By Steve Fox, Principle Broker/Owner, Pinot Noir Properties
Whether you’re planning on putting your home on the market, or just need to take control of the clutter in your house, Spring is the perfect time to get organized.
Take it from me, the thought of decluttering the house and garage can feel like mammoth tasks. Especially when the sun’s out and the great outdoors beckons. But if you break it down, room by room, decluttering can become more manageable. And it doesn’t really have to take long. At least that’s what the experts say!
So before we tackle our own home this spring, I did some digging and here’s what I’ve learned about decluttering without making it a six month project. There are some great tips from this website that we’ll certainly be using. And you can too.
One of the main things I learned about decluttering is that you have to be dispassionate about the stuff that is – well – cluttering your house.
Do you really need those roller blades you’ve had sitting in the laundry room since 2012 – the ones with the spiders living in them? Or what about your child’s toys – the one’s taking up space in your closet even though your kid’s now in college. In order to make a dent, you can’t get all sentimental about stuff that you no longer use – or you’ll never make any progress.
One of the tips I really like from this website is to walk around the house as you’re getting started and create a “charity bag” of things you no longer need but are in good enough repair that you don’t want to just throw them away. This is a great way to declutter while providing your local charity with some things they can repurpose. So pick a day, turn on some music and get started. You may even enjoy the process. And when you’re done, celebrate with a nice glass of Willamette Valley wine.
Don’t Forget the Garage
We’ve all seen it. An open garage door, but no cars parked inside. How could there be – there’s no room. Peering into the darkness you see heaps of lawn furniture, camping gear, Costco purchases, 20 year old paint cans, rusty bikes and old electronics. If this sounds like you, join the crowd.
Let’s face it – garage clutter can get out of control pretty quickly. But much like the inside of a home, spring cleaning and decluttering a garage can actually happen. Here are some tips:
- Get rid of what you don’t use – Have a garage sale and make a few bucks. Donate gently-used things. Otherwise take a car or truckload to the local dump.
- Organize your garage with shelving – Shelves help you use vertical space instead of floor space. This is the best way to declutter and be more organized.
- Organize with bins – Clear plastic bins work great for things like holiday decorations. They last forever (unlike cardboard boxes) and are stackable.
- Label your stuff – The key to being organized is being able to easily find what you need. Labeling your bins and other storage areas does just that.
- Use trash cans for sports equipment – Sports gear can take up a lot of space, so buy a plastic trash can and use it to store your bats, balls, hockey sticks, rackets, etc.
- Maintain your work – Now that you’re decluttered, keep it that way. Make sure everyone in your family understands that everything now has its place.
Hope you found this blog helpful. So until next time, cheers!