As you embark on a personal #decluttering initiative in the new year, be careful not to get so overwhelmed that you abandon hope. Instead, make a plan, Real Simple says. List the specific spaces in which you want to get more #organized, whether it’s a kitchen drawer, your computer desktop or the whole house. Then, break each area into actionable steps and grind away at them a little bit on a set schedule every week. “Think of it in a similar way you think of fitness routines and diets,” the site says. “These things are most successful when they are approached in a way that can be maintainable with your lifestyle.”
Tag: declutter
Start Planning Fall Home Improvement Projects Now
One of the curious aspects of the #pandemic is that it forced people to stay home more — and all that staying at home helped many launch renovations and other projects to make their space more useful and livable.
With things are nearly back to #normal in many parts of the country some 16 months later, people are in a more celebratory mood, using their summers to travel, visit friends, go out to restaurants and generally do all of the things that the coronavirus curtailed.
There are likely a few household projects that still need doing, however, and you might want to plan ahead to get them done when the weather turns cooler and the kids return to (in-person) school.
Likely projects for areas with cold winters include upgrading your furnace, replacing single-pane windows and adding insulation, says Family Handyman. You should also clean the gutters and replace any missing shingles to protect your roof against leaks.
If any exterior painting needs doing, early fall is one of the best times to do it, the Spruce says; pick a dry week with temperatures above 50°F. You can paint interiors at any time, but it’s always nice to give your space a fresh new look ahead of the holidays.
Wait for the fall to do any projects that involve lumber — new building, flooring, decking, etc. — to give prices a chance to stabilize. Wood products continue to be in short supply, and costs are high as a result.
Upgrading your home office is a good project to tackle this fall if you’re one of those lucky people who will continue to work from home (#WFH) once the pandemic subsides. Consider a new desk, shelving, artwork or an attractive background for your Zoom call.
One household project you can tackle at any time of the year but is especially important to do ahead of DIY projects is #decluttering. Go through that room, closet or garage, weed the #stuff you don’t need, and contact ClothingDonations.org for a free #donation #pickup.
Your fall projects will be easier to accomplish once you get that #clutter out of the way. And once you complete your fall home #renovations, you’ll have an attractive, functional and clean new space to call home.
Donate Your Garage Sale’s Unsold Items
If you’re serious about #decluttering, don’t bring any items that didn’t sell back into your home. You had already made the decision to get rid of them, and your home is probably cleaner and more organized as a result. Contact ClothingDonations.org to schedule a free, contactless #donation #pickup and say goodbye to that extra #junk forever. “The point of a yard sale is usually to declutter and make some money, not to bring back in the very items you’ve already determined could be let go,” Huffpost says.
Set Aside Garage Sale Items All Year Long
To sort out the stuff you’d like to sell at your #garage, yard or tag sale, designate a shelf, box or area where you can set aside saleable items you no longer want throughout the year. In this way, you can #declutter the rooms in your home in small, manageable steps, while planning to eventually recapture some of the money you spent. “When you’ve collected enough, it’s sale time,” HGTV says. Sort your items into categories, price them clearly and advertise your sale with signs and online classifieds.
Lend Mom A Hand — Help Her Declutter
Sunday is Mother’s Day, and given the fact that the pandemic isn’t over, you may be planning to send a card or schedule a Zoom call. If you’re able to meet in person, you may have made brunch reservations or purchased a special bouquet to give her.
Whether or not you’ve made those arrangements, there’s one more thing you should consider giving your mother, and it’s a gift she’ll never forget: a day of your time. Volunteer to help her #declutter and #clean her home.
This blog’s author can tell you from experience how much a mother appreciates such a gift. Not only will she enjoy having a newly organized and spotless kitchen, garage or living room, but she will also appreciate the fact that you took the time to do it.
Many moms have a room in their home that they wish was a little more organized. It could just be a shelf or drawer that needs rearranging and dusting, but the chore is on her mental list and she hasn’t had the time to do it herself.
If you already know where her home’s #clutter trouble spots are, suggest that you take care of one during a visit. If you don’t, ask! Chances are that there is an overflowing junk drawer or overstuffed kitchen cabinet you can clean out.
Decluttering is just one of the chores you can take off Mom’s hands; she may need a wall repainted or a shelf fixed. There’s probably a light bulb to replace or a picture to hang. If you really want to show you care, give her a framed family picture and hang it on the wall immediately.
Many moms may be looking to downsize in retirement, but may not know where to begin. You can help her prepare for that next phase by sorting through some of the extra stuff that has accumulated over the years.
If you happen to find anything that she doesn’t want or need as you help Mom declutter and clean — and you will — schedule a #donation #pickup with ClothingDonations.org. That way, she’ll know that her extra #junk is going toward a good cause.
In addition to giving Mom a newly #organized, neat and #clean space, you’ll also get a few hours to catch up after a long year in lockdown. Make a day of it! It’s quality time, well-spent. And she will remember that day long after the flowers have wilted.