Spring Cleaning: Decluttering and Reorganizing
Spring time is right around the corner, and that means sunshine, fresh blooms, chirping birds . . . and a lot of cleaning. Spring cleaning is not exactly most people’s idea of a good time, but it does set the tone for an outlook of new growth for the rest of the year. Therefore, it’s worth it to do it right, and that means paying special attention to decluttering and reorganizing.
The Importance of Decluttering
Not only is clutter unsightly to the eyes, but it can also be downright dangerous. Statistically, most slip and fall accidents around the house are caused by clutter. This could mean anything from excess furniture blocking traffic flow to over-stocked bookshelves.
How to Declutter
Be prepared that this will be a process, and that it might take a considerable amount of time and thought. Basically, you will have to go through everything you own to determine what you want/need to keep, and what you no longer need. This means going through closets, cabinets, shelving units, dressers, book shelves, drawers, curio cabinets, desks, and even that dark space under the bed. It is advisable that you choose one space to do at a time so that you don’t get overwhelmed. Take everything out of the space and go through items, one at a time, to determine if they go in the “keep,” “discard,” or “donate” pile.
The Benefits of Reorganization
Once you have decluttered, it’s time to turn your attention to reorganization. No matter how organized a person you are, your possessions will eventually build up to the point where they can easily be displaced, or placed arbitrarily, making it more difficult for you to gain easy access to them (or even remember where they are when you need them). For this reason, it is necessary to take some time reorganizing the items in your home, each time to declutter for spring.
Reorganization Tips
It should be easy to reorganize once you have your designated keep piles. Separate the items in each pile into categories that make sense to you. For example, if you are reorganizing the objects in your front hall closet, then you might separate them into categories like board games, coats/jackets, cleaning supplies, pet food, and shoes. Once you have items separated into categories, it’s very easy to see how they should be stored. You have a variety of organization/storage options to choose from–including stackable boxes, shelves, drawer dividers, file cabinets, baskets, and more–and the storage methods you choose will depend on the size/shape of the items being stored, how accessible you need them to be, and the size/shape of the space you are storing them in.
Spring cleaning time isn’t just about home improvements to door sweeps, roofs, gardens, or even wall paint. It offers the perfect opportunity to declutter and reorganize the belongings in your home. It doesn’t have to be much of a chore, either, as long as you approach the task with these considerations in mind.
