Organizing Your Closets

Some areas of the home are easier to ignore when it comes to a mess. Take for instance closets. You know the old saying, “Out of sight, out of mind.” I recently decided to tackle the most disorganized and messy closet in my home, the linen closet. Here are the steps I took which I plan to do with my other closets. First, empty the entire closet. It is better to start with a clean slate. Otherwise you end up just moving things around. I made it a rule for myself that as I emptied things out, I wouldn’t decide … Continue reading

Cleaning For Company

It’s time for holiday guests. As much as I would like my house to be spotless when my guests arrive I know that working full time makes a spotless house something of a fantasy. Instead I’ve learned to make it good enough. If you are having company that will sit in the living room and visit, is it really necessary to wipe down the refrigerator shelves? I think not. Here is my quickie list to get ready for company when I don’t have time to deep clean. *Shut the doors to all rooms and closets your guests will not see. … Continue reading

Cleaning Out The Closets

The change of seasons is a good reminder to clean and reorganize your closets. I always rotate clothes with the seasons, this gives me more room in the closet and allows me to see what I’ve really been wearing. First you need to pull everything out of your closet, not all at once, one thing at a time. Ask yourself these questions: 1. How often did I wear this? If the answer is less than twice in six months, it should go in a give a way bag. 2. Do I feel good when I wear this? If it makes … Continue reading

Cleaning Out Your Closets

Changing of the seasons means more than just warm, sunny weather ahead. It means spring cleaning, including cleaning out the closets. Ugh. Depending on how big your family is this could take a great amount of time, so get moving. When sifting through the closets have your child nearby. You may need him or her to try things on. As you weed through each pair of pants, each shirt, each coat, the shoes and nighttime clothing decide which things may fit next year. Have a large storage container and box or garbage bag close at hand. If the clothing or … Continue reading

The Gift of Professional Cleaning

Forget the Dyson; I now have a new Christmas wish gift-—a maid. My BFF got the best Christmas present yesterday: six months’ worth of professional housecleaning services. She is entitled to five regular cleanings and one heavy seasonal cleaning, which includes: Dusting corners, ceilings, and walls, including photo frames and artwork Cleaning windows, window screens, and window treatments Scrubbing interiors and exteriors of kitchen cupboards and drawers Cleaning ceiling fans, light fixtures, and vents Cleaning the oven, microwave, and dishwasher Shampooing rugs, carpets, and upholstery Talk about the gift that keeps on giving. I have never dreamed of asking for … Continue reading

Fall Closet Cleaning

I love cleaning closets. I just hate how long it takes. Last week I spent five hours cleaning out my young daughter’s closet. Granted, I hadn’t been in there to thoroughly clean and organize since late spring when I packed away her winter gear and got out her summer outfits. Still, five hours was much longer than I had anticipated the job would take, and it gave me incentive to tackle the chore on a regular basis rather than reserve it for fall and spring only. There are many advantages to cleaning and organizing a closet regularly. For starters, it … Continue reading

Cleaning Starts with Decluttering

Sabrina Soto is the queen of decluttering. Seriously, every time I watch the HGTV star work her magic on “Get It Sold” or “Real Estate Intervention,” I want to purge my home of all its contents, save for the couch, the beds and a tiny desk and chair set. According to Soto, clutter is a bad thing. If you’ve ever seen the TLC show “Hoarding: Buried Alive,” then you know she’s got a point. Excessive TV references aside, experts say clutter is a sign of bad habits: lack of organization, overspending, and attachment issues, just to name a few. Fortunately, … Continue reading

How a Closet Clean Out Can Save You Money

If your closets are bulging with clothing, shoes and other accessories, then congratulations. A messy closet can save you lots of money and may even earn some money for you. But first, you have to get organized. Clean out that closet. Set aside a few minutes a day for weeks or an entire weekend, but get it done. Here are several reasons how a closet clean out can save you money. Find new things Whenever you do a closet clean out you may find things that you forgot that you ever had. There may even be shoes still in the … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning is a Family Affair

Well, my obsession with spring cleaning is finally being noticed by the rest of my family, especially my husband. I approached the subject yesterday and mentioned how this year I really needed the whole family to pull together to get it done. While I normally handle the bulk if not all of the spring cleaning myself, this year it has to be different. We’ve been in our new home for almost two years now. Much of the cleaning and repairing time has been ongoing since then. The first few months saw a flurry of cleaning, because the house had been … Continue reading

Spring Cleaning Time

Today it is chilly again, although I am afraid that I am already considering it to be spring. You see, we had two days this past weekend in which the temperatures “soared” into the early 70s. The snowdrops are already blooming in the yard, we had our first trip to the playground, and the town has already sent out its flyer about the annual Daffodil Days event. So, even though I am sitting her with cold hands listening to our baseboard heating system click and clack, I know in my heart that it is time to do the spring cleaning. … Continue reading