Springtime downsizing

Spring is upon us. And with spring comes new life. In order to transfer that feeling to your home, consider purging some unnecessary objects. Once the downsizing has been accomplished, you will discover the renewal associated with spring.

Clearing out closets and removing clutter is a wonderful way to feel better about yourself. You will be surprised at how free you will feel when you have more available space and less chaos. 

To get started, set up bins for sorting – keep, throw away and donate/sell.

Ask yourself the following questions:

Do you use the item? 

Has it been used within the last year? 

If not, is it just wasting space in your home?

Do you have two objects that do the same thing? 

If one works better than the other, can you get rid of the lesser item?

Is it a decorative item? 

Is it enhancing your home or adding to your weekly dusting? 

Might it look better hanging on someone else’s wall, or on another person’s shelf?

As the seasons change, people often change their wardrobe. Now is the perfect time to go through the closets and purge. Most of us change sizes throughout our adult lives. How many items in the closet actually fit? Ideally, the only items in your bedroom closet should be the ones you wear now. Things that no longer fit or rarely worn items can go in less desirable locations, if you are not willing to part with them.

It is not necessary to do everything in one day. Trying to do too much makes the task feel overwhelming. Try to clean out one closet at a time. When you break the tasks into smaller chunks, it becomes a lot more manageable and less daunting.

If you are a parent, I am guessing that you would rather not have to nag your children to clean up their rooms.  By reducing the volume in their rooms, it could make for a much happier home. Less clutter could equal less nagging!

When cleaning bigger areas, start small, like the entryway of your home. What belongs? What should go? Is anything broken?

Keep your standards high. Does this deserve to be in your home? Is it worthy? Consider each unnecessary object. Does the piece deserve a place in your home? Is it helpful? Is artwork, or other decoration, beautiful?

At the end of your downsizing, go through the sale/donate box. Items that you feel are worth the effort to consign, list on ebay or Craig’s List should have a “due by” date so that they are not hanging around too long collecting more dust. Once the due date arrives, it can be donated. It is a win/win to donate items to those in need and benefit from the tax donation receipt.

Do not take your clutter into the next season. Downsizing will cleanse your soul and your home. At the same time, it might even add to your wallet.

Organize your bathroom

Have you looked under the bathroom sink lately? Are you afraid? Will everything spill onto the floor if you open the medicine cabinet? Do you save all of your old soap in order to “do something with it” at a later date? Do you have a hard time finding grooming supplies when you need them? If you answered yes to any of these questions, it is time to reduce the bathroom clutter!

You will need some cleaning rags, cleaning products and trash bags. It should take about an hour to get your bathroom completely organized. Try to carve out that time in your schedule and do it all at once.

The first step is to empty out everything under the sink, in the medicine cabinet, out of drawers and clear out any other storage areas in the bathroom. Often times, the tub area itself, can have shelves or other storage. These need to be cleared off too.

Starting with the medicine cabinet, check the expiration dates on any medications. If you had an abscessed tooth five years ago and got a prescription for pain killers, they are probably expired. And, in this day and age it must be said, prescriptions drugs can be a temptation to people whether they live in your household or are visitors. Expired medications may not be effective anyway and should not be taken.

First aid items also might have an expiration date. Remove old bandages or other supplies that should be sterile, but are no longer.

Goopy old containers of lotion, makeup or other skin and hair care products that are not being used, are wasting valuable storage space. Storage is at a premium in the bathroom. Get rid of things that do not belong.

Cleaning and personal care products that are located under the sink must be organized. You know which items you never use and which ones are keepers. Maybe the products you do not use, could be used somewhere else in the house. If not, toss them.

Prioritize everything in the bathroom. There is more storage elsewhere and might be more appropriate to store some things in the kitchen or basement where there is ample space. Just beware of transferring clutter from one room to another.

If you really need more space, invest in some storage for the bathroom. Some people use the space over the toilet tank for shelving or an extra cabinet. Do not add unnecessary clutter though, only add storage if there is room and you absolutely need it. If there are drawers in the bathroom, dividers can be installed. The dividers will help keep makeup and hair care products more ergonomic and easier to find.

Clean off all of the surfaces before you put anything away. Wipe out the shelves inside the medicine cabinet, the back of the toilet, any shelves or drawers and under the sink. Clean every storage area.

After you figure out which products made the cut, it is time to put everything away. Put cleaning products toward one side and personal care products on the other. Try to put the less used items toward the back of the cabinet, so they do not get knocked over while reaching for items that are used more regularly.

When everything was just thrown under the sink or stuffed in a drawer, it was hard to find what you needed. That problem is now eliminated. Once the bathroom is organized, you will find that it is easier to keep clean.