Start Small With a Winter Deep-Clean

With a winter storm blanketing much of the United States with snow, it’s unlikely that legendary groundhog Punxsutawney Phil will see his shadow tomorrow morning. To cope with another six weeks of winter gloom, try doing a thorough #deep-cleaning of your home. Start small, says My Creative Days. Pick a single drawer, closet or room, and #purge it of accumulated #junk. Keep an empty box nearby for anything you find to #donate to ClothingDonations.org, and call for a #donation #pickup as soon as you fill a few boxes or bags. Then #deep-clean the area and #organize the stuff that goes back in it.

Binge-Watch These Shows to Cut the Clutter

If you’re anything like The Organizing Blog staff, you’re probably spending lots of time indoors this month to avoid exposure to the coronavirus and the frigid temperatures. That likely means you’re doing lots of binge-watching of broadcast and subscription TV.

It’s been nearly two years since the pandemic emerged, however, and your surroundings may have gotten a bit #cluttered with all of that at-home time. What if there were a way to binge-watch and learn how to #streamline your space at the same time?

Good news! There are multiple programs that will help put you on a more #minimalist path. Watch them, then get off the couch and practice what they preach to cut the #clutter in your home.

First up is maybe the biggest #decluttering show of all time, Netflix’ Tidying Up With Marie Kondo. Since the show’s premiere in 2019, the organization expert has helped people organize their lives to “spark joy” starting with their sock drawers.

HGTV’s Hot Mess House offers harried homeowners a video one-on-one with organizing expert Cassandra Aarssen to help them figure out their organizing style. They (and viewers) then can take her tailor-made tips to make their homes happy and clutter-free.

Nashville-based organizers Clea Shearer and Joanna Teplin offer a glimpse into their celebrity clients’ lives in Get Organized With the Home Edit while offering useful tips for the more quotidian declutterer-to-be, targeting specific stresses and decorating styles.

Finally, no #organization playlist would be complete without A&E’s long-running Hoarders. Offering sobering cautionary tales of what can happen when people allow their #stuff to run amok, the show will have you cleaning out your closets in no time.

Binge-watch a few episodes of the above shows; before you know it, you’ll be inspired to tackle the clutter in your home. And be sure to schedule a #pickup with ClothingDonations.org to #donate any of your lightly used, unwanted #junk to a good cause. Happy #decluttering!

Stay Active With a Winter DIY Project

Spending more of your time at home likely means more wear and tear. Now that it’s winter, one good way to stay #active is by doing a few #DIY projects to make your space more livable. Start with a good #decluttering (as always, ClothingDonations.org will be happy to pick up your extra stuff) and #deep-cleaning, then sand the floors or try out a new coat of paint. Not only will such projects keep you moving instead of languishing on the couch, they will make it your home that much more inviting when you do decide it is the time to binge-watch your favorite shows. #StayActive

Resolve to Cut the Clutter Consistently

As the new year begins, many among us will take a hard look at our lives and lifestyles, making resolutions to lose weight, cut the #clutter and so on. The trouble is that sudden, sweeping moves don’t pay off as often as gradual and consistent efforts. To ensure your #decluttering effort succeeds, set more reasonable goals, says the Economic Times. If you can’t clean a whole closet at once, start with a single shelf. Or take 10 minutes each day to sort through a box or drawer, keeping a bin handy for those things you no longer want but can #donate to ClothingDonations.org.

.

Say Goodbye to the Holidays, Hello to 2022

The first thing to do as you attempt to get #organized in the new year is to get the #holidays out of sight as quickly and as neatly as possible, says A Clear Path. If you have gifts that you won’t use or didn’t give, return or #donate them immediately. Take down any holiday decorations and store them in labeled bins and boxes. Resist the urge to peruse the post-holiday clearance sales unless there is something you truly need. And finally, enter #decluttering deadlines such as an upcoming ClothingDonations.org #donation #pickup on your 2022 calendar.