Spring-Cleaning: For the Home, the Family, and You

Just when you thought your gloves and scarf were becoming permanently attached to your body spring has arrived. It’s time to banish your bulky coat and muck lucks to the confines of your closet. But without warning, your collection of fishing poles, bridesmaid dresses, pet rocks and tennis rackets (amongst others) have taken your storage space hostage. Grab the clutter monster by the horns and regain control of your space with the help of the tips below.

Book time and clear away distractions. Set aside a few hours or an entire day where you’re free of other responsibilities. Hire a sitter to take the kids out (unless they’re old enough to help), turn off the ringer on the phone, map out your course of action and prepare to dive in.

Try to focus on completing one room, closet or drawer within a limited period. Give yourself 30 minutes to clean out and reorganize a cabinet. Or limit yourself to a few hours to get a room into ship-shape. Break the cleaning and reorganizing down into smaller tasks so it feels less overwhelming and much more manageable.

Divide items into: keep, donate, recycle and trash. Put articles in their proper place and ensure that the rest are hauled off to your local charity or disposed of in the first few days following the de-clutter. When sorting items:

• Test your devotion. Re-examine things in the ‘maybe pile’ and ask yourself: Have I touched this in the last year? Do I love it? Do I have more than one already? Do I need two? Am I hanging on to it out of guilt? Do I associate fond memories with it or bad ones? Do I know someone who could enjoy it more? Put the items you cherish, and/or need, in the keep pile and bid farewell to the rest.

• Be realistic. How many times have you actually mourned over the loss of that bright pink polka dot sweater or those prized strap-on roller skates? Chances are you never gave them a second thought once they were out of the house.

Hold a garage sale. One person’s trash is another person’s treasure. So while you’re cleaning out that closet or room, put sellable items aside for the big sale day. Garage sales can be a fun event for the whole family and you can also invite neighbours or friends to join in the day’s activities. Before you decide on the garage sale option, however, you may want to determine whether you’re really prepared to set up shop on the front lawn for a day or two, and if you have the support in place to set up and manage the event. If not, surrender the fantasy and —with previously loved items in hand—head straight for your local charity or shelter.

Staying on top of problem clutter spots throughout the year is one of the simplest ways to avoid the daunting task of a ‘gigantic spring clean.’ From managing junk mail daily, to doing a monthly closet ‘tidy,’ you can rein in clutter bugs as they arise.

Need more information on parenting? Your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) can help with a child to elder care resource and referral service that is geared toward enhancing the quality of family life. Call your Employee Assistance Program (EAP) to see if you are eligible for the child to elder care resource and referral service at 1 866.468.9461 or 1.800.387.4765.

© 2005 WarrenShepell