Let’s Get Organized! Tips for Cleaning and Decluttering Your Home

Home Organization
When homebuyers prepare to sell their home, they run through a long checklist of cleaning and organizing, and inevitably at the end, they look around at their pristine and organized home wondering why they hadn’t done it all a long long time ago. At Corken + Company, we know the best part of home ownership is enjoying your home! Spending time with loved ones and making lasting memories! The not so fun part is cleaning up after it all. But, don’t wait until it’s time to sell.

 

Instead, here are some tips from REcolorado home blog on cleaning and organizing your home so it stays that way – clean and organized. Make it one of your new year resolutions. No better way to kick off the new year than with a tidy and orderly home!

 

Cleaning

 

-Don’t bite off more than you can chew. Rather than getting overwhelmed by all that needs to get done, take it slow and steady. Do one room a day (or maybe one room a week). Start in one corner and move top to bottom throughout the entire room dusting and scrubbing all hard surfaces, vacuuming or washing all soft surfaces. It might seem more efficient to instead do one project (such as baseboards) throughout the entire house but this approach can be exhausting. You also don’t really see the results or fruits of your labor. One room, however, top to bottom, you’re going to see and feel the gratification in that difference. It’s what will motivate you to keep going and do the next room.

 

-Don’t let the little things add up. A dish left in the sink will turn into six or seven dirty dishes by the end of the week or even day.

 

-Spread out the work and mix it up. One household member shouldn’t be responsible for all of the cleaning. It should be spread out amongst the members so everyone forms good cleanliness habits. If you have a household chore list, it might be beneficial to rotate who does what. Keep things interesting (at least as interesting as cleaning can be!)

 

Organizing

 

-Start by compiling or purchasing bins, baskets, and other home organization accessories. Group your items based on size, category, and frequency of use. Try to find compartments to fit each grouping accordingly. The right method of storage and home organization makes all of the difference.

 

-Give everything a place! If something has a place, there is more incentive to return it there after use. It also helps you find it the next time you need it.

 

-You’re going to have to purge. If you haven’t used it in the last year, it’s probably time someone else tried it on for size. Give yourself that hard rule and stick to it. Similar to cleaning, purging, and organizing in general for that matter, is better done in segments, room by room.  Once you have even just one trash bag full of donations, bring it to a donation center. Don’t let bags and boxes of donations pile up somewhere. It could easily get out of hand and become yet another stressful, overwhelming task to complete. In addition, the more you clear as you go, the more progress you will see and be able to use as motivation for home organization to continue.

 

More Tips for a Clean & Organized Home…

 

-Make your bed! It’s a great way to begin a productive day. Gets the ball rolling so to speak.

 

-Clear your kitchen counters after every meal.

 

-Scan important paperwork to make digital copies. Let them take up space in the cloud, not your home.

 

-Host an annual or biannual garage sale. It’s a good excuse to regularly check in with the amount of stuff you have in your home and seriously ask yourself how much value it actually adds to your family’s life.

 

-Prep for the next day the night before. Get backpacks, lunches, briefcases, etc all in order and ready to go to work or school in the morning. If your family members aren’t rushing, they are more likely to operate neatly.

 

-At the end of each day walk the main areas of your home and do some home organizaton. Create small piles for your family members of things they need to put away before they turn in each night.

 

-Spend five to ten minutes also walking your yard. Put away toys, pick up dog poop, pull a weed or two. Again, little habits add up to big and lasting change!

 

Decluttering and cleaning your home helps you enjoy making those wonderful memories at home all the more. It eliminates stress and distractions while promoting productivity and calm. Of course, the added bonus is your much farther along than most sellers when you decide it’s the right time to sell. Don’t forget, rates and inventory are at record lows and Corken + Company, boasting real estate solutions without limits, is here when you’re ready!

Share This Post

More To Explore

Rachel Sartin

Lori Corken