You can tell it’s spring when the spring cleaning posts for your home, cabin and business show up on the blog. But spring cleaning isn’t really spring cleaning without a healthy dose of house decluttering and organization tips. You know what we’re talking about—decluttering and organizing that “stuff” that piled up over the winter, if not for years. So how do you tackle that pile that resembles the hoarding shows on TV (or at least are way too unorganized for your taste and lifestyle?). Start at the beginning:
- Turn your pile into piles. Go through the pile, and sort. For example, create a pile of “office supplies,” another pile of “outgrown clothes” and a third pile of “don’t need anymore.”
- Let go. Plan on donating some of that stuff, especially items that don’t fit, don’t get used or won’t get used any time soon—including furniture. This is the essence of decluttering—clean up the space! If you donate to a charitable organization, keep a record of the items you donate for a possible tax deduction next year.
- Invest in shelving and boxes (or use what you have). De-cluttering is clearing up space, now it’s time to move on to organization. The first step is to create an organization system that works for you—whether it’s a series of drawers or shelves or an armoire where you can keep things (cleanly, not in piles).
- Hire someone else to take on decluttering and organizing if you can’t. You don’t have time. You can’t because of medical reasons. We all have legitimate reasons for not being able to take on the decluttering and organization of our basement, spare room, or house in general. If you can’t, hire a cleaning service to take on the project so you’re clear of that stuff forever. Leave clear instructions on what you want done with the stuff, or how you want it organized.
