It’s that time of year – spring cleaning – when it’s out with the old and in with a tidy home. With nicer weather comes the itch to clean and do away with the clutter that has gathered in the winter months. Dirt, grime, and stale air are also on the list of things to go during the annual spring cleaning season. However, our main focus is getting rid of the excess junk!
Declutter your home and make it last well into summer when you follow decluttering tips from the professionals. Tune in below to learn more.
Create a Decluttering Plan
Start by making a plan for each room of your house. You know your space better than anyone, so create a basic blueprint of what needs to be done for each space. It should include all main living spaces and functional rooms. (If you have house guests or grown children, enlist their help in decluttering their space{s}.)
Next, you’ll gather four boxes in which you can place belongings. This will help streamline the process and allow you to declutter your home faster and more efficiently.
Boxes:
- Trash – junk the stuff that’s broken or has no life left in it.
- Give away – if it’s still decent quality, consider giving it to someone else.
- Sell – if there is value, you can sell it and earn money back.
- Storage/reorganization
Reward Yourself for Completing a Room
Reorganizing your home is a big task. We don’t expect you to get it all done in a day, and you shouldn’t push yourself too hard. Instead, take it room by room. Then, when you’ve completed a space, give yourself a reward.
Yes, a reward!
This can perk you up to the process and make it not feel like such a chore. Order your favorite lunch, order something small from Amazon, or grab a new read at the bookstore. The reward should be a small pick-me-up to keep you from becoming bored with the process of decluttering.
Start on the Next Room
Now it’s time to plan out your next room – what’s next? What will stay and what will go? Move your empty boxes to the next stop, and start it all over again.
Remember you don’t have to do this all at once – you can even tackle one room a week, or whatever interval you prefer. The point is to remain successful in the decluttering process rather than to rush it to completion.
You can also use an app to schedule your decluttering process.
Decluttering Tips for Each Room
Each room has its own nuances; take a look at the following tips to see how you can get the most out of your home decluttering process.
When selling items, you can list them on the Facebook marketplace to help get more exposure for your item. Whether you choose to keep, sell, or trash items, you can walk away with a more organized home.
Bathroom
Don’t let size fool you, bathrooms may be one of the smallest rooms of your house, but they aren’t exactly the easiest to declutter; there are so many little things put into one space.
Start with any flat surfaces, such as countertops, tub edges, etc., then move on to shelves and medicine cabinets. Dispose of old medicine and toss bottles that are almost empty. If you haven’t used it in multiple months, it’s time for it to go!
You can also reorganize how your towels are folded to help cut down on wasted space.
Bedroom
With bedrooms, it’s best to start at the door and work your way in. Make the bed at the start, too. (Messy beds make a room look disheveled, even when it is not.)
Dirty clothes go straight to the hamper, and shoes should be lined up or put in their place. Be sure to hit nightstands, too. Organize what you need and do away with what you don’t. You will be surprised at what a difference it can make.
Also, fold up and store away excess blankets and pillows as warmer weather is around the corner.
Living Room
Most living rooms serve as a catch-all for the entire family’s belongings. To make your life easier, task everyone with grabbing their own things and putting them away.
Next, decide which common areas are allowed to catch clutter. Having a space for keys, sunglasses, shoes, etc., can help your home to feel more organized, even when these items are out in plain view. Consider adding features like a shoe rack, shelf, key hook, etc. to add organization to your home.
Home Office
Everyone keeps their home office in a different state, and only you know what you are truly getting into when organizing this space. However, the main principles still apply: trash, give away, sell, and store/reorganize.
You may want to use a paper shredder for sensitive documents. (If you don’t have one, you can find this service locally, or simply rip them up.)
File paperwork that you do wish to keep; use a filing cabinet to keep it organized and neat. Best of all, this will allow you to find files when you need them.
We hope you enjoyed our decluttering tips. Reach out to our management team at Pleasant Grove Self Storage on our website, or give us a call at 916.772.1500. After you have finished with the clutter and want to do spring cleaning, download our handy Pleasant Grove Self Storage Spring Cleaning List for each room in your house.