5 tips for Spring Cleaning and Decluttering

Spring is here and it’s time to make some changes in your house to prepare for the warm days of sunshine ahead. While some people (like me) can’t wait for the opportunity to declutter and get rid of all the items and clothing they don’t need anymore, thus making much-needed space in their homes, for others it’s a nightmare that they dread and put off as long as they can. For the latter, throwing away personal items and organizing in general is a task that is filled with hesitations and conflicting emotions, and the huge piles of junk that have been built up for so long daunt them even more. After cleaning and decluttering my own home, I’ve compiled this list of 5 tips that are bound to motivate you into decluttering and organizing your house.

• Declutter the Easier Things First

Walk around your house, room by room, and get rid of the largest and most obvious items that aren’t in place. Whether it’s trash on the floor or plates and cups that belong in the kitchen, it’s much easier to get motivated and energized once you’ve gotten the more obvious things out of the way. This clears up space easily and quickly and takes about 10 minutes max, depending on the size of your house.

• Out With the Old, In With the New: Organizing your Closet

Gather all your winter clothes, shoes, and fashion accessories in one place (I usually get this done on my bed). Piece by piece, decide what is still relevant for you; the trick is to ask yourself if you have worn that particular item over the last two years. If the answer is no, most chances are that you wont wear it in the coming years either, and there is just no logical reason to hold on to it and have it taking up space in your closet. After you’re done, do the same with the spring clothing. If you haven’t done this in a while, you should have at least one big-sized garbage bag filled with clothes you no longer need by the time you’ve finished. All of these things can be donated to charity, or sold in a yard sale.

• Deep Clean Carpets and Rugs and Change your Curtains

After you get your windows sparkling and shiny, throw out all those heavy curtains that you used during the winter and switch to light, airy ones that are perfect for summer. Deep clean your carpets to get out all the dirt and dust that the winter brought in. Cleaning out the spots can be accomplished by using a few drops of dishwashing soap in water. Your house will look (and smell) cleaner and will be a delight to walk in to after a long day at work.

• Clean Your Windows

With winter comes rain and snow, and in preparation for the warm sunny days ahead, cleaning the windows is an absolute must. Clean windows make all the difference in a house and light up the entire space. This is the time to seriously get down and dirty and scrub every inch of your windows with a bit of dishwashing liquid, cleaning it up afterwards with a squeegee and a few other basic tools.

• Organizing your Kid’s Playroom

The majority of kids play with about 20% of their toys, 80% of the time. This means that you can actually get rid of 80% of their stuff without them even noticing. Now I’m definitely not encouraging any parent to throw their kids toys away without going through them first with their child, but this principle must be taken into account when organizing your kids playroom. Throw out all toys that are broken or damaged but keep the ones you know your child favors. If they are at a proper age, encourage them to sort out their toys and decide together on a limited few that they want to keep and on others that they are willing to donate to other kids. In general, it’s best to spend money on experiences you can have with your child – a trip to the zoo, going to the movies together – rather than on buying them new toys that will just take up more space. It’s the quality time you spend with them that counts and makes for the unforgettable memories they’ll have as adults!