Spring is here! Here at Home to Home, we’ve put together some tips to assist with your spring cleaning and de-cluttering.

1. Make a list.
Go through the home, room by room, and write down what needs to be done. Tackling it all at once without a plan will be stressful and often things will go overlooked.

Make sure these commonly overlooked tasks are on your list:

– Go through and throw away any expired food and medications
– Replace batteries in smoke detectors and carbon monoxide detectors and make sure they are working
– Take a good look around the home to spot any potential hazards and take the opportunity to make your home safer. Are there tripping hazards such as small roll-out rugs or clutter in the hallways? Do any light bulbs need to be replaced?

2. Schedule your cleaning into smaller workloads.
Tackling any project is easier when it is split up into small, non-daunting workloads. You can choose to schedule one day for each room, or perhaps by task (eg. Decluttering, then cleaning, then replacing items.)

3. Keep the memories, discard the item.
Sometimes we keep things for sentimental purposes, or perhaps we rationalize the potential future use of an item. Think to yourself carefully: When was the last time I used this item? Do I already possess one of these? If it were gone, would I miss it? Asking some of these questions will help decide whether or not you should part with an item.

4. Declutter first – buy second.
Do not buy new items without going through what you have at home first. Perhaps you already own a few of the same items – you just need to fish it out and put it in its proper place. This will ensure that at the very least you don’t accumulate more.

5. Recruit Help.
Ask friends and family to come and grab some of your unwanted items, and perhaps contribute to your spring cleaning!

6. Find a good cause to donate to.
Sometimes finding a good home or a cause to donate your items will give you better peace of mind about parting with your treasures. Big Brothers and Canadian Diabetes Association are two charities that will pick up household items and clothing free of charge. As well, think about donating items to your local school, your church for their annual bazaar, your local library, as well as thrift stores for charities such as the Salvation Army or a local hospice. Even old tattered towels and bedding can be donated to a pet shelter, and tools/workshop supplies can be donated to Habitat for Humanity.

Spring cleaning might seem like a big task, but by using some of these tips, you can put your energy to good use and get an organized home in no time!