Well, springtime is pretty much here, and it’s time to spruce up your lovely home. Whether you want to make it more beautiful, improve it a bit, get some new stuff in, or simply get a little spring cleaning over with, you simply must declutter.
It’s essentially a predecessor to any serious housework you want to do. Maybe, however, you want to make your life a bit simpler.
Removing excess clutter, getting rid of stuff you need leads to a slower, more mindful way of life.
And, lucky for you, below are a couple of ways you can do just that. Housework hacks always go a long way and are perfect for speeding things up.
Table Of Contents
Make a List and Be Systematic
The first thing you want to do is make an action plan – make a list. Choose how you want to approach this entire spring cleaning mission.
Do you want to tackle the issue had on, going from room to room? Or would you rather start decluttering based on the size of the objects, removing any large things you see in the house, and then continuing onto smaller and smaller stuff?
Are you going to start from the top floor and get the hardest part over with, or is tackling the small stuff a little less daunting, and a little more realistic? The four-box trick.
Just Start
We understand that saying goodbye to some of your possessions is quite difficult and painful, and like most painful things, they can be dealt with by just tearing the bandage off.
Simply start. You have your plan already, you know what you need to do, so just get at it. If you’re faced with too much stuff, with too much clutter, just pick up the smallest thing you can.
Or, ease yourself into the work. Does cleaning everything seem daunting? Then maybe say to yourself – I will just clean one room, and then have a cup of coffee.
Or, you can do the same, and tell yourself that you just need to work for an hour, and then you can take a break. If that’s too much, how about 30 minutes? Or 20, or 10, or 5? Everything is better than zero.
Get the Right Tool for the Job
Sometimes the clutter can be too much. Perhaps your attic is filled to the brim with old tools and metal objects, or maybe there is a corner in your basement you really don’t want to get near.
For this reason, getting a pair of tough gloves comes in handy. Get a lot of trash bags ready to throw things out. If you need to, get mini skips for hire, in case you have a lot of bulky trash lying around your home.
Turn It Into a Game
You can make decluttering more fun, and easier if you turn it into a game. This can also serve as a great teachable moment for your kids, letting you teach them to be organized and to value hard work.
So, you can turn it into a competition – who can clean up the most in the shortest amount of time? Or, who has the most clothing and stuff that they don’t need?
Another option is looking at your cluttered home and imagining all the beautiful improvements you want to get. A new style, a new coat of paint – imagining the final result will make the work fly by.
The 12-12-12 Hack
An interesting hack that really helps with minimizing clutter is the 12-12-12 rule. Namely, you choose 12 items you want to throw away, 12 you want to donate, and 12 that can stay. This forces you to really understand what you need and what you don’t need, it teaches you how to value your belongings.
Conclusion
And there you have it folks, a few quick hacks to make spring cleaning easier and more fun. Try to turn this annoying housework into a game, work on making it fun, and try to be organized. Test the 12-12-12 hack if you can’t decide what to throw out and what to keep, and remember to get the right tools for the job.
Photo by Milly Eaton from Pexels
