spring cleaning & decluttering

With Spring Cleaning still on my mind (and most likely yours ;), I thought it would be fitting to add some more sources to get the job done properly!

HOW TO DECLUTTER DAILY:

I found a great article on Apartment Therapy and I thought I’d share with you.  Here are a few tips on decluttering routines that just take a minute or two every day.

From Unclutterer:

• Never leave a room empty handed.
• When you’re done with something, put it away.
• Reset your home each evening.
• When you’re done with something, put it away, right away.

Some great tips:

• Keep an area as a designated outbox and regularly empty it. Sometimes we need to see our space without that painting, that bowl or the pillow for a while before we’re willing to let it go. The outbox is a great way to give yourself some space from your stuff without having to commit immediately to dumping it.
• Don’t go to bed with a sink full of dishes.
• Set a Timer. for 5 -15 minutes and choose one area to declutter, a drawer, a closet, the fridge. Just go for it.
• Sort the Mail Immediately. Instead of piling up the mail to deal with later, sort it as soon as you take it out of the mailbox.
• File Immediately We used to keep a pile of ‘to file later’ papers and it drove us crazy. Now we have hanging files within reach so it’s just as easy to slip each paper into its file as to pile it up.
• Make the Bed. When we make the bed every day we resist the urge to pile the nightstands with glasses of water, throw our clothes on the bed and then on the floor before sleeping, etc. Plus making the bed energizes us in the morning. Things feel clean and organized and ready to go!

SPRING CLEANING TIPS:

I found these at Martha Stewart’s website and thought I’d share.  I love her tips because she is very basic and instructional.  She also uses a lot of simple things that you already have on hand.   Enjoy and may your home shine!

Spring Cleaning Basics

10 Clever Cleaning Tricks

Essential Spring-Cleaning Tools

Spring Cleaning Organizing Tips

Lots of Spring Cleaning Checklists!

…

And Shannon, my blog friend is awesome at inspiring everyone to Reduce Clutter and Create Space – visit  her blog Free Spirit Kints for lots of inspiration.

Another great place for tips is Unclutterer!

and have you heard of Fly Lady? Well this place will get you in your spring cleaning and decluttering mode for sure!

(image source, source)

What are your simple spring cleaning and decluttering tips?