Spring cleaning may feel like an overwhelming task, but it comes down to taking a few simple steps, according to Lisa Woodruff of Organize 365 and Myla Perry of The Messy Moms of Clever Container. “Spring is coming, and with warmer days comes the unquenchable desire to PURGE and organize! I know, because as a professional organizer my phone has started ringing off the hook!” says Woodruff, advising spring cleaners to use the following steps to get organized:
• Pick a realistic amount of time to devote to spring cleaning and organizing, whether that’s 30 minutes or three days.
• Get your supplies ready! Do you need to stock up on trash bags? Try using two different colors — one for trash and one for donations.
• Decide if you will have a garage sale. If so, set the date, and find a location to start piling your sale items.
• Pretend you’re putting your house up for sale. What needs to be fixed? Is it time to deep clean the carpets? Then prioritize that list into must get done, would like to get done and doesn’t matter if it gets done.
• Turn on your favorite music and start working on your must get done list.
“Being ‘better organized’ is one of my goals EVERY year. Yet, every year I can feel I’m not getting any better,” adds Perry. “Once I really begin reflecting, I’m able to see areas of improvement, and I celebrate! So first reflect on where you used to be and celebrate how you’ve grown. Maybe the fact it’s even a desire to become better organized is worth celebrating. Use that energy to build your confidence. Once you decide to tackle a project, plan accordingly and share your plan with someone else. The purpose of connecting with others is to keep you excited, inspired and celebrating your victories so you want to continue,” she says.