If you feel like you are going to rip your hair out when you hear
spring cleaning, you are not alone. Many think that spring cleaning
means to clean every inch of your house in a month's time. That is
impossible for anyone to do and unrealistic. This article will help you
decide what to clean and how to do organize as you go.
Spring cleaning should be different every year. You should choose different areas to tackle each year. For instance, as your children get older, their rooms might need a spring cleaning as they move from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school. Certain closets probably do not need to have a spring cleaning every year as they are not used as frequently as others.
The first step in spring cleaning is to list all the areas that really need it this year. Concentrate on those areas that have not been completely emptied in the past two years. The next is to prioritize them in the order in which they are to be completed. Consider the weather if one of them is your garage. The next step to complete your spring cleaning is to make an appointment with yourself for that area. If you can give 2 hours once or twice a week, put those in your appointment book. If you do not schedule the time, you will never get it done.
On your first appointment, remove all the items from the area and give the shelves, or carpet a good cleaning. Take a look at all the items and decide what items got put there by mistake and remove them from the area. Make sure to sort all the items into groups. Sorting has no right or wrong way, but only the way it makes sense to you. Sorting allows you to see how many of any one item you have. Maybe you have it in a variety of colors or you have duplicates. It is time to make the tough decision on what stays and what goes. Anything broken or torn should go as well as any item not used or missed in the last year. Keep only items you must have or use consistently.
Your second appointment should be used to put all the items left back in an organized manner. Make sure you label any bins or baskets you might use to contain small objects. If it is not labeled, how is anyone else suppose to know what goes in the container? You, too, might forget. Buy only containers you needs. I see clients everyday who buy many containers, but do not use them, or use them incorrectly. They end up with hundreds of containers cluttering up their home. Remember, being organized is not just storing items in a bin. It requires you to really decide if you need the items contained.
The last step is to donate the items you no longer need. There are hundreds of charities out there waiting for your unneeded stuff for others to use and enjoy. Now, you have completed a spring cleaning project. It is time to move on to the next one.
Spring cleaning should be different every year. You should choose different areas to tackle each year. For instance, as your children get older, their rooms might need a spring cleaning as they move from elementary school to middle school or middle school to high school. Certain closets probably do not need to have a spring cleaning every year as they are not used as frequently as others.
The first step in spring cleaning is to list all the areas that really need it this year. Concentrate on those areas that have not been completely emptied in the past two years. The next is to prioritize them in the order in which they are to be completed. Consider the weather if one of them is your garage. The next step to complete your spring cleaning is to make an appointment with yourself for that area. If you can give 2 hours once or twice a week, put those in your appointment book. If you do not schedule the time, you will never get it done.
On your first appointment, remove all the items from the area and give the shelves, or carpet a good cleaning. Take a look at all the items and decide what items got put there by mistake and remove them from the area. Make sure to sort all the items into groups. Sorting has no right or wrong way, but only the way it makes sense to you. Sorting allows you to see how many of any one item you have. Maybe you have it in a variety of colors or you have duplicates. It is time to make the tough decision on what stays and what goes. Anything broken or torn should go as well as any item not used or missed in the last year. Keep only items you must have or use consistently.
Your second appointment should be used to put all the items left back in an organized manner. Make sure you label any bins or baskets you might use to contain small objects. If it is not labeled, how is anyone else suppose to know what goes in the container? You, too, might forget. Buy only containers you needs. I see clients everyday who buy many containers, but do not use them, or use them incorrectly. They end up with hundreds of containers cluttering up their home. Remember, being organized is not just storing items in a bin. It requires you to really decide if you need the items contained.
The last step is to donate the items you no longer need. There are hundreds of charities out there waiting for your unneeded stuff for others to use and enjoy. Now, you have completed a spring cleaning project. It is time to move on to the next one.
Julie Riber is a professional organizer in the central Ohio area
for over 5 years. She helps organize individuals spaces, time, and lives
and she helps businesses streamline processes, increase productivity,
and organize their spaces. She is a Golden Circle member of the National
Association of Professional Organizers and Immediate Past President of
the Ohio Chapter of NAPO. Sign up for her free monthly newsletter with
organizing tips. http://www.transformare.net
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