the box is full, find a place to store the items, drop them off at your favorite charity, or put them out on trash day.
Place all items you want to keep in the ‘keep’ pile, but take note that you will eventually have to find a place to store these items in. Move any clothing or household items you no longer want — but that are still in good condition — to the ‘donate’ pile. Any items that are no longer usable can go in the ‘trash’ pile. The category that most people get stuck at are items they’re not yet sure what to do with. Don’t spend too much time on these items just yet; you can always come back to them later after you have made progress with the other categories.
Sometimes, moving items that are still in good condition but you haven’t used recently to the ‘donate’ pile can ease any guilt related to throwing them out. If you’re unsure if you want to keep an item, consider whether or not you would replace the item if it broke.
Flip Your Hangers Backwards
Many people find that organizing and decluttering their home’s closets is one of the biggest challenges. Ideally, you should try to remove any clothing you haven’t worn in the last six to twelve months, but tracking the last time you wore an item isn’t always easy. Flip your hangers backward. After washing any items you wear, return the hanger back to its original position.
Return to your closet in six months, and go through any items on hangers that are still reversed. These are items that you haven’t recently worn and may be taking up valuable space in your closet. Donating any clothing items you no longer wear gives you more room to organize the items you do keep.
Once you finish spring organizing, a deep clean can add the final touch and freshen up your space. Contact us today for a free estimate for professional residential cleaning services. We offer affordable, friendly cleaning services that fit your schedule.
