Organizing Your Way » Spring Cleaning

Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Plastics Out

Mandi Ehman — Tue, 06 Apr 2010 11:55:31 +0000

source: Shaina

Today’s Spring Cleaning Carnival topic is about eliminating the plastics from our kitchen.

Head on over to Kitchen Stewardship to learn more about what inspired Beth to become plastic free and to learn more about the dangers posed by different types of plastics.

If you were to walk through my kitchen right now, you’d find plastic plates, bowls and cups for our kids and a few plastic storage containers as well. You’d also find Pyrex storage bowls (which I love and use for a variety of things, so I desperately need another set before I can get rid of the plastic ones!) and stainless steel water bottles. One of my constant companions these days is my 27-oz. Klean Kanteen water bottle. I’ve had it for about 2.5 years, and it’s a little beat up, but I find it so much easier to drink enough water (usually 100 oz.+) when I’m using it.

When I first started switching away from plastics, I really did it more for the aesthetics and to eliminate waste than for health reasons, but lately I’ve been considering taking a more drastic approach and eliminating most of the plastic, especially the plastic that my kids use.

But obviously I don’t want to create more waste by simply throwing all of the plastic I have away, so here’s a list of ideas for repurposing the plastic from your kitchen for non-food uses:

Plastic Food Storage

Plastic food storage containers can be used to hold a variety of household items. Not only do they keep little pieces contained, but they provide natural limits for the number of items you can keep.

:: Toy sets.

:: Trinkets and miscellaneous doodads.

:: Craft supplies.

:: Hair accessories.

:: Screws, nails, bolts, etc.

Plates, Bowls, Cups and Silverware

:: Use plastic kids plates as paint and glue palettes.

:: Keep plastic knives in the play-doh bin.

:: Add plastic cups and spoons to your sensory table for scooping beans, rice and sand.

:: Take bowls and spoons outside for digging and other adventures.

Beth is sharing tips for baby steps, making strides and a giant leap at Fake Plastic Fish. You can link up your own story and enter to win a stainless steel baby bottle as well!

Next week, we’ll be talking about eliminating refined sugar with Donielle of Naturally Knocked Up!

Do you still use plastic containers in your kitchen? Have you replaced any with wood, stainless steel or glass alternatives? What other ideas do you have for repurposing the plastic in your kitchen?

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Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Plastics Out is a post from Organizing Your Way

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Rejuvenating Your Home for Spring

Mandi Ehman — Wed, 31 Mar 2010 12:00:34 +0000

source: WTL photos

Today I’m joining my fellow Life Skills Network bloggers in a Rejuvenating blog tour! I’m sharing tips on rejuvenating your home for spring below, and at the end you’ll find links to the other posts in the tour.

When I say rejuvenating your home for spring, I’m not talking about spring cleaning. I like to spring clean, but it is a huge job that takes a lot of energy and time. Rejuvenating your home, on the other hand, should be easy to do and give you energy to tackle those bigger tasks later on.

Here are five things you can do to embrace spring and rejuvenate your home today:

Open the Windows

You’ve probably heard the statistics before about how poor the indoor air quality is in most homes. I would imagine that it’s at its worst on the coldest days of winter when everyone is hunkered down inside and doing everything they can to avoid opening doors and windows.

On the other hand, there’s nothing I love more than opening our windows to let the fresh air in, and when the thermometer hits 50 degrees, we start opening them for short periods so that the cross breeze can blow across the house and air it out. Having the windows open not only airs out the house, though; it also lifts our spirits. When the windows are open, I find myself breathing more deeply, humming more often (much to my family’s chagrin) and just generally feeling happier as I go about my day.

Grow Something

Last year, I bought the seedlings for my garden from the local nursery. This year, however, I decided to start my own seedlings, and watching the bright green plants shoot up from the dirt has been a wonderful way to enjoy spring inside our home. Whether you plant wheatgrass in a decorative container, pick up some Easter lilies at the local store or just give your seedlings a prominent space in your living area, having live plants inside is energizing and healthy.

Declutter

Although we’re not talking about spring cleaning in this post, I couldn’t leave decluttering off the list. Go through your home with a trash bag and a box and declutter your surfaces and open spaces. Throw away anything that’s broken, incomplete or just not worth passing on, and fill the box with things that you can give away. Don’t worry about opening drawers, cabinets and closets for now but instead focus on the areas you can see and eliminate as much of the clutter as you can. If you have some straightening up to do, carry a laundry basket with you as well, and fill it with everything that needs to be moved to another room.

