Cleaning Up Together

It’s time to Spring clean!

This month I’m going to work on the theme a little bit different than we usually do.What I want to do it choose a few key rooms in the house to go through, such as the kitchen, kids’ bedrooms, playroom, or even a closet.

Your first homework for this month is to choose 3 rooms to go through this month.

Each weekend (or when you have time), we’re going to tackle one of these rooms!

And as you go through them, go through the following.

Sort through: keep, donate, throw

Keep what you use. Donate what you don’t. Throw away what’s broken.

It always seems easier to go through your stuff when you have a system of questions to ask and there’s an answer to where it goes. Kind of like a flow chart.

Have you used it in the last 6 months?

Yes? Put it in the keep pile.

If no, move on to the next question.

Is this item a keepsake?

Yes? Find a place to store it or display it.

If no, move on to the next question.

What if your answer is “I don’t know”? How do you know if something is really a keepsake? I always look at it as if I’d be giving it to my children when they’re grown. And then the question is, how do I know if they would want this. So I look at it like my own mother is giving it to me (or same thing to my husband), and would I find it cherishable or a nuisance? If I find it cherishable, then it’s a keepsake.

Will you buy this same thing for a future project? 

My husband and I can be kind of frugal and like to save things for ‘maybe someday’ and this can become hazardous. So I put in this question.

What I mean by this, can this exact item be used in a future project?

This usually comes down to bare bones items like construction stuff my husband uses (I cannot tell you how many times he’s done a fix-up project in the house and didn’t have to buy anything because he keeps this stuff on hand). It also includes things like basic picture frames (not trendy ones), or basic decoration items that can be changed easily (like a basic lamp base that could use a new shade).

This is hard to find the line and is discretionary to your lifestyle. I’d consider thinking long and hard about this line before starting so you have a more clear-cut answer for yourself.

Then move on to the next question:

Will someone else find this useful?

If yes, consider selling it if it has value (I personally don’t bother with items less than $50, but you gotta figure out what your time is worth), or donating it.

Kid items? I love to donate toys, puzzles, and books to our local daycare, as well as some basic clothing items that they could always use a spare for (boots, winter coats, gloves, etc). Regular clothes for kids, I donate to our local food shelf. I like to keep items as local as possible to give back to our community. Any home decor, kitchen items, or adult clothes also go to our local food shelf.

If no, it’s time to consider simply putting it in the garbage. Seriously. If you don’t use it, and won’t, and if no one else would find it useful, that it’s just time to part ways. Simple as that.

Organize and label

Once you’ve gone through and done the hardest part of deciding whether to keep, donate or throw, then it’s time to organize what you have decided to keep!

When things are organized and labeled, you can find the proper place to put it away with ease.

Here are some resources I found helpful for cleaning and organizing with your family:

• Zen Habits: 21 Tips on Keeping a Simple Home with Kids (especially tips 5-9)
• 11 Tips to Conquer Kid Clutter
• Organizing the Kids’ Room Checklist