Tips For Spring Cleaning

Spring is in full swing, and with that comes the tradition of cleaning out closets, basements and garages. The moving experts at TWO MEN AND A TRUCK® want to make spring cleaning easier and storing and packing a breeze.

Spring cleaning has historical roots which date back to an early Chinese New Year custom of ridding the home of bad luck and misfortune. It is also tied to the solemn Jewish Passover holiday when observers take time for deep cleaning. Spring cleaning ushers in the warm weather and longer sunny days, a time when our bodies begin producing less melatonin. Whether age-old custom or new-found physical energy, de-cluttering, scrubbing and rearranging offers up beautiful results.

Oftentimes people set out to spring clean their homes and aren’t sure where to start. Organizational Expert and Founder of Cluttergone® Rita Wilhelm said it doesn’t matter what area is cleaned first, any start is better than nothing.

“Many people like to tackle the area that’s been causing them the most frustration. That could be a coat closet, junk drawer, pantry, filing cabinet or kitchen countertop,” she said. “If a particular area has been driving you crazy for several months, it may be time to address it. Once you do, you may find that you will want to take on additional projects because you know how great it feels to have that other spot organized.”

Wilhelm recommends these easy tasks to keep homes organized and clutter-free:

* Look through files once a year so all the “dead weight” can be removed and the space made accessible for current files

* Organize closets twice a year at the beginning of the spring and fall months

* Sort through household items every six months; these items include clothing, books and other extras that accumulate in the home; work with local charities to donate those items

* Separate items into categories when organizing a home; this keeps similar things together

* Designate five cartons for donating, recycling, selling, keeping and discarding; this helps eliminate duplicate items

* Keep items near where they are used in the home and label as much as possible; maintain that system by putting things back where they belong

Keeping rooms clutter-free can be a never-ending battle. Wilhelm suggests these store-bought items that are great additions to organize any room:

* Plastic-coated wire shelves can be used to store items and can make rooms more functional since they add to vertical space

* Under bed storage units can also provide additional areas to keep things for which you don’t otherwise have room

* Self-adhesive vinyl pocket labels work really well because they can be reused, allowing for large containers to be used for something else