As you clear surfaces and eliminate visual clutter, your home will feel more peaceful and relaxing and less stressful, and you’ll find that you have more energy and motivation to tackle the larger spring cleaning and organizing tasks on your to-do list.

Embrace the Season

If you want decorating advice, you should probably talk to my husband rather than to me because he got all of those skills, and I got none. However, one thing I’m good at is bringing the seasons into our home by making small little changes in each room. Although some people go all out and change everything around each season, it doesn’t have to take a lot of storage or money. Instead, look for small ways to embrace the season:

:: We use different colored candles or kitchen towels according to the season. Break out the whites and bright greens/blues for spring!

:: In our kitchen, we have a silver-plated serving piece that holds different seasonal items. In the fall and winter, we usually fill it with pine cones. In the summer, it holds a collection of seashells. I’m still trying to come up with a new idea for spring because I’m just not ready to pull those seashells out yet, but I’m ready to pack away the pine cones. Any ideas?

:: We also have this funky wooden tree that Sean built that holds Christmas ornaments during the holidays and brown nubby wood balls the rest of the time, but I’d like to find some fun green or purple balls to hang on it for spring.

:: I love to display fresh flowers around my home, especially in the spring. It’s an easy way to add a splash of color to any room!

Move Things Around

You don’t just have to keep things in storage the rest of the year in order to refresh your home for spring, though. Try moving things around, whether it’s the furniture in your family room or the decor displayed on your shelves. Mixing things up makes everything feel fresh, and it doesn’t have to cost a dime.

Two years ago, we were getting ready for my grandmother’s first visit to our new home when we realized how very bare the guest bathroom was. Going into town to shop for new items to decorate it wasn’t going to happen, so I began scavenging through the rest of our home. We were so happy with the way it turned out that we left it that way long after her visit!

What do you do to welcome spring and rejuvenate your home?

Be sure to visit the rest of the Life Skills members to read about:

:: Rejuvenating Your Budget, The Wisdom Journal

:: 5 Steps to Rejuvenate Your New Year’s Resolutions, My Supercharged Life

:: Rejuvenation for a Worn Out Crabby Mom, The Confident Mom

:: Rejuvenate Your Finances, My Dollar Plan

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Rejuvenating Your Home for Spring is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Antibacterials Out

Mandi Ehman — Tue, 23 Mar 2010 09:44:45 +0000

source: Jack Blacks Stunt Double

Long before I even knew what crunchy meant, I ready about the dangers of antibacterial soap and how they were contributing to the rise of superbugs (antibiotic-resistant bacteria). Although I didn’t quite understand the why behind the danger of triclosan and its derivatives, the information I had read was enough to convince me to stop purchasing antibacterial soaps.

We still use alcohol cleaner on occasion, but we try to avoid all antibacterial soaps, especially now that we’re on well water and the chemicals we use seep back into our land and, eventually, our water supply. Research has shown time and time again that washing well with regular soap and water is as effective (or even more effective!) than using antibacterial soaps. Unfortunately, these days you have to make a conscious decision to find the regular stuff because antibacterial soaps have become so prevalent.

If you’re interested in learning more about the dangers of antibacterial soaps, be sure to check out these posts as well as the posts linked up in the Spring Cleaning Carnival:

:: Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Antibacterials Out, Kitchen Stewardship

:: Good Bacteria, Bad Bacteria: How to Wash Your Hands and Be Gentle on the Earth, Simple Organic

Were you aware of the dangers of antibacterial soap? Are they something you use in your own home?

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Spring Cleaning Carnival: Get the Antibacterials Out is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Party Revisited

Mandi Ehman — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 12:36:30 +0000

source: Astro Twilight

Last year, Tsh from Simple Mom invited me to participate in her Spring Cleaning Party, and we spent two weeks sharing tips and hints for spring cleaning based on her popular ebook, Spring Cleaning for Normal People.

Whether you’ve been bitten by the spring cleaning bug or you want to spring clean but just aren’t sure where to start, be sure to read through the party posts below for inspiration and practical tips to help you spring clean the easy way:

:: Choosing Your Cleaning Supplies

:: Decluttering 101

:: Deep Cleaning Your Living Room

:: How Many Small Appliances Does a Person Really Need?

:: Tackling the Kitchen

:: Bathrooms That Sparkle

:: Getting Control of the Kids’ Rooms

:: Toys, Toys and More Toys

:: Making Your Bedroom a Haven

:: Cleaning Up the Front Entry

What does spring cleaning typically look like for you? Have you started spring cleaning this year?

