Spring Cleaning- There is never a better time to get organized!
What better time to clean out your closets and organize your belongings than during the new Spring season?
Most people say that they feel overwhelmed when their home is not organized, yet most of us let unorganized clutter create stress in our lives. Take charge of the clutter of ‘things’ that have collected in the entry of your house, the pile of stuff in the back of the closet, and the mountain of things in your garage. If you do this, you are likely to feel a weight off your shoulders!
When I plan to have guests in our home, I spend a mountain of time cleaning and de-cluttering before they arrive. The little things add up and the job feels insurmountable at times. It’s crucial to take it step by step by creating small checklists to complete weekly, as to not create an overwhelming amount of work in a short period of time. It might take you a few weeks, but when you’ve finally crossed off the last task on your checklist, it will be incredibly rewarding!
Disposing these 12 things will help you get organized and will ultimately make your home feel more comfortable!
#1 Anything Broken
Seriously! If it’s broken and you haven’t fixed it immediately, are you really going to? I have made this mistake a number of times. In fact, just yesterday I picked up a part of a Christmas decoration that I have had sitting on my counter since we set up the Christmas tree, before Christmas. The ornament fell and broke, and I thought we would fix it….well guess what? The ornament was never fixed and the broken part is on the counter, but the broken ornament is packed with our Christmas things. Now I have to go through it out twice, or keep the small broken part for a full year. JUST THROW IT OUT PEOPLE.
#2 Old Technology
You probably have one (or more) old computers, TVs, DVD players, VHS recorders, cassette decks or other rusting electronics taking up valuable space in your home. What are you waiting for, the return of the eight-track? Get rid of the things you are not using. Remember, old electronics can be recycled or disposed of in an environmentally friendly way. In the case of computers, be sure to wipe the hard drive completely for security reasons. And don’t forget the wires that go with your appliances. There is nothing worse than a snake pit of wires for who knows what.
#3 Books, CDs, DVDs,
Like most people, you probably have a large collection of books, CDs or DVDs. Go through them and recycle or donate anything that no longer interests you, to free up room for all the new ones you’re going to buy. In the case of DVDs and CDs, download your music and movies from Apple music or Spotify from now on!
#4 Old Files/Old Mail
Listen, I have a home office, I get it. But we clutter our desks with papers that we really don’t need! Although we should keep our files for government Canada, we don’t need to keep the 5th request to re-subscribe to Sirius XM for the 3rd last vehicle. Keep your old files in an organized box and label them by year. You don’t have to keep things forever, and remember to shred the private stuff.
#5 Coat Hangers
Metal/plastic coat hangers have a way of multiplying. Determine how many you really need and toss the rest. They should be recycled. It is amazing that when you remove the extra hangers from your closets you realize what else you might want to get rid of.
#6 Excess Furniture
Believe it or not, most of our homes are over furnished. Getting rid of some of the things that aren’t your favorites can create new space in your home, making you feel refreshed and less cluttered. Not only that, but if it is in good repair, you can likely sell it on Facebook Marketplace and earn some extra cash!
#7 Bedding and Pillows
Even top-quality bedding and pillows have a limited shelf life. If you can fold your pillow in half and it stays folded, it’s ready for the pillow retirement home. You will happily buy a new one, but don’t forget to remove the old one from your home. While you’re at it, go through your linen closet; old sheets and towels that are no longer in fashion, no longer match your decor or are torn or faded should be recycled.
#8 What’s Under your Bed
Most of us hide something under the bed. If you forget it’s there, you can likely pitch it. I have taken to using this spot for my extra bedding. I have put in a plastic container with rollers that easily stores a clean set of my bedding. The best part of using a plastic container under the bed is that I can no longer hide other things under the bed.
#9 Medicines and Vitamins
If you no longer have the affliction the medicine was prescribed for, or expired vitamins (or over-the-counter medications), they should be safely disposed of. Safety First.
#10 Makeup and Toiletries
It’s rare to come accross a beauty queen who doesn’t have a bathroom drawer filled with dried-up nail polish or makeup that’s worn out, nearly used up or the wrong colour. Out it goes. I was recently going through my bathroom vanity drawers, and ended up completely reorganizing the entire thing! I was astonished with the number of open “Axe” deodorant containers my husband had started, yet didn’t finish, before starting another. I emptied every drawer and cabinet and divided things into piles, then sorted the good from the bad, old and ugly. It didn’t take long to fill a bag of garbage.
#11 Old Clothes
We are all guilty of keeping old clothes around (I swear I’m going to fit into those jeans I used to wear in high school). The rule of thumb is, if you haven’t worn it in the last 6 months, give it away.
#12 Unused Jewellery
It is amazing how many earrings and necklaces one can accumulate. Take some time to sort your jewels. You might find something you forgot you had, and you will likely realize that there are pieces that you will never wear again, such as that braided pink pearl and jersey knit cloth neck piece that your mother made for you in the 90’s.
I hope these ideas help you get motivated to simplify your home.
If you are looking for more ideas or want to sell your home in our area, call The Saugeen Team!
We will gladly answer of your inquiries!