The Original
Get Organized Now!
Website - Since 1997
by Maria Gracia
The Original
Get Organized Now!
Website - Since 1997
by Maria Gracia
GON Organizing Articles
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Featured Article
10 Spring Cleaning and Organizing Tips
by Maria Gracia
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Along with Spring comes thoughts of crisp, fresh air, newly budding flowers,
singing birds and a sense of renewal. Getting organized and doing a bit of
spring cleaning, helps to bring that wonderful fresh feeling into your home
and office. Here are 10 tips to help you start the season off right.
1) Assign Yourself a Different Task for Each Day
Make yourself a schedule that is comprised of one hour and one task each
day. Your schedule may look something like this:
Monday: Decluttering
Tuesday: Dusting
Wednesday: Vacuuming
Thursday: Scrubbing
Friday: Organizing and Rearranging
Saturday: Laundering
Sunday: Decorating
Then, spend one hour each day doing your assigned task for each room,
throughout your house. You'll be amazed at the difference you can make in
your home by following this simple system.
2) Use the Proper Tools
When cleaning and organizing, it's important to use tools that help you get
the job done as quickly as possible. For instance, there are now dusting
cloths that allow you to dust quickly and easily, without any additional
sprays. Just dust and be done with it. Rubber gloves will help you deep
clean, without drying out your hands, exposing them to harsh chemicals, or
burning them in hot water.
Racks can hold mops, brooms and other cleaning supplies in one organized
place, rather then storing them loose and having them constantly tip over.
An apron with lots of pockets, can help you transport cleaning products from
room to room easily, so you don't have to keep running back and forth to get
what you need.
3) Be Ruthless When it Comes to Decluttering
If you don't love it, and/or you don't use it, it's clutter. It's the perfect time to
embrace the Feng Shui art of uncluttered living. Feng Shui teaches that if
energy can easily flow through a room, your life will be more harmonious
and happy--and clutter is an obstacle to reaching this relaxed and calm
state.
Make it a quest of yours to be ruthless when it comes to your decluttering
efforts. You'll have less to dust, less clutter to look it, an easier time finding
the things you do use and less stress in your life.
4) Donate or Sell the Things You Don’t Use.
If you have items that you don't use, but are in good condition, they are
prime candidates to sell or donate. Gather all of these items together in
boxes or plastic bags. Then, decide whether you would prefer to donate
them or sell them.
If you choose to donate, consider giving them to your local Salvation Army,
or perhaps even a shelter or orphanage in town. Many of these
organizations will even pick up your donations for you. If you choose to sell,
you might set a date for a yard sale. Or, take some photos of these items
with your digital camera, and put them up for sale at an online auction Web
site.
5) Make Your Spring Cleaning and Organizing Fun
Don't think of it as a chore. Instead, think of it as a 'feel good' exercise--one
that will really help you to feel good about yourself and your clean and
organized environment. Play some lively, fun, upbeat music. Dance your
way through your home or office with your dust rag or vacuum. Get the
family involved. Give everyone a task, and then do something relaxing
afterwards, like watching a movie together or going to the park for a walk.
Set timers and play 'beat the clock.' Give yourself time limits for completing
small tasks, and try to complete those tasks before the timer goes off. Ask a
friend to help, or do a swap. You clean her living room if she'll clean your
kitchen.
6) Eliminate Distractions
Turn off the TV while you're cleaning and organizing, and let your answering
machine field your calls. If a friend texts while you're working, text back that
you've scheduled this time for spring cleaning and you’ll contact her/him
later in the day. If you have kids, give them their own jobs to do, or at
minimum, be sure they're occupied with something else. The quickest and
best jobs are accomplished when there are no distractions.
7) Make Yourself a Checklist
Make a checklist of all springtime jobs that you only do once or twice a year.
Perhaps you might bring your large comforters to the laundromat, bring your
drapes, and winter coats, to the dry cleaners, store your winter clothes and
bring your warm-weather clothes out of hiding or check the smoke
detectors. If all of these odd jobs are on a list, you won't forget to do them.
Then, try to do at least one or two of these odd jobs per week, throughout
spring.
8) Don’t Forget About the Insides
It's important to clean and organize things that are in sight all of the time.
But, it's also important to remember those items that are out of sight. Spring
is a great season to organize your closets, cabinets, drawers, bins, boxes,
pantry and other inside storage areas. Give yourself that spring feeling, both
inside and out!
9) Enjoy the Weather While You’re Working
Do some outside organizing and yard work, so you can be accomplishing
something, but also enjoying the nice weather at the same time. Gather your
gardening and planting supplies in one place. Replace old and broken tools.
Perhaps you might even get a gardening caddie to store your good
gardening tools. Clean the garage. Keep the garage door open while you're
doing so, so that you can enjoy the nice weather.
10. Open Your Windows
There's nothing like taking in a breath of fresh air. As you're cleaning, open
the windows. You'll be removing musty winter odors, protecting yourself from
inhaling harsh fumes from cleaning products and the fresh air will keep you
going.
While you're at it, let the sun shine in. Open curtains and drapes to give
yourself plenty of light, for an energy boost.
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