I have been in the MOOD to clean. I go through phases where I’m into it and not into… and after a bunch of months of letting disorganization take over, I’m ready to get things back in order. The “stuff” is hands down one of the most frustrating parts of this job. It accumulates even when you feel like you are on top of it. Little piles turn into big piles way too quickly. Things are so bad right now, frankly, that I seriously considered hiring a professional organizer… but the more I thought about it, the more I realized I could do it. I just needed a plan.
MY SPRING CLEANING PLAN
I came up with my “strategy” for spring cleaning and thought I’d share with you. It’s going to take more work than just a day, or even a weekend. It’s going to have to be an ongoing situation where I chip away a little at a time.
So… to make this big task of organizing and cleaning the house top to bottom a little more manageable, I went through and created a note in my phone with everything that needs to be done. I went room by room and wrote out every task that I needed to do in that room. It looks like a lot all written out, but most of the tasks wouldn’t take more than a few minutes.
Having a game plan has made me feel like this is all doable, instead of feeling too overwhelmed to even start. And it’s so satisfying having a million things to cross off. I also have found that by doing it this way, I can carve out 20-30 minutes every day to tackle a few of the items without feeling like I need to wait until the weekend or finding a day where I can devote hours of my time. Little by little, it will get done!
(For example, yesterday, I spent about 40 minutes going through the cabinets and drawers in our dining room and donated a bunch of old dishes and mugs that we haven’t even touched since we moved into our house. Felt so good!!!)
Would love to know if you have a spring cleaning game plan… or a strategy…. or any tips you recommend!
I love the idea of doing a little bit every day! My tip is if you see something that needs done, so if right away. Don’t put it off.
http://www.elspethsdaybyday.com
Great post!! I will be moving in a few weeks and am also making a detailed plan, it does make me feel better.
Sometimes, you can over plan it. Just do it!
The problem is the attachment to the items (and keeping them) not the items themselves– Josh and Ryan (the minimalists). Psych wise any item you bring into your home you’re more apt to keep even if it’s a random pen which is crazy!
I have donations always in my car to go donate and I try to take a long hard look at the massive towers of bags of stuff other people are donating. All of those things- only about 1/3 gets into the thrift store.
Love the “Clean with me” podcast sounds cheesy as hell but this woman just talks while you clean.. it’s really relaxing and helpful. Daily tidy of 20 min will help keep things clean versus none with 2 hours of trying to manage on a weekend.
Fewer items mean easier to clean because to clean a floor.. you have to move all the furniture and things sitting on it, clean, then move it back. If it’s just the floor there is no roadblock to vacuuming you can just do it.
I also use a sticker chart on my calendar because I am five inside. Whenever I clean I get a sticker on the day, I also do a designated laundry day (laundry means ALL 3 steps completed- wash, dry, fold and put away. I am the worst at putting it away 😬), and I write how many loads I did on the calendar. It’s nice to know how many per week I’m doing.
2 min rule where if a task takes under 2min, you do it immediately.
For papers: only handle it once- it goes into recycle, shred or scanned to files immediately.
You will never look at your old textbooks or notes (likely journals definitely not all of them you could keep one) again.
Try not to procrasti-clean! That is my life lol… Avoid scary frog task by cleaning…
Highly recommend a professional cleaner even once monthly- worth the $. [I don’t have one but I plan to budget it in for whenever we have bought a house.]
Love this idea of clean with me podcast! Will def check out!
If you haven’t already you should watch “Minimalist: Less is Now” on Netflix! It will get you into not only spring cleaning but just an overall clean out of your house when it comes to everything you have that you don’t need. I think I got rid of 300 things the first day
When I do clothes, I pull everything from every closet and on the bed it goes!! Try it all on and ask myself “if I were to see this in store, would I buy it?”
What a great idea try it all on. I would probably be able to part with more if I did that
I love this one: https://www.marthastewart.com/267295/spring-cleaning-checklist
When I switch my clothes out for the season I turn the hangers the wrong way (so you have to take the hanger off towards the wall of the closet). It is by far the easiest way I have found to see what I don’t wear – the hangers that never got turned around are my first items I pull out to sell or donate! Super easy and it makes you realize you were hanging onto things that you thought you loved, but never wore – so out it goes!
What a great idea, Evelina; thanks so much for sharing it! I’m totally going to try it. There are always some items in my closet that I can’t remember if I wore in the last year (which mostly like means I didn’t), and then I’m hesitant to get rid of them. This is a foolproof way to know!
I have been if full spring cleaning mode for the last few weeks. You may want to follow GoClean Co on Insta. They are a Canadian cleaning company that breaks down all cleaning tasks. They post videos that I have spent way too many hours watching. It is surprising how much I enjoy them and they have so many great tips!
I loved Apartment Therapy’s Spring Cleaning Cure! It was a 20 day challenge to get your home spring clean ready.
There was also a January cure which I followed and really enjoyed.
This method is about to do me so much good! Thank you for sharing, Carly!
Yes. I need a plan. Thanks.
Have you tried the Kondo approach? I usually carping clean room by room and have held off on her technique. Wonder if you have and what you thought of it if you tried.