It’s Spring, time to clean? 🧐
No doubt, every spring we all get that urge to jump into a big cleaning frenzy, driving our families crazy and making them feel guilty if they are not on board. Even so, spring does seem like the natural time of year to roll up your sleeves, throw open the windows and deep clean your home. However, before you jump into spring cleaning mode, consider this…🤔
Spring decluttering is better than Spring cleaning. Fact, the best spring cleaning starts with spring decluttering. Because the less you have, the easier it is to clean, dust, wash, store and otherwise deal with. The benefits from decluttering extend far beyond springtime into every week of every season, resulting in a home that is calmer and more peaceful every day. When your home is easier to manage, you can spend more time enjoying life, instead of just cleaning up after it.
Follow some simple ideas and tools: Touch every item in every room, cabinet and closet. Ask 3 questions: Do I need it? Why do I have it? What would I use if I didn’t own it? Keep a give-away box handy, eliminate duplicates and donate, donate, donate!
To begin, start in your lived-in areas, avoid the attic and/or basement initially, because it’s too easy to spend hours decluttering, shut the door, and never see the room again for weeks. Here’s why: When you declutter your living room or bedroom, you’ll notice the calm every time you sit to relax or turn in for the night or get ready for the day. When you declutter your kitchen, you’ll notice it immediately the next time you prepare a meal. You’ll save time and stress when you can easily find what you’re looking for when you need it. You see where this is going, take a look at some of what we call our smart translations…
Take back your ultimate retreat. A bedroom should be a peaceful haven devoted to rest, however often times it ends up being a repository for piles of laundry and clutter — not the makings of a good night’s sleep! Sort through clothes and clutter, set aside a pile to give away, and neatly fold and put away the rest. If linen or closet storage is a challenge, elegant storage beds or under the bed boxes can be an option. Word of caution: only store what you need and use.
Start with a good purge. Speaking of closets, have you worn it in a year? That’s a full 365 days involving each season of work, parties, etc.👗 If not, lovingly place it in the donation bin. Shelves and drawers work wonders when they’re not stuffed full of things we might wear someday. The closet immediately becomes stream-lined, spacious, and easier to keep organized. More than that, the positive affects spill over into other rooms as well.
Leave no compact unturned. Like the pantry, make-up and beauty products have shelf lives. We’ve all been there, impulse purchases of the latest mascara or lip color, 💄 end up not as beloved as we imagined. Check every item, and the expiration dates. Remove the expired or unused. Find a vintag-ey crystal vessel or cup to place make up brushes. No more digging for that favorite eyeliner!
Control thy laundry room. The laundry room can naturally seem like the perfect drop off place. An easy way to reduce visual clutter is by removing items from their packaging to simplify and streamline how your organized space looks. Another really simple way to organize your home and help it function more efficiently is by labeling the spot where each item lives.
The kitchen catch-all station. These hidden cubbies and drawers are one of our solutions to the world of junk drawers. Restore order by defining spaces like drawers, shelves, cupboards, closets, etc. Use containers, dividers, bins and hooks to divide and define the space so you can have a clear spot for each item. This way it will be easier to find what you’re looking for, —And know exactly what goes where when putting things away.
Embrace the inevitable. Entryways are notorious “clutter catchers.” This spot quickly and easily seems to collect stuff that becomes disorganized, messy and no longer functional. Conduct a forensic clutter investigation to determine what kinds of clutter these spots are collecting. Only then can you come up with an alternative or better way to either eliminate or handle those items creating chaos in your home. We had a wonderful time designing this great looking built-ins for a family. One amazing clutter catcher for all 3 kids.
Make a morning cupboard. ☕️ If your mornings tend to be rushed, consider carving out a nook in a cupboard where you can keep all your morning necessities together. A shelf or two can hold coffee or tea supplies, and a toaster oven. 🥐 Group all your favorite cookbooks together and keep beverages organized for a quick grab and go, or a “stay for a cocktail.”
It may seem daunting, but take a deep breathe, and keep it simple. Terracotta is a huge fan of organizing homes in a way that’s simple to set up and simple to maintain. We can be very crafty at hiding the necessities, however, it’s easier to maintain the function of such spaces by first keeping the clutter under control. Plus, it’s likely that you’ll be able stay organized with minimal time and effort required. Good luck on your decluttering journey! We hope that we’ve inspired you to enjoy more time having fun and less time deep cleaning. Stay tuned for our next post on the No-Reno-Renovation.
As always, our many thanks to Jeff Herr for capturing our projects with amazing photography.