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Spring Cleaning Party Revisited is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Party: Decluttering 101

Mandi Ehman — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:42:00 +0000

This post was first published on May 4, 2009 as part of the Spring Cleaning Party. However, effective decluttering is the foundation of an organized home, and I thought this post was worth repeating!

Day One of the Spring Cleaning Party starts with a “clean sweep” of your home. Tsh describes more about the process in her post today as well as in Spring Cleaning for Normal People. The basic premise is to start your spring cleaning by making a quick pass through every room in your home to clear any trash or clutter that you know you want to get rid of. Carry a give/sell box and a trash bag with you and grab the obvious things to clear off surfaces (no digging in cabinets or closets yet!).

For some people, decluttering can be a very emotional experience. It’s hard to let go of “stuff” for a variety of reasons – sentimentality, fear of needing it later, pride, and so on.

If you’re not ready for the clean sweep method, what are some other methods you could try?

Just a Box

Pick a medium-sized box and promise yourself that you’ll find enough things to let go of to fill that box. Don’t pick a shoe box for this project, but if you’re struggling with the idea of decluttering, you won’t want to pick a huge box either. The goal is to just fill the box. Once you’re done, you can stop unless you decide at that point that you want to keep going.

Set a Timer

If your home is filled with stuff that needs to be decluttered, the idea of doing a clean sweep until the surfaces are clear may be very overwhelming. Try setting a timer for 30 minutes or so and decluttering just for that amount of time. When the timer goes off, you may be so energized by your progress that you keep going, or you may be exhausted from the emotional aspects of it and decide that’s all you can handle for the day. Either is okay!

Pack It In Storage

Maybe you want to declutter, but part of you is afraid of regretting it later on. If so, try this method. Instead of labeling your boxes with Give/Sell, label them as “Decluttering – Storage”. Pack up those things you think you want to get rid of, but put them in your basement or attic instead of getting rid of them entirely. Keep them there and see what happens. If you realize after a month or two that there’s something in there you can’t live with out, by all means get it out and put it back in its place. If, however, as is often the case, you never touch those boxes again, then you’ll know you’re ready to add them to the yard sale or charity piles!

Decluttering & Spring Cleaning Together

What I love about Tsh’s method is that decluttering, cleaning and organizing go hand-in-hand. Hey, you’re emptying the cabinets anyway, so you might as well do all three tasks!

But are there other options?

Sure there are!

For example, I’ve already made one pass through of every cabinet, closet and storage area of my home to declutter. At that time, the thought of cleaning every nook and cranny on top of my decluttering was a little overwhelming, so I just focused on sorting through the stuff.

There are, of course, pros and cons to doing it this way:

:: My husband was working on a lot of dusty/messy house projects as I was decluttering. If I would have spring cleaned then, I would have just been frustrated with him for getting everything dirty again. But I didn’t want to put off decluttering either, so I went ahead with that part of the process.

:: Some of what I’ll be doing is going to feel very repetitive, and there will almost certainly be areas where I wish I had just taken a few more minutes to clean the first time I went through them.

:: On the other hand, I’ve noticed that I tend to be willing to part with more stuff the more times I organize a cabinet or closet. I’m hoping that as I spring clean, I’ll find even more things to add to the giveaway/sell pile. In fact, I found a cheese knife the other day that I never use. I’m not sure why it’s still in the drawer after the first round of decluttering!

Not Ready to Declutter?

What if you’re simply not ready to start the process of decluttering at all? Can you still spring clean?

Of course you can!

There is no doubt that your spring cleaning project will take you more time each day because you’ll simply have more things to move and clean around and under, but there’s no reason you have to sit out and avoid cleaning just because you’re not ready to declutter.

There are many benefits to decluttering, and both Tsh and I feel fairly strongly about living simply and eliminating clutter, but if it’s simply not something you’re ready, willing or able to tackle right now, then simply do what you can.

How do you feel about decluttering? Is it something that excites you or does it make you want to skip the Spring Cleaning Party altogether? What is the biggest thing holding you back?

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Spring Cleaning Party: Decluttering 101 is a post from Organizing Your Way

Question of the Day: Do You Use Color Coding to Help You Organize?

