4 Tips for When You Deep Clean or Organize Your Home
If your home is starting to feel crowded or messy, this is a good time to get organized and clean things up. The following tips can help you get the work done in a timely and efficient manner.
Remove Excess Items
To clear space for your deep cleaning and reorganization, get rid of things you no longer want or need. Fill bags and boxes with old clothes, unused toys, and books or home decorations that are just taking up space. Donate usable items to a thrift store and get a tax receipt. Then, pack up furnishings, clothing, toys, and tools that you don’t need now but might want later. Rent a locker in a self storage facility to keep everything clean and out of the way until needed.
Clean Out the Cupboards and Closets
Go through the closets and clear all the non-essentials that are taking up space. Pack away the seasonal clothing in moth-resistant bags and cartons until they are needed. Box up special-use dishes and decorations; store them together in a cupboard where they can be readily accessed. Put shoes in a shoe rack or in boxes that can be stacked. Get rid of the really worn ones that you probably won’t wear again. Go through each cupboard and closet, doing the same, to organize just what you need neatly. Label new boxed items, so they are easy to identify.
Start With Home Basics
Wipe down walls with a slightly damp cloth, wash or dry clean the drapes and dust the blinds, have the floors polished or scrubbed, and clean the furniture by vacuuming or removing stains. Repair or discard damaged furnishings that are no longer usable. Dust and gently clean the furniture and appliances, including the stove, microwave, and refrigerator. Wipe down the steps and handrails. Remove rust stains from the toilets or sinks.
Get Into the Nitty Gritty
Sort odds and ends and put them where they belong. This might include safety pins, batteries, flashlights, and lightbulbs, for example. Get rid of cooking spices and kitchen aid gifts that you have never used. Discard your old fashioned clothing items that have been too small or out of date for years, such as a girdle, panty hose, or camisole. Fold remaining clothes neatly in organized piles, such as pants, t-shirts, etc. Get rid of extra dish sets and silverware that is unlikely to be used.
A deep cleaning or detailed organization of your home can remove clutter and reduce dust while providing more open living space. Get started now to enjoy your home even more.