Post-Christmas Organization

With Christmas gone and the new-year upon us, this is a great time to do some of the things that get left behind.  Being in the midst of winter, it almost is no fun being outdoors.  This is a great time to take on inside projects that have been put on the back-burner.  It is a little early for spring cleaning, but never too late to spruce up your home.  Here are a few tips on taking care of a few things around the house that may need attention. This article gives a few directions on organization and light duty cleaning.

Organization Related:

·         Plan:

o   Have a goal in mind on what you would like to accomplish.  Are you attempting to de-clutter a room or a level of the home or your entire home?

o   Be realistic to what you can accomplish in the time that you have.

o   Mark out a staging area to where you can put things that you will donate, items that you may throw away and the other that will be kept to go in the organized area.

·         Storage Supplies:

o   With a variety of storage options available, consider what suits your needs and budget.

o   Have containers for the size needed so that they will not be over-loaded to make them too heavy.

o   Apply peel-able labels so corrections and changes can be made as you are in the process of organizing. This will help store things neatly and you will know where things are located should you need them.

·         Organize:

o   Bed Room Closet: Perhaps the Children’s closet.  Sort out the clothes they do not wear.  Put the ones they use back on hangers. If you plan to throw away the damaged things, put them in the trash pile while keeping the ones you may wish to donate or have a garage sale in a separate pile.  Shoes, toys and boxes can be cleared from the floor or the top shelves as well.

o   Under The Bed: Often things get shoved under the bed.  Get rid of what is not used in the last year if it cannot be donated or sold at a garage sale.

o   Linen Closet: Apply the same principle to this area.  Making rags may be a good idea from old towels; however Micro-fiber towels are better for cleaning.

o   Bathroom Cabinets: Often there are old cleaning chemicals, hair dyes partially used, throw them out!  Keep only what you need.

o   Throw out the old: There is always a reason to keep something, but there is also a reason to make room.  It simplifies your life.  De-cluttering should be part of one’s tasks.

o   Have a place for everything: Be a minimalist.