In the spirit of the Milan Cortina Winter #Olympics, try “gamifying” your household #cleaning and #decluttering efforts. One strategy is a 30-day minimalism challenge that asks you to declutter X number of items based on the date of the month — one on the first, two on the second and so on. In a 30-day month, that’s more than 400 items you can #donate or #trash! Even if you do the challenge for only a week, it can help your #decluttering and #organizing efforts snowball, Apartment Therapy says. Go for the gold by scheduling a #free #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org. #OlympicDecluttering
Tag: cleaning
Schuss Your Way to a Clutter-Free Home
#Decluttering takes on an #Olympic bent when you attempt the “ski slope” method. “Much like skiing, where you don’t start by going straight down the hill, the ski slope method allows you to crisscross a room, one small section at a time, building momentum as you go,” says its originator, “home therapist” Anita Yakota. “By focusing on smaller areas, I found that I could actually clean up the space without feeling completely defeated — and it worked! This method gave me the freedom to take breaks while knowing I could finish by the end of the day. No more procrastination or paralysis.” Let the Games begin! #OlympicDecluttering
Declutter to Create an Olympic Environment
#Olympic athletes are used to spartan conditions. Housed in temporary dorms during the competition, their #focus is on training, nutrition and performance. No matter what you do on a daily basis, your environment may not lend itself to that kind of #focus if you are surrounded by #clutter, says Medium. “Decluttering isn’t just about #cleaning. It’s not about perfection, or buying matching baskets or becoming a #minimalist monk who owns two forks and one beige shirt. #Decluttering is about #energy. It’s about focus. It’s about emotional relief. There’s something deeply empowering about intentionally shaping your space.” #OlympicDecluttering
Sweep Your Home Clean Like an Olympic Curler
Watching the curling competition at the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics over the weekend had the unintended consequence of reminding the authors of The Organizing Blog that there are a few areas of the home that could use a good #sweeping. In curling, sweeping the ice clears the way for “the rock” to travel faster and straighter, allowing competitors to direct it into a scoring circle or knock the other team’s rocks out of the way. Similarly, #cleaning and #decluttering your home makes it easier for you to accomplish other tasks of labor and leisure, unfettered by a bunch of useless #clutter or built-up grime. #OlympicDecluttering
The Holidays Are Coming in Hot
It happens every year — no sooner do the leaves start to turn and suddenly, it’s the #holiday season. This year, however, the #holidays are coming in particularly hot, so you can strap in for a wild couple of months of entertaining, socializing and shopping.
If you think that calendar “creep” is getting worse, you aren’t imagining it. “‘Summerween’ became a July phenom, pumpkin spice lattés launched at Starbucks in August, and Hallmark kicked off its Christmas movie hype in September,” says the advertising blog Muse by Clios.
With the economy on shaky ground and inflation on the rise, advertisers are focusing on value. You may have less money, time and energy to spread around during the season, not to mention fewer days to shop after a late Thanksgiving. How will you handle the season without succumbing to stress?
First, manage expectations of yourself, says UC Davis Health. Don’t overschedule. Calendar events and list your responsibilities. Simplify travel plans to reduce the time spent in cars and airports. Take a break when you fell stressed from #shopping, #cooking and #cleaning.
To stay within budget, manage your gift-giving. You don’t have to spend money you don’t have or give every single person you know a gift. You may be able to make some of the gifts you give or #thrift a few items at a discount. Crafting or baking homemade goods might even become a holiday tradition!
Make a list and check it twice, says the American Bankers Association. Note the people for whom you plan to buy, what your price range is and a few ideas for gifts. Look for bargains on the targeted gifts and (try to) resist impulse buying onscreen and in stores.
The holidays are also a season for giving to charity. About 1 million #veterans nationwide rely on SNAP benefits, which were recently interrupted; you can #donate to the local food bank to help solve some of that food insecurity at least temporarily.
You can also schedule a #donation #pickup at ClothingDonations.org to benefit #veterans at any time of year. Your lightly used #clothing and #household goods will be resold to fund programs that target food and housing insecurity, veteran health care, and more.
We’re in the thick of the holiday season already, but don’t stress. Get #organized — sort out what you need to do and tackle those essential tasks one by one. Then, kick back and enjoy!