Yay!!!!!! Springtime is JUST around the corner! If you're like me (or Monica from Friends), you always like to kick off the season with a little bit of spring cleaning. If you're not like me or Mon, you have no idea where to begin. For moi, I've always felt that the less clutter I've had in my home, the less I've had in my mind. So I've come up with my top five quick n' dirty clean tips for everyone to help keep you organized and leave you PUH-LENTY of time to go play outside in the beautiful spring weather!
1. Find the time for general "once-a-week" errands. For me, these are the following: - Grocery shopping - Doing laundry - Picking up the dry cleaning - Cleaning/tidying up the apartment - Paying bills These are things I like to get done once a week so nothing ever gets too BUILT UP. For example, I spend about twenty minutes paying my bills each week. This way, I never end up sitting at my desk with a huge pile of bills. I also spend half an hour tidying up my abode - throwing out magazines, swiffering, etc. - so I don't find myself having to spend an entire Saturday afternoon cleaning instead of enjoying that fresh spring air! Whatever your "once-a-weekers" are, figure them out and create a system that works for you.
2. Create a "designated key spot."
I love this one because it really embraces the concept of starting small (since trying to become organized can be overwhelming for some). Years ago, my grandmother gave me a little china bowl that I decided to use as my "designated key spot." It sits on a table by my door, and the first thing I do when I get home is throw my keys into it, so I won't have to scramble to find them the next time I leave. Little things like this can make a huge difference. I even have a designated spot for the lighter I use for my candles; it lives in the drawer of my coffee table. As soon as I'm done with it, it goes right back in there, so I always know where it is.
3. Stock up on things you frequently use so you'll never run out of them. Once a month, I do a "paper products" run. I stock up on tissues, toilet paper, napkins, and paper towels. Sure, I get funny looks at the supermarket, but who cares?! I've never once run out of tissues!
4. Donate things you don't use.
This can seem scary because it's usually something you do while cleaning out your closet or doing another big home project. But this doesn't have to be so overwhelming! There are times when I'm getting ready for work and I see something in my closet that I haven't worn in years, so I pull it out and just drop it off the next time I pass my local thrift store. Recently, I realized I had about eight mugs I never used, and instead of making it a whole project, I took them out of the cabinet, spent five minutes rearranging the rest of the dishware in there, and donated the mugs when I had some time. Being organized doesn't have to be so INTENSE...little things here and there will do the trick!
5. A drawer a day keeps the crazy away!
If you're someone who has a messy desk, you'll probably freak out at the thought of trying to get everything organized all at once. So don't do it! A little trick I learned from my mom is, "Just spend fifteen minutes." If you spend fifteen minutes one day organizing the top drawer, you'll see it's not so bad. Take fifteen minutes to organize the drawer below it the next day, etc. Your desk will be nice and clean before you know it.
The key to becoming organized is to start small. (Try out the designated key spot for a week and see how it feels.) Once you realize that getting organized doesn't have to be so time consuming, you'll see how much calmer your life and mind can be! Happy spring, everybody!!!
