Spring Cleaning

Ask the Organizer

When the weather gets warm I get really inspired to begin tackling my home projects, however that jolt of energy quickly gets squashed as I realize how much there is to do. How do you tackle your spring cleaning?
Julie M., North Haven, CT

Julie, I could not agree more that the warm weather gives us a renewed energy to focus on our surroundings. But as you point out, spring cleaning can be very overwhelming as the outdoor tasks again become a weekly ritual and calendars become more packed with warm weather events on the weekends.
The first thing that I suggest as you begin to tackle your spring cleaning is to make a plan. Don’t think that your whole house can be overhauled in one weekend. You will fade quickly and you probably feel more tired during the week because you didn’t find time to relax. Making a plan is as simple as walking through each area of your home and identifying what tasks need to be done in each room.
Prioritize according to the areas that need the most attention. Identify what supplies will be needed and who is going to be around to help accomplish the goals. For instance, if it is finally warm enough to tackle the garage be prepared with boxes to pack items for donation. Purchase some heavy duty contractor bags to throw away bulky items. Find out what the weekend hours of the local dump or transfer station is open so items can be tossed the same day that you complete the project.
Once you identify the different actions that need to be taken in each room, take out your calendar and plan when you can focus on each space. Identify when you are going to purchase supplies so they are ready the day you need them instead of grabbing them at the last minute during the project. Check that the day you plan your project coincides with your helper’s availability. If you need your friend with a pick-up truck to be there to help haul unwanted furniture from the garage to donation, scheduling ahead of time will help everyone be prepared and more efficient.
To help you better identify some great projects for the spring, I have provided a list below of my favorite spring cleaning activities. Knocking some of these off your list will give you a great sense of balance and energy for the new season!
• Clean out and detail your car. Getting rid of the winter salt and brightening up the interior can make you feel even more renewed this season.
• Donate winter clothing that was never worn all season, pack remaining clothes and unpack your spring/summer clothing.
• Match lids with your plastic containers in your kitchen and toss any pieces that don’t have a match. There will be less frustration dealing with leftovers this Spring!
• Clean out your sock and underwear drawers. If you can’t find a match for socks get rid of them. Keeping your quantities low will make putting laundry away much easier.
• Get rid of all your unread magazines and newspapers. Start the season with less reading burden.
• Purge your files to start new for 2010. Group your 2009 paperwork with your tax records and start the year with empty files.
• Clean out under your bathroom sink. Throw almost empty bottles, expired medications and any items that have become old or leaky.
Hopefully you will find some further inspiration from these ideas this Spring!
Kristin Mastromarino is a professional organizer and owner of Livable Solutions Professional Organizing and The Organized Lifestyle retail store in Guilford, CT. (www.theorganizedlifestylestore.com). You can e-mail her your questions at Kristin@livablesolutions.com.