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!

The Right Tools for the Right Space

Kitchen cupboards and drawers are like blank canvases. There is so much potential for storage and even the smallest kitchen can still hold quite a few items. However, if each drawer and cupboard isn’t set up correctly, you could not only be missing out on valuable storage space, but have a harder time keeping your items neat and organized.

 Modular bamboo organizers are the most efficient and cost effective solution to common kitchen organizing problems. These organizers provide not only a stylish and upscale look to any ordinary looking drawer, but also a versatile method of organizing a range of items. From everyday kitchen utensils to smaller gadgets like can openers, you can easily keep loose items from getting lost or misplaced in any drawer.

This centre island holds a variety of kitchen items in its drawers.

Many of the drawers looked like this one, with kitchen items stored loosely without order.

The modular bamboo organizers make it easy to find and store any kitchen item.

Modular bamboo organizers come in a variety of sizes. You can purchase individual inserts or larger inserts with multiple compartments, which means these organizers can be used for so much more than just your cutlery. There is no limit to how you can use these to organizer your drawer!

The different sizes and shapes mean these organizers can create a customize look – without the price tag that often accompanies fully customized kitchen drawers and organizers. Use them anyway you want them and mix them around as your kitchen items and needs changed. Moving or renovating your kitchen? No need to worry, as these inserts are not permanently attached to your drawer. When you purchase these organizers, you are making a one-time investment that can be used for years in any space you may end up with in the future.

Recently, Calm Order used the modular bamboo inserts in a kitchen organization project. Previously, the homeowner’s utensils like the knives pictured above, were stored loosely in a drawer in the centre island. While they look nice and ordered in the picture, this wasn’t always the case. As the drawer is opened and closed, and items are used and put away again, nothing ever stays perfectly in place. Using the modular bamboo inserts, Calm Order was able to transform the completely open kitchen drawer by filling it with organizers of various sizes. Not only can more items be stored in the one drawer, but everything is kept neat and in order, and is organized by like object. When the drawer is opened and closed, nothing will shift or move out of place, and when items are put away, they will always be put back in an organized way. No kitchen item will get lost again in this drawer!

These inserts aren’t only limited to the kitchen – you can use them in bathroom vanities, office drawers or closet drawers. Add some organization to your drawers and cupboards with the completely customizable modular bamboo inserts. These inserts can be purchased here in over six different sizes. The options are endless!

Decluttering Goals: The Closet

Bedroom closets are often some of the most cluttered areas in a home. It is inevitable that after a while, the clothes, shoes and accessories we accumulate can start to overcrowd and clutter up the closet.

It isn’t easy to go through clothes either. Whether for practicality or sentimentality, it can be easy to justify hanging onto items that you really don’t wear that much or may not even fit so well anymore. Often, there is the thought that you might need it for a special occasion, or that you might fit into it again one day. While you don’t want to complete eliminate your entire wardrobe, a good organizing session and reset is important to do on a regular basis – especially after a major shopping trip.

When you’re going through your closet, go through everything – pants, shirts, dresses, coats, sweaters, scarves, shoes, bags – whatever you have stored in there. Try clothes on that you may not have worn in a long time. Do you still like the item? Does it fit? Is it worn, faded or torn? Be realistic with yourself – fashion and personal tastes can change, so don’t feel bad about adding it to the donate pile or the clothes recycle pile if it isn’t in good shape. If a button is missing or the zipper needs fixing but the clothes still fit and you like them, see if you can fix it yourself or if it needs to be done by a professional. Instead of adding it back into your closet so it can be forgotten again, put it in a place you will see it often so you remember to fix it. 

For clothes that don’t quite fit, it can be a difficult decision on whether or not you should keep them. Think about the item of clothing and be honest with yourself. If you are actively losing weight, and the item is only a size or two smaller, then it may be worth hanging onto. If it is a few sizes too big or too small, then consider giving it to away for someone else to use. It is not worth hanging onto items that you are more likely not to wear especially if you have no real intention of actually wearing them again. Anything that won’t be used is just adding clutter from your closet and preventing you from buying clothing that looks and feels good. It isn’t giving up but moving on and making the clothes available to someone who might need them more.

Placing the clothing and accessories you have decided to keep is also an essential part to maintaining an organized closet. It may be worth investing in proper hangers, shoe racks, and accessories holders to keep your items not always looking fresh and ready to wear, but easy to find. Consider sorting your closet into sections and sort items based on whether they are casual or more formal wear, what season you wear them in, or what colour they are. Having these items separated into different groups can make styling and putting an outfit together easier. For more tips on sorting clothes, check out this previous post on the blog.

Having an organized closet is an achievable and sustainable goal for the year. When you take the time to do an initial declutter and reset of the closet, you are making it much easier to maintain moving forward. Don’t let your hard-earned and stylish purchases languish in the back of your closet – make organization your goal this year!