HOW TO PROPERLY TACKLE SPRING CLEANING
Due to coronavirus, we are all stuck at home for the near future. While many of us are fortunate enough to work from home, others are not. And we still have weekends, where instead of the usual brunch and hang with friends at bars, restaurants, or even outside, are now spent at home. I, for one, have seen plenty of posts and inspiration on what to do at home. My personal favorite, and what I’ve been spending plenty of time doing and writing about, is organizing. Whether this means organizing your home space, decluttering, or doing a big deep clean of the entire house, this time of the year is normally when spring cleaning gets plenty of action as we start to prepare for summer and warmer months. So, why not do a little more than normal?
Some of my favorite ways to start spring cleaning include laying out a plan. Where, and what, are you looking to tackle? Do you have an idea of places to start, and what are you trying to accomplish? For me, I started by first tackling my living room spaces. Since I live in a house, I have one that is a little more formal (and less used) and one that serves as more of a den. I knew I wanted to deep clean and organize both, as starting with larger areas was easier for me, so that I could then move on to smaller parts of my home.
Below are some other tips and tricks I’ve used in my spring cleaning routine to help things go a little smoother and feel easier to handle:
Clear out the clutter first. My last post focused on interior styling, but the crucial step before you get to that point involves clearing out the clutter. This can be anything from books, old and empty pens, clothes, anything you think you need less of. Since we are staying home, at least for the time being, it isn’t necessary to have all the coats, shoes and whatever else you wear outside, out all the time. My entryway was always populated with everyone’s clothes and shoes of the moment, but limiting each person to just one pair of each made a huge difference in the amount of space we were able to clear up.
Group similar items together. Easier said than done! I usually place items that are similar together, like small knick-knacks, workout clothes, book sizes, magazines and more. It’s easier to move these around, and remember where things are when you’ve placed them together.
Keep it simple. Because we are stuck at home, going out to Ikea, Home Depot or practically anywhere else isn’t really an option. Although you might have to put that step away for now while thinking of ways to redo your home, keeping it simple is the best way to tackle the project right now. Want to organize your closet, or just your underwear drawer? Do that. That drawer in your kitchen that is constantly filled with receipts, coins and left over grocery lists from two years ago? Definitely something to tackle right now.
Inspiration is everywhere. With all this time on our hands, it’s possible to find inspiration anywhere: while you’re watching TV, scrolling through your phone or computer, or even just sitting in your living room. I also love to check out home blogs and magazines. This article from House Beautiful has some pretty great ideas.
Find some projects to do. I recently found Hometalk, which features hundreds of DIY projects from people all over. There are a different categories, like building, craft projects, upcycling and more. They can also be filtered depending on how experienced you are/want to be. You’re able to post your project, and there’s even a DIY forum for more information.
These are some of the tips I’ve been using to organize my space during this time. Because I live in a home, it’s been easier to tackle areas of my home over a larger amount of time, rather than just trying to fit it all in on one or two days. This also gives me a break from my computer/TV during the day, and creates a small routine for myself that I try to stick to. This might not be the same in your situation, but something that works for me. Please feel free to comment with any other tips or ideas you have that is helping you get through this time, and thank you for reading!