Spring is officially here! Not that anyone north of Florida could have possibly guessed that, but let’s at least try to get in the spirit. I don’t consider myself a hoarder by any means. You really can’t be when you live in a little apartment in a big city. There’s just not a lot of room or storage, so it’s important to practice good organizational habits like spring cleaning.
So how do we fix the clutter? We clean! But it’s the unexpected items that get missed that really cause the clutter. Let’s dig right in.
Organizing Your Pillows
Kevin and I counted, we had eight pillows lying around the house for which we had no use. Assess your living room first. That’s where you and your guests spend the most time and will notice the most clutter. Check behind couches, in your benches and under your coffee and end tables if they have storage. We pulled six out from behind our over-sized chair alone.
Next, check your guest bedroom. You probably don’t pay attention to that space as much and things may go unnoticed for a while. We had two pretty ugly, old pillows that we brought to the new condo before we got new ones. They’d been around so long that we overlooked them for years.
These pillows were in fine shape, we’d simply accumulated too many, especially after buying our new Cuddl Dud pillows this winter. We brought the extras to our local Goodwill and they were absolutely thrilled to receive the donation!
Spring Cleaning Your Towels and Washcloths
I’ve been pulling my hair out about this one for too long. We keep our kitchen towels and washcloths on a higher shelf, and I can reach them, but not necessarily enough to organize them regularly. So I grabbed my step ladder and got to work.
Everyday kitchen towels on the left. Nicer towels in the middle. Washcloths on the right. DONE. Kevin has been warned of this new way of life. New systems only work if everyone is on board!
Towel cleanup also applies to your beach towels, bath towels and washcloths. We audited those towels too, and the feeling of a tidy linen closet is highly underrated. You run out of cabinet/closet space too fast, so stop holding on to linens you’re not using! If they’re in good shape you can pay it forward here too by donating ones you don’t need.
Spring Cleaning Your Spice Cabinet
When was the last time you checked the expiration dates on your spices? They’re good for a long time, but do eventually expire like any other food. Check those annually, at least.
This includes your take-out sauce packets. Go through those regularly, both refrigerated and not.
Can and Bottle Koozies
Why do I have literally 20+ koozies in my two-person home? Because we get them, throw them in the drawer and never look at them again, that’s why. I don’t drink beer, only an occasional cider, but even then I never remember to use a kooziel.
I kept a handful that hold personal memories and tossed the ones we got for free at bars and events. Some had names on it we didn’t even recognize. Out with the old/unrecognizable, I say!
Reusable Water Bottles
Did you gather water bottles from every last parade, fair or sporting event you attended in the last year? Think about how many you’ve actually used, or may have a use for, and donate or recycle the rest.
Spring Cleaning Your Magazine Clutter
This clutter comes out of nowhere. Check your desk, drawers, on and/or under your coffee table and end tables. Recycle them all! Where did they come from? Cancel the subscription if you never read them and save some money in the process.
Magazine clutter can be the worst, especially in the wrong hands (or paws).
If you don’t do it soon, someone else might do it for you! π
