Family and Parenting

Cleaning and Organizing Go Hand-in-Hand

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 Melissa Smallwood (aka Multi-tasking Mama) has worked with seniors and families as a professional organizer for several years and is the owner of Organized Life by Design, LLC. She has an extensive human services background. She is also the mom of three active boys (one of which has special needs). She enjoys helping people get their lives, calendars and homes organized so that they have time to see and enjoy their blessings! Melissa also has a passion for cheap yet chic home décor and has many resources available for decorating your home on a budget. Melissa has written many articles on organizing for various websites and organizations including Online Organizing.com, Show Mom the Money, Ask Baby Kid, Dr. Mommy Says, Sassy Mamas, Pink Lemonade of Life and more.

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The New Year will soon be here.  People usually think of things they want to do differently in the future, so they make New Year’s resolutions.  Getting organized is often one of those resolutions.  Cleaning and organizing go hand-in-hand, so begin thinking about what you want to accomplish next year.

Clutter can easily take over your life if you let it.  When there is more than one person in a home, that compounds the amount of clutter you can accumulate.  Think about how your life will change when the clutter is gone – you’re able to clean your home without moving stacks of papers, and the whole atmosphere will be more peaceful.

Getting rid of clutter is important for a number of reasons.  Clutter eats at your time because you can’t find what you need, it causes stress among your family members, and you may even feel ashamed to let friends or family come and visit.  Any one of these reasons may be enough to lead you to start purging your home of the clutter that’s dragging you down.

De-cluttering your home makes organization easier.  Start by going through your home and taking things you don’t use, don’t love, or which need repairs, and put them in bags or boxes.  This will begin the de-cluttering process, but don’t stop there.

After you have gotten rid of the initial clutter, you can take more time making decisions about other items in your home.  Clothing, books, magazines, music, knick-knacks, tools, and other items that aren’t being used or have been outgrown are fair game.  Of course, you may have disagreements about some items, but hold your ground for the sake of your home.

Go to each room of your home with a laundry basket.  Take everything that doesn’t belong in each room and put those items in the correct place.  Remove the papers from the counter top, desktop, and wherever you’ve been hiding them.  Put all of the papers in a box so you can file them later, and then don’t forget to do it.

Use containers to corral small items in kitchen drawers, cabinets, the bathroom cabinet, and in your desk.  Silverware, spices and flavorings, medicines, pens, pencils, and paperclips can all be bothersome if they’re allowed to remain free, so organizing them and putting them in containers is a great idea.

Maybe you’re having problems letting go of things.  Call in the reinforcements!  Ask a friend who isn’t emotionally attached to them to come and help you make decisions.  If the de-cluttering isn’t the problem but cleaning is, you may consider saving up to hire a maid service to help.

Cleaning and organizing go hand in hand when you’re trying to get your home in order.  Do what you can to get rid of things you no longer need, organize what’s left, and then clean up.  Before too long you’ll find your house is a joy to live in.