Get Organized Now
(featured column)
10 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips
by Maria
Gracia
Along with Spring comes thoughts of crisp, fresh air, newly
budding flowers, singing birds and a sense of renewal. Getting organized and
doing a bit of spring cleaning, helps to bring that wonderful fresh feeling into
your home and office.
Here are 10 tips to help you start the season off right:
ASSIGN YOURSELF A DIFFERENT TASK FOR EACH DAY
Make yourself a schedule that is comprised of one hour and one task each
day. Your schedule may look something like this:
Monday: Decluttering
Tuesday: Dusting
Wednesday: Vacuuming
Thursday: Scrubbing
Friday: Organizing and Rearranging
Saturday: Laundering
Sunday: Decorating
Then, spend one hour each day doing your assigned task for each room,
throughout your house. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make in
your home by following this simple system.
USE THE PROPER TOOLS
When cleaning and organizing,
it's important to use tools that help you get the job done as quickly as
possible.
For instance, there are now dusting cloths that allow you to dust quickly
and easily, without any additional sprays. Just dust and be done with it.
Rubber gloves will help you deep clean, without drying out your hands,
exposing them to harsh chemicals, or burning them in hot water.
Racks can hold mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies in one organized
place, rather then storing them loose and having them constantly tip over.
An apron with lots of pockets, can help you transport cleaning products from
room to room easily, so you don't have to keep running back and forth to get
what you need.
BE RUTHLESS WHEN IT COMES TO DECLUTTERING
If you
don't love it, and/or you don't use it, it's clutter. It's the perfect time
to embrace the Feng Shui art of uncluttered living. Feng Shui teaches that
if energy can easily flow through a room, your life will be more harmonious
and happy--and clutter is an obstacle to reaching this relaxed and calm
state.
Make it a quest of yours to be ruthless when it comes to your decluttering
efforts. You'll have less to dust, less clutter to look it, an easier time
finding the things you do use and less stress in your life.
DONATE OR SELL THE THINGS YOU DON'T USE
If you have
items that you don't use, but are in good condition, they are prime
candidates to sell or donate. Gather all of these items together in boxes or
plastic bags.
Then, decide whether you would prefer to donate them or sell them.
If you choose to donate, consider giving them to your local Salvation Army,
or perhaps even a shelter or orphanage in town. Many of these organizations
will even pick up your donations for you.
If you choose to sell, you might set a date for a yard sale. Or, take some
photos of these items with your digital camera, and put them up for sale at
an online auction Web site.
MAKE YOUR SPRING CLEANING AND ORGANIZING FUN
Don't
think of it as a chore. Instead, think of it as a 'feel good' exercise--one
that will really help you to feel good about yourself and your clean and
organized environment.
Play some lively, fun, upbeat music. Dance your way through your home or
office with your dust rag or vacuum.
Get the family involved. Give everyone a task, and then do something
relaxing afterwards, like watching a movie together or going to the park for
a walk.
Set timers and play 'beat the clock.' Give yourself time limits for
completing small tasks, and try to complete those tasks before the timer
goes off.
Ask a friend to help, or do a swap. You clean her living room if she'll
clean your kitchen.
ELIMINATE DISTRACTIONS
Turn off the TV while you're
cleaning and organizing, and let your answering machine field your calls.
If a friend stops by while you're working, simply tell him/her that you've
scheduled this time for spring cleaning. He or she is free to stay, as long
as you could continue working. Perhaps, you might even get some help. If
not, tell your friend you'll stop by his or her house later on when you're
done.
If you have kids, give them their own jobs to do, or at minimum, be sure
they're occupied with something else.
The quickest and best jobs are accomplished when there are no distractions.
MAKE YOURSELF A CHECKLIST
Make a checklist of all
springtime jobs that you only do once or twice a year.
Perhaps you might bring your large comforters to the laundromat, bring your
drapes, and winter coats, to the dry cleaners, store your winter clothes and
bring your warm-weather clothes out of hiding or check the smoke detectors.
If all of these odd jobs are on a list, you won't forget to do them. Then,
try to do at least one or two of these odd jobs per week, throughout spring.
DON'T FORGET ABOUT THE INSIDES
It's important to
clean and organize things that are in sight all of the time. But, it's also
important to remember those items that are out of sight.
Spring is a great season to organize your closets, cabinets, drawers, bins,
boxes, pantry and other inside storage areas.
Give yourself that spring feeling, both inside and out!
ENJOY THE WEATHER WHILE YOU'RE WORKING
Do some
outside organizing and yard work, so you can be accomplishing something, but
also enjoying the nice weather at the same time.
Gather your gardening and planting supplies in one place. Replace old and
broken tools. Perhaps you might even get a gardening caddie to store your
good gardening tools.
Clean the garage. Keep the garage door open while you're doing so, so that
you can enjoy the nice weather.
OPEN YOUR WINDOWS
There's nothing like taking
in a breath of fresh air. As you're cleaning, open the windows. You'll be
removing musty winter odors, protecting yourself from inhaling harsh fumes
from cleaning products and the fresh air will keep you going.
While you're at it, let the sun shine in. Open curtains and drapes to give
yourself plenty of light, for an energy boost.
* * *
Copyright
© by Maria Gracia, author of Finally
Organized, Finally Free! All rights reserved.
Getting
Organized Article Index
Want more
money-saving tips? Get a FREE
subscription to our monthly Ezine!
