Taking a Systematic Approach To De-Cluttering & Organizing Your Home This Fall

Now that the kids are back in school and the hotter days of summer are over, it is a good time to focus on your home.  While it may seem like a daunting task, an easy place to start is fall cleaning, the counterpart to spring cleaning.  This includes both de-cluttering & organizing.

De-cluttering-Before you begin, have the right mindset and tools in place.  I always find it helpful to have 5 labeled containers ready to go.  The labels should read 1) Use 2) Store 3) Donate 4) Sell and 5) Trash.  As you move from room to room or closet to closet think about the cooler temperatures and pull out those items that will come in handy like winter clothing and bed linens. Also, you might want to take out spring and summer colors in your décor and place those things in your “store” bin. The benefit to taking this systematic approach is that it can be much easier to make decisions on items when you only have the 5 choices right in front of you as well as a place to put items rather than on the floor in several piles.  Using the right types of containers is also helpful-plastic bins for use and store, cardboard boxes for donate and sell and trash bags for trash.  That way, no more thought goes into how it gets to the right place, it’s all ready to go.

Organizing-After cleaning out unnecessary items, it’s time to organize the things you want to keep.  I love to containerize my things.  What containers you use depend on what it is for; jewelry, make-up, seasonal clothes, purses, books, magazines, toys, etc.   All types are available at a variety of stores.  The key is to determine what you want to place in bins and make a list of what size, shape and material you need before you head out to shop for the containers.  A place for everything and everything in its place is a smart motto.

From here, you will have a clean slate and can create a warm and inviting home this fall for you to enjoy with family and friends and be ready for all of the upcoming holidays.

Article by Rita Lopez, business owner and creative designer. If you would like more home organization and/or design tips, please contact [email protected]

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