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Independence, MO —
The holidays are over and the Christmas decorations have finally been put away. But with the start of a new year, many people are not only looking for places to put all those new toys and gifts, but also looking for ways to start 2013 fresh.
One of those ways is starting the spring cleaning process early by decluttering the house. While this process might seem daunting at first, the best way to get started is to simply dig in.
5 Empty everything. Choose the space to be organized, and start removing every item from the area. Empty the room to create a clean space in which to work. According to The Complete Idiot’s Quick Guide, idiotsguides.com, the best option is to dump everything into a box. Find a space where these items can be spread out and start sorting.
4 Thin the herd. When cleaning out a closet, take a critical eye to the clothes inside. Start asking questions such as “When was this last worn?” and “Is it something that is really needed?” This first sort should take only 15 minutes. After the first sort is complete, do another 15-minute sort. Those items removed from the closet can be donated, sold at a garage sale or even thrown away.
3 Peek under the bed. One of most scary places in a person’s home is under the bed. The best way to get started is to move the bed or lift up the mattress to get a good view of what has collected under it. Throw all the trash away and vacuum to get rid of those pesky dust bunnies or animal hair. To get the best use of that space under the bed, purchase some slim storage containers for clothes or other items to slide under that bed frame.
2 Donate. Do not let these unused items just sit around. Donate them. There are a number of charities such as Goodwill, www.goodwill.org, and the Salvation Army, www.satruck.org, that welcome donations of clothes, household items, appliances and even furniture. Find one and take a carload of unwanted and unused items there. Depending on how many items there are, a pickup can be scheduled with these organizations. Those items can then be sold, with the money going to a good cause. And remember, all donations are tax deductible.
1 If you don’t use it, toss it. According to The Complete Idiot’s Quick Guide to Decluttering, if it has been more than a year, get rid of it. Start the new year fresh with organized rooms and closets. All that is needed is a little elbow grease.
The holidays are over and the Christmas decorations have finally been put away. But with the start of a new year, many people are not only looking for places to put all those new toys and gifts, but also looking for ways to start 2013 fresh.
One of those ways is starting the spring cleaning process early by decluttering the house. While this process might seem daunting at first, the best way to get started is to simply dig in.
5 Empty everything. Choose the space to be organized, and start removing every item from the area. Empty the room to create a clean space in which to work. According to The Complete Idiot’s Quick Guide, idiotsguides.com, the best option is to dump everything into a box. Find a space where these items can be spread out and start sorting.
4 Thin the herd. When cleaning out a closet, take a critical eye to the clothes inside. Start asking questions such as “When was this last worn?” and “Is it something that is really needed?” This first sort should take only 15 minutes. After the first sort is complete, do another 15-minute sort. Those items removed from the closet can be donated, sold at a garage sale or even thrown away.
3 Peek under the bed. One of most scary places in a person’s home is under the bed. The best way to get started is to move the bed or lift up the mattress to get a good view of what has collected under it. Throw all the trash away and vacuum to get rid of those pesky dust bunnies or animal hair. To get the best use of that space under the bed, purchase some slim storage containers for clothes or other items to slide under that bed frame.
2 Donate. Do not let these unused items just sit around. Donate them. There are a number of charities such as Goodwill, www.goodwill.org, and the Salvation Army, www.satruck.org, that welcome donations of clothes, household items, appliances and even furniture. Find one and take a carload of unwanted and unused items there. Depending on how many items there are, a pickup can be scheduled with these organizations. Those items can then be sold, with the money going to a good cause. And remember, all donations are tax deductible.
1 If you don’t use it, toss it. According to The Complete Idiot’s Quick Guide to Decluttering, if it has been more than a year, get rid of it. Start the new year fresh with organized rooms and closets. All that is needed is a little elbow grease.