Mandi Ehman — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 12:28:46 +0000

source: Jean Ruaud

One of the tips that was emphasized during both Office Max webcasts I attended (about organizing your home office and helping kids organize for back-to-school) is to color code your calendar, files, etc. so that each family member has their own color and everything can be easily filed or found by its color.

My girls aren’t yet old enough that we really have separate schedules or files to maintain for each of them, so we don’t really use color coding in this way, but I’ve shared my main filing system before, and I do use color coding there.

But what I really want to know is this:

Do you use color coding in your home to help you organize? If so, how?

Do you have any unusual ways you use color to simplify your life?

What’s an area that you think you could organize more easily if you started using color?

Have you ever abandoned a color-coding system because it wasn’t actually simplifying your life?

Can’t wait to hear your experiences!

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Question of the Day: Do You Use Color Coding to Help You Organize? is a post from Organizing Your Way

Reader Question: Helping Others Get Control of Their Clutter

Mandi Ehman — Fri, 24 Jul 2009 09:44:03 +0000

source: Skeggy

Erica recently asked if I have any tips for how to help other people get control of their clutter. She’s concerned about a family member whose health is starting to be affected by all of the stuff in her house. Although this person agrees that the clutter is a problem, she has excuses for everything Erica tries to help her let go of, and Erica is not sure how to help her get past it and do what needs to be done.

This is such a tough one, especially to see someone’s health declining and know what they need to do even though they can’t seem to bring themselves to make the changes necessary, and I have a few ideas that may help:

Remember It’s Their Choice

Unfortunately, I do think that the first step is to remember that you cannot force anyone to make these changes. Even when caring for older or elderly family members, it’s important to remember that they’re still autonomous adults who have the right to make decisions – even destructive ones. It’s not easy to sit by and watch that happen, but you have to be sure that you’re not allowing yourself to feel guilty over their decisions. The best you can do is encourage, help and support them along the way, but if that doesn’t work, it is not your fault.

Talk Frequently About the Benefits

This process will not likely be quick or easy. Change is hard, and letting go of stuff that we’ve held onto for a long time is even harder. Keeping that in mind, talk frequently about the benefits of letting go. Talk about the people who have been helped by donations from others. Talk about the money that other people have made selling their stuff. Talk about how easy it is to clean and find things after decluttering. And in this case, talk about the health benefits. Even if it doesn’t seem to be helping, continue to talk about the benefits that most appeal to that particular person in a conversational, non-confrontational way.

Look at the Various Options

Consider what may be holding this person back and why they may be resisting letting go.

:: Is it because they connect their stuff to memories of people or events? Perhaps finding a way to record those memories as you go would be helpful. Giving items away to people in need or selling them to collectors is a way to ensure that the items will be treasured by their next owner as much as they deserve.

:: Is it because the thought of going through everything is simply overwhelming? Would they prefer to have someone else do it while they’re not around?

:: Is it fear that they may need or miss something down the road? If so, start with the “out of sight, out of mind” method and simply box up and store the things that are no longer used regularly rather than getting rid of them. This solves the health issue without becoming traumatic for someone who is unable or unwilling to let go.

Go Slowly

Remember that decluttering is a process, not a one-time event. Even small successes should be celebrated, and the process will hopefully gain momentum as the person sees the benefits of decluttering firsthand. It can become almost addicting, and while it may start of slowly, focus on each success rather becoming discouraged by the slow progress.

Has anyone been through a situation like this with a family member that they love and care for? Do you have any advice to help Erica as she struggles to find the best way to help?

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Reader Question: Helping Others Get Control of Their Clutter is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Party: Final Wrap-Up

Mandi Ehman — Sat, 16 May 2009 14:49:03 +0000

source: karenwithak

During the last two weeks, we’ve talked a lot about the benefits of decluttering as part of your spring cleaning. Having an uncluttered and simple home makes cleaning easier, gives you less to think about and sort through on a daily basis and can even change the atmosphere of your home.

It’s okay if you didn’t make it through all ten days during the party. Don’t lose you momentum now, but keep pushing forward. I promise the benefits will be worth the hard work you put in!

If you haven’t yet started your spring cleaning and are intrigued by the idea of focusing on one room each day for ten days, I highly recommend Spring Cleaning for Normal People, an ebook published by Tsh at Simple Mom. She lays out an easy-to-follow schedule and includes tips and steps for making what can be an overwhelming task a little easier to tackle.

