Now that #spring is less than three weeks away, it’s time to plot your #spring cleaning strategy. Start by #decluttering so that you can focus on #sanitizing instead of #organizing when you get down to business. “Getting rid of items that no longer serve a purpose or bring joy will reduce the quantity of work that needs doing,” Beatrice Flores, professional cleaner, told Homes & Gardens. Go through your residence and sort out any unused-but-still-useful items and contact ClothingDonations.org for a #donation #pickup. Once that #junk is out of the way, stock up on cleaning supplies and start scrubbing. #SpringCleaning
Tag: decluttering
Leap Into Spring Cleaning
It’s difficult for busy people to find the time to tackle their many #organizing and #cleaning tasks, The Kitchn says. The good news? Every Leap Year offers a full extra day to #declutter, #organize and #clean the trouble spots in your home. Take advantage of that extra 24 hours to organize a kitchen cabinet, pantry or countertop; #purge and #donate the cookbooks you don’t use; or go on a full #decluttering “spree” with a #donation bag or box a the ready. It’s also a great time to wipe down and #sanitize things that escape routine cleaning, such as windows, ceiling fans, ovens, baseboards and picture frames. #SpringCleaning #LeapDay
Giving Up Clutter for Lent and Life
Lent is a Christian observance commemorating the 40 days that Jesus Christ spent fasting in the desert before beginning his public ministry. Those who observe the period typically mark it with prayer, fasting and personal sacrifice.
A Lenten sacrifice is a spiritually motivated, voluntary renunciation of a pleasure or luxury. Common modern-day Lenten sacrifices include abstaining from meat-eating, chocolate, sweets and alcohol. Some people attempt to eschew “sinful” behaviors such as profanity.
Not every faith observes Lent, of course, but each of the major religions has a holiday observed through fasting and sacrifice. Regardless of faith or level of observance, the Organizing Blog suggests that there is something you can give up today for the betterment of everyone: #clutter.
#Decluttering can help you lead a more spiritual existence. When you don’t have to tend to all of the #stuff you’ve collected over the years, you’ll have more time and energy to focus on what really matters: health, family and well-being.
Establish a simple Lenten goal: “I’ll spend one hour per day #sorting through my stuff.” “I’ll #declutter one #closet per week.” “I’ll #clean and #organize my kitchen and bathrooms by Easter.” “I’ll fill X number of boxes and bags with stuff I no longer need or want.”
What would Jesus do? Granted, we live in different times, but he almost certainly would not let a bunch of clothing that doesn’t fit, disused household appliances and mass-market tchotchkes pile up and bog him down. He traveled light.
There’s another aspect of Lent and other seasonal observances demand: almsgiving. It’s charitable giving that puts the needs of others ahead of your own — sharing your time, money and material possessions with others, and especially those less fortunate.
ClothingDonations.org can help with this. Once you’ve #decluttered and gathered up the things you don’t want, contact us for a #free #donation #pickup. We’ll take those lightly used goods and resell them to #help the nation’s #veterans.
Once you see the results from your Lenten sacrifice, decluttering could become a lifelong habit. Have a safe and happy Lent!
Revisit Your New Year’s Resolutions
People often try to make a fresh start at the beginning of the calendar year, making #resolutions to lose weight, get more exercise, get #organized, save money and so on. But such resolutions — made to suit a salient juncture in time — often get sidelined quickly.
One can make a resolution or set a new goal at any time, of course, but the goal-setter needs to be ready. So if you made resolutions three weeks ago and are already coming up short, it’s time to revisit those goals and figure out how you can successfully meet them.
The first thing to do when making any sort of shift is to mentally prepare for change, says GoSkills. Inventory any progress you have already made toward a goal, however small; this will help you maintain positivity as you tackle the next steps.
Pick a goal that motivates you and has a substantial personal value or benefit. Is it to learn a new software program to boost your career? Learn a musical instrument as a creative outlet? #Clean and organize the garage to give you more space? What the goal is doesn’t matter as much as making sure it aligns with your priorities.
Limit yourself to just a few improvement goals. GoSkills suggests writing every aspiration on a Post-it and rearranging them until the most exciting topics rise to the top. When you have only a few Post-its left, you’ll know which areas to focus on.
Know your bandwidth. If multiple resolutions demand global changes or big chunks of time, you probably aren’t going to satisfy them to your satisfaction. Make your resolutions SMART: Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-sensitive.
If a resolution has anything to do with #organization, for example, “get #organized” is not the one to make — it’s too vague and too all-encompassing. Such a goal sets people up for failure, because it’s hard to measure progress and any obvious failures will demotivate.
The SMART goal would be something like, “I will install new shelves in the living room by April 1 and display only the books and knickknacks I want on them, sorting and #donating the rest to [shameless plug] ClothingDonations.org.”
Revisit the hopes and dreams you have for the new year. Calibrate any resolutions you might make into manageable life goals that carry demonstrable returns. And remember that there is never a bad time to pursue self-improvement.
Bringing Warmth to the Winter Home
Once all of the #holiday celebrations are complete and the temperatures drop to single digits, you may struggle to create #warmth — real or perceived — in the home. The cold weather and empty social schedules of January may prompt you to enter a protective hibernation.
The cold-weather cultures of Scandinavia tell you to lean into that feeling through #hygge, the concept of warmth, comfort and quiet conviviality practiced when the weather outside is cold, blustery and otherwise inhospitable.
Hygge demands quiet comforts such as cozy sweaters and throws, casual get-togethers with friends and family, and plenty of hot meals and beverages such as coffee, tea and hot chocolate. Candles and a fire in the hearth only add to hygge’s #warm, golden glow.
Creating real warmth in winter may require a few #household fixes, however. The first thing to check is your furnace filter — if it hasn’t been changed recently, dust and dirt may be blocking heated air. Change it so that the heat travels to the vents efficiently and with fewer allergens.
Half the battle of staying warm in #winter is to keep the heat inside and the cold outside. Adding insulation, area rugs and a chimney flue blocker are simple ways to keep the warmth from escaping and save money on heating costs.
Other simple fixes include 10 home heating “hacks” from Better Homes & Gardens. They include insulating drafty windows with bubble wrap and sealing window frames with fresh caulk. To quickly warm the kitchen and create a homey atmosphere, fire up the oven and bake some cookies or braise a roast.
We at The Organizing Blog like to save energy and set our thermostats to 68°F throughout the winter. But we also have plenty of blankets and throws we can use to stay warm, some of which were #thrifted from stores supplied by generous #donations to ClothingDonations.org.
You can also generate #heat by staying active — getting on the treadmill, painting a room or thoroughly #decluttering and #organizing a space. After you #schedule a #donation #pickup for all of that extra #stuff, reward yourself by bundling up, pouring a hot beverage and relaxing.
There’s nothing like the warmth of a #clean, cozy and #uncluttered home. Follow a few of these tips to stay warm, whatever winter brings!