Meg: Spring Cleaning
Confession: I have an issue with clutter. I’m definitely not proud of these messy habits I’ve picked up over the years and I’m working to change them. I’m one of those people who is never satisfied with an outfit until I’ve tried 3 on (the other two end up on the floor or my bed…) and that leads to a lot of unnecessary mess. Sadly, the same can be said for my jewelry/belt/shoe habits. Well, I’M WORKING ON IT!
I’m two months away from moving into a new home and SHARING closet space for the first time in my life. This is terrifying to me. To ensure that I don’t drive my husband to be completely crazy, I have done some big time spring-cleaning. To inspire you to do the same, I made a list of actions that will help you de-clutter.
1. GIVE STUFF AWAY
If you haven’t worn something or used an item for 6 months or more, it’s probably run its course in your wardrobe. Donating clothing and old household items is helpful for you AND your community. Just make sure you research donation spots so you know just where your contributions are going. If you need cash, have a yard sale!
2. Organize
Easier said than done for me. If you really focus and come up with a plan, it will work! I had to write down exactly what needed organized and HOW I was going to do it. I have much more room in my closet thanks to my favorite organizational tool—under the bed plastic bins. Hoodies, coats, beanies, and scarves are all put away until next fall. Ikea has incredibly cheap storage options.
3. Re-Decorate
My favorite thing about Spring cleaning is getting rid of the old, and introducing new things into your living space. For me, new bedding or curtains can change the entire feeling of a room, which is sometimes the push I need to keep things clean—another bonus: Spring sales are among us so you don’t have to break the bank.
Don’t think of Spring cleaning as a chore. Put on your favorite guilty pleasure album (hello, N*Sync), burn a yummy spring candle, and maybe even get your friends/spouse/kids to help you! It could be fun, right?
Any Spring cleaning tips that work for you? What are your favorite ways to organize?
Happy Cleaning!
Xo-Meg
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I used to think that I was a huge pack rat (and let’s be honest, that’s 100% true), but I never knew levels of clutter until I moved in with my boyfriend! He puts my pack-rat-ness to shame and we long ago ran out of places to put everything. We could certainly use some spring cleaning/organization in our life too!
Lisa, I’m the same way! Holy suprise when I found out I’m the actual neat one in the relationship! Every year I do one huge clean up and try to sell my clothes to thrift shops and donate the rest.
One of the best organization tips I ever got is to pull everything out of the space abbr take a minute to inventory and PLAN what kind of containers/tools I need. Foresight up front you save time down the road 🙂 and I love the tip on revamping your interior decorating this time of year!
– even something as simple as bedding or new pillows for the couch 🙂
Yes, love this!
Once a season I do a Buffalo and e-bay clean out of stuff that I try to justify keeping but know I won’t really wear. This month I got $600 from it which is incentive to not keep stuff that I “Might” wear when I can have disposable cash to buy something I love. I take everything out of my closet and look through my season stuff to see what doesn’t suit me. The rest of stuff goes to charity or designer items go to local consignment.
I never change out my linens or shower curtains :(> I’ve had the same shower curtain for 16 years. I kind of stick with a style and live in a small beach apartment so no room for storage. My closet is about 1.5 feet wide.
A suggestion for selling gently used old clothes – I read about this on Julie’s blog pbfingers.com. It’s a website called Twice (liketwice.com) that will buy clothing of certain brands and donate what they don’t accept to Goodwill. It’s kind of like an online Plato’s Closet, and you get paid via Paypal within a few weeks. I tried it out and it was a fun way to get some extra pocket change 🙂
I’m checking it out now!
I make sure to keep my closet organized by designating a spot for donations in the back of it. I have a small reusable bag (or a fabric tote box will work) in the back. When I try on something that doesn’t fit right, is looking kind of blah, or I’ve decided I hated it (and probably won’t change my mind), it goes in the bag. Once it’s full, I drop it off at Goodwill. It keeps those “meh” items out of sight and then I realize I would never miss them. I’ve never been tempted to reach into the bag to try anything, so it’s easy when it goes away.
I try to keep my closet organized year-round but it could definitely use an overhaul right now. There are SO many things I could get rid of…I’m just a pack-rat. Oops!
I loooove the layout of your closet though! You’ve made amazing use of a small space!
I would much rather clean on a day where I can keep all the windows open and have a nice breeze coming through than a gross rainy day where I just want to curl up under the covers!
Great ideas! I moved in with my boyfriend (now fiance) over a year ago and he was nice enough to build additional shelves/racks in his closet for me. Over time we’ve accumulated more and more stuff and we are definitely in need of some spring cleaning. Under-the-bed storage is great (I think half of our closet space is taken up by bulky winter jackets!). I used to have an Ikea bed with pull-out drawers underneath – amazing!! Love all of the ideas here – hadn’t heard of Twice yet! Thanks for sharing your tips, ladies! 🙂
I love plastic bins as well. I also find that a glass of champagne really helps with closet organizing!