Wednesday, February 09, 2011

     Clutter - An Easy Way to Banish It

 

     Many areas of our country are still covered with snow and ice with people cuddled close to a warm fire. The dead of winter is the best time to tackle 'spring' cleaning chores when you aren't yearning to be outdoors. How far did you get on my 'to do' list from my early January post?

 

     In that newsletter I suggested listing everything in your home that needs cleaning to help you organize your priorities and double as a checklist. I encouraged you to pick up the clutter but didn't go into detail as to how to accomplish that task.

 

     So let's talk about ways to declutter your home. I have a feeling many of you, like me, have been pouring over spring seed and flower catalogs rather than tending to spring cleaning.    

 

    Separate and Conquer: Without a doubt you have read other articles that suggest making two piles. One pile of clutter goes either to Goodwill or as garage sale items and the other needs to find a proper place in your home. Only I've changed that to only one pile, which is the pile for either Goodwill or a garage sale. Why one pile? Because you will immediately put away those items you want to keep. Ah, now you know why I encouraged you to clean out the closets and cabinets first. It gives you room to store the things you want to keep.     

 

     The easiest way to de-clutter is to never leave a room empty handed. Yes picking up the entire room at one time is ideal, but time generally doesn't permit this luxury. Grab an armload of 'stuff' and decide immediately if it goes to you one pile or is to be saved. If the item is to be saved then put it away immediately, without stopping to answer the phone or attend to other distractions. It's amazing how quickly the clutter will vanish.  

 

     If the pile has been up against a wall, grab your Mary Moppins Mop and your diluted bottle of CleanEz. Spray a terry towel with CleanEz, clean the wall and dust the baseboards. Spray the carpet lightly with a 50/50 solution of distilled white vinegar to water. Allow the spray a few minutes to dry then vacuum. Vinegar freshens the carpet and is not toxic like most carpet fresheners. It's also far less expensive. If you want a scent in the carpet then add a few pieces of the pith from an orange or lemon.           

 

 This article may only be reprinted giving full credit to Mary Findley and her website at www.goclean.com.  Copyright @2011 All rights reserved worldwide.