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Tag: spring cleaning

  • 6 Simple Rules of Decluttering

    6 Simple Rules of Decluttering

    When it comes to getting more organized, one of the key elements must be decluttering your life, home, and activity schedule.  However, the very idea of getting rid of personal possessions strikes fear into the hearts of many.  Do you feel this way?  As with any other process, it often helps to have some basic, simple to follow rules in place.  Consider these six rules of decluttering to help you take steps toward living a clutter-free life.

    1. Bring Less Home

    This is the most important rule to set before you even begin to purge items.  You need to determine and make a sincere effort to bring less stuff into your home.  There’s no point in putting forth the effort to declutter if you undo all your progress by buying more stuff.  Setting a mindset to shop with intention is the first step to clearing out the clutter for good. Remember, is this item you are about to purchase a need, or is it just a want?

    1. Document Your Nostalgia

    Nostalgia and memories are powerful emotions that can lead you to hold onto clutter. An effective compromise is to digitize your prized possessions.  You can scan the images of things like certificates or kids’ artwork into your computer and organize them into folders.  For three-dimensional pieces like trophies or prom dresses, take a photo of the item to add to your digital keepsakes.  Often, it’s the memory of the event attached to the item that holds the greatest nostalgia, not necessarily the physical item itself.

    1. Start Small & Simple

    One way to gain momentum in the declutter process is to start with the easy things.  Begin boxing up items that don’t hold much emotional attachment.  Doing so will lead to a sense of instant accomplishment and provide motivation for you to keep going.  Especially when the decision-making becomes tougher later.  This will be the motivation for cleaning the tougher areas of your home.  Start with doing a 15-minute session, as you clean an area, make your 3 piles: keep, give away or sell, garbage.  As you declutter, you can also ask yourself “why” you have kept this or that. This will help you in the future when you are tempted to bring other things home.  Remember the clutter didn’t appear overnight—so don’t beat yourself up over reversing the process.

    1. Lose the Duplicates

    Another relatively easy decluttering task involves getting rid of unnecessary duplicate items.  So, take a moment to go through your home and gather up all your duplicate articles of clothing, dish sets and books.  Then sort through them, keeping only your favorite colored piece or the one that is in the best condition.  You will free up space very quickly this way.  Remember, you don’t need to be a squirrel keeping piles of things everywhere.

    1. Ditch the Guilt

    An empowering decluttering strategy is to get rid of things you’ve been holding onto out of guilt.  It doesn’t matter how much you paid for that stylish coat if it’s not being used, and unwanted gifts are something else you should part with immediately.  The decision of whether to keep them is yours, so holding onto these items out of guilt is just weighing you down.

    1. Put Things in Their Place

    Another way to bring organization and order to your home is to make sure all your possessions have a designated place.  Once they have an assigned place, remember to always return them there.  Knowing where stuff belongs makes it easier to keep everything tidy and lowers the chance of clutter becoming a recurring problem.

    These 6 rules aren’t the definitive last word on clearing out the clutter in your life and home.  They also won’t remove all the difficulties from the process as you learn to part with items.  Hopefully, though, they will serve as guidelines to help you begin your own decluttering journey.

  • 10 Spring Cleaning Tips

    10 Spring Cleaning Tips

    As the days get brighter, you’ll see dust and dirt that went unnoticed during winter. Luckily the long spring evenings are perfect for an extra bit of cleaning, and our top 10 spring cleaning tips will help get you going.

    1. Declutter First

    Every six months or so, you should take some time to declutter your home. Before your spring clean is an ideal time for this job. Gather any old, unwanted or broken items such as clothes, bed linen, books, toys, ornaments, and even furniture. Sort everything into piles for recycling, charity and storage. You’ll feel great after this therapeutic exercise, and your home will already be looking tidier.

    1. Prepare Your Kit

    Before you get down and dirty, make sure you have all the cleaning supplies you will need on hand. Essentials include rubber gloves, cloths, sponges, brushes, bleach, all-purpose cleaner, furniture and glass polish, garbage bags and paper towels.

    1. Work from the Top Down

    Always clean from the ceiling to the floor; first tidying, then dusting along the ceiling, light fixtures, pictures, etc…, finally vacuuming and mopping the floor when everything else in the room is done. This just makes sense because the earlier jobs will of course dirty the floor. You may also find it makes your work seem that bit easier and more productive if you finish either the downstairs or the upstairs completely before starting the other.

    1. Leave Windows for a Cloudy Day

    Wait for a cloudy day to wash your windows, as direct sunlight can dry windows too quickly leaving streaks behind.

    1. Don’t Forget the Fridge

    The best time to take on the task of cleaning your fridge and freezer is right before you do your grocery shopping, when the contents are at their lowest. Take everything out and dispose of any items that have passed their use-by date, and almost-empty items that you will never use. Look out for opened jars and bottles which state on the label that they should be used within a certain number of days after opening. Wipe down the interior of the fridge with a damp cloth and disinfectant. The same can be done for food cupboards if you think it’s needed.

    1. Cleaning Curtains & Blinds

    Curtains and blinds are usually neglected in routine cleaning sessions but can collect a surprising amount of dust and dirt. Some curtains can be machine washed or dry cleaned; always check the care label and follow the instructions provided. Most vacuum cleaners come with a small nozzle with a short brush built-in that is ideal for vacuuming curtains and fabric blinds. Remember to vacuum both sides to remove as much of the dust as possible. Steam cleaners are ideal for giving curtains and fabric blinds the most thorough clean. Wooden, metal or plastic blinds only need to be wiped down with a dry cloth, or with a suitable cleaner.

    1. The Best Oven Cleaning Method

    The oven is the heart of the kitchen, but months of roasting and baking can make it grimy and smelly. Begin by removing all racks and placing them in a mixture of hot water and either oven cleaning solution or dishwashing liquid. Allow them to soak while you clean the inside of the oven with oven cleaner. Always follow the manufacturer’s instructions when using oven cleaner, as it contains powerful chemicals. Scrub the racks clean, rinse and dry. Make sure to clean off all cleaning chemicals from the oven walls and racks before using your oven again.

    1. Mattress Cleaning & Care

    Remove all bedding and use a vacuum cleaner to remove dust and hair that has accumulated over time. Spot clean any stains with a stain remover and damp cloth. Sprinkle a light layer of baking soda over the mattress and let it sit for at least a couple of hours. The soda will absorb any moisture and leave your mattress smelling fresh. Remove the baking soda with a thorough vacuuming. Every three months, flip your mattress and switch it from head to foot and vice-versa to help it wear evenly and prolong its lifespan.

    1. Freshen up Your Rugs

    For a beautifully fresh smelling home, it is important to think of things like rugs which can really hold onto odours if not cleaned once or twice a year. Hang your rugs out on a washing line and use the handle of a sweeping brush to beat them. This will remove the bulk of the debris, dirt and dust that gets embedded in the fabric. Take the rugs back inside for a good vacuuming to remove any fine dust, before applying a carpet shampoo to get them like new again.

    1. Delegate!

    There are some jobs where you can put your feet up and let someone else do the work, safe in the knowledge that you’re doing the right thing. Examples include window washing and chimney cleaning. Spring is the ideal time for both, and sometimes specialist equipment, experience and skill is needed to reach those upstairs windows or the chimney pot.