Spring Clean Your Way to a Neat and Organized Home

The holidays were over and done with three months ago. The winter weather is headed out, and spring is just around the corner. In preparation for sunny and warmer days ahead, now is the time to clean and organize your home. Spring cleaning is time set aside each year for cleaning house. Included in spring cleaning is organizing the things in your home. This article from The Lucky Clover Trading Co. will provide a few spring cleaning organization tips that will be sure to make your house nice and neat.

We accumulate a lot of things in the span of 365 days, and taking the time to rummage through all of that ‘stuff’ can become quite overwhelming. Before you get started in organizing all of the clutter, create piles and categorize each pile into items that you’re going to keep, items to throw away, items to donate, or items to sell. When deciding on which items to keep and which ones to get rid of, ask these questions, “Do I really need this? Will I use this?” In most cases, if you recently uncovered an item hiding in a corner of the living room, and you were not looking for it, chances are, you do not need that item. It is better that you place it in either the sell pile or the donate pile. There will be another person out there that will make good use of the item you were never looking for to begin with. You will soon realize how many things that you are able to get rid of.

For an item that is broken and beyond repair, throw it away! There is no need to try to fix it, especially if it no longer functions. How many times have you told yourself that you will sit down one afternoon weekend to try to fix something that’s broken, and three months later, it’s still broken? If you do not fix it now, you will never fix it. If there is no need and no use for it, put it in the trash pile.

Once you have placed items in each of their respective piles, it is now time to organize the items you are going to keep. By this time, you have gotten rid of the throw away pile and the donate pile. For items in the to-sell pile, you may want to either sell the items through a consignment store or host a garage sale. Try not to go through the items that you’re trying to sell. You may be tempted to take those items back after you find an excuse for its use. Remember, spring cleaning is about organizing and tidying up the home, not adding more clutter to your living space.

When organizing your items, arrange them by category or theme. Map out the rooms and areas around the house where you want to stage and place the storage baskets. For example, for shoes and slippers, you will want a basket near the front door. Or, for sewing items such as yarn, needle, and patterns, you will want a basket to place in the living room area next to the couch or in the sitting area if you have a patio or sunroom.

In choosing the right storage basket when organizing items, select individual, or a set of baskets according to the category or the theme of the items. For items that you move in and out of rooms, such as laundry or children’s toys, select a large basket with side handles made out of a sturdy material. Natural materials such as willow and sea grass are strong and durable, and can withstand frequent use. For organization of magazines or books, decide on a magazine holder made out of faux leather or a fireside basket. These storage units look great on a bookshelf or on a coffee or side table.

Small baskets or metal containers are ideal for organizing small items, such as buttons, or needle and thread for a sewing kit. Place a small bamboo basket on a table in the foyer for car keys. It is an easy place to remember and can even label the basket ‘Keys’. The small basket is also ideal for storing pens and notepads next to the telephone. So the next time the phone rings, and you need to jot down a number or an address, grabbing a pen and paper will be handy and within reach.

For the kitchen, the use of wire baskets for condiments makes it handy when stored in the cabinet or cupboard. Categorize the spices and place neatly in different color finishes. With a convenient handle, it is easy to store back on the shelf when not in use. This keeps the kitchen counter neat and clean and free of condiments or food items.

With a variety of organization and storage baskets available, spring cleaning should be a breeze. The Lucky Clover Trading Co. has a nice selection of storage and organization baskets to help you get your home nice and neat. Visit www.luckyclovertrading.com today and get organized!