Spring Cleaning In 3 Easy Tips
The sun is out the sky is blue it's time to clean and so do you! Keylock Storage has gathered 3 easy spring cleaning tips below!
Take Everything Out First
One of the most basic but critical spring cleaning tips is a step that is often skipped. If overlooked, it could cost you more work later. That spring cleaning tip is to take everything out first!
When you're organizing or even just cleaning, a key component to getting the job done correctly is to take all the items out of a space. Do this first before you do any other steps. This allows you to see what items are in a space, how they are currently arranged, how they should be arranged and it opens up the area for a good deep clean.
Once you have everything removed, you can purge, donate and assemble. Keylock Storage
Keylock Storage did a great spring cleaning post about how to sort through items and make determinations. They said,
- "When is the last time you used it?
This question is an important one to ask if you want to clear out the clutter. But it needs to be thoughtfully applied. Just because you haven’t used something for a while doesn’t mean you won’t need it in a year from now. For example, you probably only use holiday decorations once a year. But not using your seasonal decor in a year obviously doesn’t mean you should throw it out!
However, you need to carefully analyze each item and think seriously about whether you’ve used an item consistently, with an intention or at all. If you can’t remember the last time you used something in your home - it’s most likely time to store, donate or toss the item!
- What is your attachment to this item?
Not all belongings that have little daily use are automatic candidates for the garbage can. There are actually a lot of items and objects we keep in our home for reasons other than frequent use.
For instance, family photographs, letters, and heirlooms might not be taken out very often. But of course, you wouldn’t get rid of those things!
When you want to clear clutter in your home think about the items you’re going over and decide why they are important to you. Think of your belongings and space as an investment. Is the item worth the space it’s taken up or the “home real estate” it’s consuming that could be put towards a different use. If your guest room closet is worth it for those family heirlooms - then keep, don’t toss."
Use The "Replacement Cost" Idea
One of the most important spring cleaning tips we could give you is to be selective in what you keep. One way to do this is to use what we call the "replacement cost" idea.
In a nutshell, this means when you're considering whether to keep, purge or donate an item, you consider the idea, "how much will this cost me to replace?" If it isn't much - then purge or donate. If it's expensive and you plan on using it at some point, then it might be worth the real estate it is taking up in your garage.
Keylock Storage wrote an article citing this idea and they said,
"Another basic and great rule of thumb to use when you want to clear out clutter is how difficult would this be to replace? If you’ve got expensive tools you’ve invested in - they may not be the best thing to donate. However, other items may be candidates for the donate or toss bin if they are pretty cheap. Sure, you may use some inexpensive organizing bins one day. But if you don’t have immediate plans for something like that - think, “how expensive would it be to replace these?” If the number isn’t very high then it’s probably not worth the space it’s taking up!
View your belongings, space, and functionality of your home as a cost, investment and return scenario. This will help give you objectivity as you review your belongings and clear out clutter."
Organize With Baskets
Organizing with baskets is a simple but one of the most "pro" spring cleaning tips. Using baskets or bags to keep items categorized, separated and easy to grab make organization a breeze.
Keylock Storage wrote on a post on using "the bag (or basket) system" around the house. They said,
"There is simply an endless list of best organization hacks using bags and baskets it the house. Turn your “junk” drawer into your favorite drawer by separating and creating spaces with baskets and ziplocks. Easily organize miscellaneous hardware parts, kitchen items, toiletries and more by separating by category with baskets and bags, finding a dedicated spot and labeling everything!
The key to the best organization hacks is ease - and by using the bag and basket system, creating dedicated spaces and keeping up the system, it will save you time, money and headaches and keep your life organized and running smoothly!"
We hope these 3 easy spring cleaning tips will help you in your organization and cleaning in the sunshine!
Check out the Keylock Storage Blog for more interesting articles about organization and lifestyle: keylockstorage.com/blogs
