Declutter after the holidays - 8 Simple Steps

Get ready to declutter after the holidays for the new year!

Decluttering after the holidays can be a daunting task, but it's a great way to start the new year off on a fresh, organized foot. Here are some tips to help you declutter your home after the holiday season:

1. Start small: Don't try to declutter your entire home at once. Instead, start with a small, manageable space, like a drawer or closet.

2. Create piles: Sort through your items and create piles for things you want to keep, things you want to donate, and things you want to throw away.

3. Be honest with yourself: When deciding what to keep, ask yourself if you really need or use the item. If not, consider getting rid of it.

4. Donate or sell items: If you have items that are in good condition but you no longer need or want, consider donating them to a thrift store or selling them online. Calm Order has a list of charitable resources HERE.

5. Get rid of broken or damaged items: If an item is broken or damaged beyond repair, it's time to say goodbye. Don’t hang on to the junk.

6. Use storage solutions: If you have items that you want to keep but don't have room for, consider using storage solutions like bins, boxes, or shelves to help keep things organized and out of sight.

7. Tackle one room at a time: Work your way through each room in your home, decluttering and organizing as you go. This will help you stay focused and make progress without getting overwhelmed. Join like with like categories from other rooms as you go.

8. Be careful not to get side tracked when joining categories from other rooms. Stay focused on the one space/ category while working your way out the door.

By following these tips, you can declutter your home and start the new year off with a fresh, organized space. Remember your home did not get disorganized over night and organizing is a process. It will come together. If you get side tracked all the time, its a good idea to call in supports. A good friend, or a professional organizer. Having someone there will help you keep focused. Try it in short sessions so yor are less likely to burn out. Good luck!

Ready for Spring Cleaning? Make Your Checklist!

Spring is almost here! As with every year, that means it’s time to get your home and yard cleaned and organized after the long winter. In Calgary, it often feels like winter has never left us, but even one sunny day can be enough motivation for the warmer season ahead to get started on all the cleaning tasks needed to be done. 

While getting clean and organized always feels good at the end of the day, it can take a lot of energy and motivation to get started. Often, the number of tasks we know we need to get done can seem overwhelming. In cases like this, many of the activities we hope to accomplish end up not being completed, or we start something that we just don’t have the time or resources to finish.

This year, avoid falling short of your spring cleaning goals by creating an easy to manage checklist that will only ensure success. The key is to focus on breaking down the big picture tasks you want to do and breaking them down into easily-manageable activities that won’t take up an entire day. These activities should be easy to do in a couple hours or an afternoon and spread out over a longer period of time. This way, you can work towards one project at a time.

For example, if one of your spring cleaning goals it to organize the garage, don’t just leave it at that. There is so much involved in organizing and cleaning a garage, so try breaking it down into even smaller steps:

Organize the Garage

Declutter

• Go through all items currently in the garage.

• Sort through items (what is to keep, what is to donate, what is to sell, and what is to discard).

Cleaning

• Sweep the garage floor

• Spray out the garage floor.

• Wipe down any cupboards/containers.

Storage

• Create a plan for storing items.

• Purchase or re-purpose additional bins/shelves/hooks needed to store items.

• Put items away in their proper place.

Whatever your spring cleaning projects may be, breaking down everything that needs to be done can make the tasks more achievable and not so daunting. Plus, creating a checklist can also help you keep on track on what has been completed and what needs to be done so you don’t start a project without finishing it.

Before the season starts in earnest, take the time to create your spring cleaning checklist with everything you want to get accomplished. Even the most basic checklist can help make your projects simple, easy, and manageable!