I’m sure you’ve seen the quote, “Collect moments, not things.”
In a 2012 study conducted by UCLA, findings concluded that more than half of mothers are overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in their house–so much so that they find it too difficult to even deal with. In a DecluttrMe article, they explore this study and the term “stuffocation.”
Are you suffocated by the amount of stuff in your home? If so, it may be time to de-clutter.
Many people don’t know that here at The Cleaning Crew, LLC., we offer organization services. Our professional organizers can help you evaluate your belongings and the storage options in your home or office. We can offer advice on maximizing your space with the most appropriate storage solutions and help you organize your belongings in a manner that supports the easy flow of your lifestyle. We can also help with the process of removing excess belongings if necessary.
You can call us today at 541-601-6236 to schedule a free estimate. While you’re waiting for our organizers to arrive, here are a few tips and tricks to get you started.
Getting Started
Sometimes, you just have to start purging. Many of the items in your house are there “just in case” or simply because you are too busy to clean them out. Set aside a day or a weekend that you can knock things out and feel accomplished. You can get started with this awesome list from Organise My House that has 101 things you can throw away right now without feeling guilty.
Once you have started, it will get much easier. As you are de-cluttering, it helps to divide your items into piles. This 4-Pile Strategy is specific to clearing out a closet, but will work for just about anything.
Make four piles:
- Keep
- Unsure
- Donate
- Trash
If you aren’t sure how to determine which pile to put items in, PopSugar has a great list of 8 Questions to Ask Yourself to Help You Declutter. If you were shopping right now, would you buy this? Do you have something else that serves the same purpose? Have you used this in the last year?
Following Through
Once you have completed your piles, follow through with donating or trashing the items in piles three and four and reorganizing the items in pile one. The items you placed in pile two should be boxed up and looked at again in about a month. Anything you haven’t used or don’t feel tied to should be donated or trashed. They also suggest that if you are keeping something simply because of sentimental value, take a photo! Then, you can keep it forever without taking up too much space.
If the items in your home seem to be taking over and you aren’t sure where to begin, let our professional organization team help out. Don’t waste any more time stressing…Call us now at 541-601-6236.
It’s that beautiful time of year again. The leaves are changing, the weather is colder, and the hot beverages taste better than normal. Enjoying the fall season is far more than warm coffee and yellow leaves. These things would not mean half as much without an organized and clean house to enjoy them in.
The Cleaning Crew Fall Cleaning Chore Checklist will help you prepare your home for the coming winter season:
- Re-Organize and Clean Out Pantry – Throw away expired goods. Re-arrange as needed. Write out a pantry inventory and make a grocery list of the things you will need to stock up on.
- Clean Out Spice Cabinet – Throw away stale spices. Wipe down inside of cabinet. Make a list of all spices needing to be purchased.
- Clean Oven – Prep your oven for holiday cooking and baking. If you don’t have a self-cleaning oven, The Cleaning Crew can offer some quick and easy oven-cleaning solutions.
- Wash Windows, Inside and Out – This may be your last chance to clean the exterior windows this year!
- Wash Curtains – Pull down any curtains that can be washed and clean them. If you can’t wash them, take them outside to shake the dust off.
- Wipe Blinds – Wipe down the blinds of the interior windows.
- Dust or Wash Light Fixtures – Most light fixtures are removable and unscrew so you can dust or wash them. Make sure to turn the switch off and allow bulbs to cool before you do this!
- Vacuum Furniture – Vacuum your upholstered furniture and/or dust & wipe down any wooden furniture.
- Wipe Down Kitchen Cupboards – Wipe down your kitchen cupboards. Wipe the insides and the tops, if you feel ambitious!
- Vacuum and Shampoo Carpets – Be sure your carpets are clean before all the winter mud and snow! Schedule a carpet cleaning in early autumn.
- De-Clutter the Closets and Re-Organize – Clean out the closets and make several organized piles. One for donating, one for keeping, one for trash, and one for seasonal clothes.
- Bring Out Winter Things for Closets – Don’t forget to bring out your winter gear!
- Dust the House from Top to Bottom – This means everything from the cobwebs in the corners of the ceiling to the baseboards. Go from room to room and dust everything!
- Prepare For Holiday Guests – Guest rooms should be not only clean, but also inviting. Try Setting out flowers or other special touches to make guests feel especially welcome.
- Clean all Bedding and Bring Out Winter Comforters – Bring out heavier bedding and winter comforters.
- Test Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors – Don’t skip this step, especially if you have any kind of wood fired heat. Just a simple push of a button is all it takes.
Brisk and breezy days are best for overcoming the deep-cleaning chores necessary for a clean, comfortable winter home and a wonderful autumn season. Happy Fall!
