Spring is right around the corner, which also means something else is coming up soon too…spring cleaning! Personally, I tend to keep almost everything, resulting in a ton of unnecessary clutter. Cleaning and decluttering can be a hassle, but to have more space and free air in a room after is a wonderful feeling. These tips should help maximize speed and efficiency while deep cleaning your space.
1. Try the “Time Period” Method
If you are going through your desks and drawers or even your closet, set a date to decide whether or not that item is going back to its spot or to the trash (or recycling/donation). For example, if you have a stack of old lecture notes that you haven’t looked back on within the last 3 months, recycle them. If you have clothing items you haven’t worn in over 6 months, besides out of season clothes, donate them. Parting with belongings you claim to be important that truly just contribute to clutter can be difficult, but once you do, it is very rewarding.
2. Create A List Of What To Tackle Next
Rather than just cleaning randomly around the room, decide where to start and where you should finish. For example, start by washing your bedsheets and bed, then go through your drawers to toss any garbage out. Then you can move to your desk and finish with sweeping, vacuuming and mopping the floors.
3. Will You Really Repurpose This?
Cleaning can be made so easy by picking something up, saying, “I will definitely reuse this later,” and finding a spot for it on the shelf. You may think your space is now clean, but in reality, that item will end up sitting on your shelf for a few more months before the cycle repeats. If you cannot quickly come up with 2 to 3 ways to repurpose something you haven’t used in a while, let it go. But, don’t keep things you could use if you already have something similar. Say you have a random box and you think of using it as a pencil holder but you already have a cup to hold pencils, let the box go.
4. Clear Out You Space Before Actually Cleaning
Seeing a mess around you can be overwhelming and demotivating. Start by clearing out things such as dirty clothes and bedding that could be put in the laundry, or taking out the trash before you actually start cleaning so you have more space to move around as you declutter.
5. Gather All Your Supplies Before You Begin
Be sure to take everything you’ll need with you to the room you decide to tackle next. That includes cleaning spray, paper towels, vacuum, and anything else you typically use to clean your space. This will help you avoid wandering around the house looking for something you forgot to bring in with you and getting distracted from your original plan. Nothing like going out to look for a multi-purpose spray and ending up on the couch for an hour.