And whether you’re just getting started, missed a room during the party or simply want a refresher, I’ve listed all the posts from the Spring Cleaning Party below so that you can easily find them:

Spring Cleaning Party Introduction (from Simple Mom)
Choosing Your Cleaning Supplies

Day 1: Clean Sweep (from Simple Mom)
Decluttering 101

Day 2: Living Room, Part 1 (from Simple Mom)
Deep Cleaning Your Living Room

Day 3: Living Room, Part 2 (from Simple Mom)

Day 4: Kitchen, Part 1 (from Simple Mom)
How Many Small Appliances Does a Person Really Need?

Day 5: Kitchen, Part 2 (from Simple Mom)
Tackling the Kitchen

Day 6: The Bathrooms (from Simple Mom)
Bathrooms That Sparkle

Day 7: The Kids’ Rooms, Part 1 (from Simple Mom)
Getting Control of the Kids’ Rooms

Day 8: The Kids’ Rooms, Part 2 (from Simple Mom)
Toys, Toys and More Toys

Day 9: The Master Bedroom (from Simple Mom)
Making Your Bedroom a Haven

Day 10: The Front Entry & Hallway (from Simple Mom)
Cleaning Up the Front Entry

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Spring Cleaning Party: Final Wrap-Up is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Party: Cleaning up the Front Entry

Mandi Ehman — Fri, 15 May 2009 09:41:41 +0000

Today is the last day of the Spring Cleaning Party, and our focus is on making our entry ways and foyers welcoming for our family as well as for guests. If you’re feeling tired or worn out and are tempted to just skip today, I encourage you to visit Tsh’s post before you even think about starting. She’s got some great encouragement today about the benefits of an uncluttered home, and I think it’ll give you the push you need to finish strong!

The foyer is an important area of our homes because it sets the tone when we walk through the front door. Having a welcoming entry way and a clutter free foyer lets us come through the front door without the stress of all that stuff staring back at us. Our entry ways also create the first impression for guests and visitors. This doesn’t mean it needs to be Martha Stewart-like, but adding small touches of beauty – a welcome mat, a plant on the porch or stoop, a wreath on the front door, etc. – makes our homes more inviting.

Unfortunately, it’s easy for these areas to become a catch-all for clutter as well, especially if your family is often on the go. Try a few of these methods for containing that clutter:

Organizing Shoes

We keep all of our shoes in our front closet. Unfortunately, with three little girls who each have several pairs, it was quickly getting out of hand. My solution was to buy one of those over-the-door mesh organizers. Instead of hanging it on the door, though, I hung it on the wall inside the closet and put the girls’ shoes at their level so that we can all get what we need when we go outside. During the winter, I also use this organizer for mittens and hats.

If you don’t have a closet, you could use a nice shoe rack, a bench with built-in storage or cube-shaped baskets to store these things in your foyer. As Tsh’s pictures show, shoes and coats don’t necessarily have to be hidden away as long as they’re kept neat and everything has a place.

Seasonal Gear

We rotate our seasonal gear so that our front closet doesn’t become too cluttered. During the summer, our winter jackets and boots go in the back of the guest closet, and the hats, scarves and gloves get packed away in the attic. We store the seasonal gear in a plastic storage box and use a nicer bin inside our closet for the items that are currently in season.

Clean It Up Every Day

Although I am more of a homebody than most people, I know what the coming-home routine looks like. You come in the door, dumping your diaper bag, purse, bags from the store and whatever else is in your hands in the foyer as you rush the four-year-old to the potty and the groceries to the kitchen to be put away. By the time you get everyone settled with a snack and the groceries put away, the last thing you want to do is clean up the stuff you dumped in the foyer at the beginning of the process.

I would, however, encourage you to take a few minutes at the end of each day to empty out any trash from your purse, restock your diaper bag and find homes for anything else you brought in with you. It doesn’t get easier to go back to it the longer you wait, and once it’s done, it’s done!

And We’re Done!

Tomorrow I’ll share some final thoughts about the process of spring cleaning. Both Tsh and I have talked a lot about the benefits of an uncluttered and simple home throughout this process, and I’m more convinced than when we started that living simply and minimalistically is the way to go. As moms, we have more than enough to think about without having to worry about clutter as well!

How did you do? Did you stick to the schedule and work your way through your entire home, or did you find yourself burnt out before we were done? Have you noticed any benefits of your decluttering in the rooms you finished?

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Spring Cleaning Party: Cleaning up the Front Entry is a post from Organizing Your Way

Spring Cleaning Party: Making Your Bedroom a Haven

Mandi Ehman — Thu, 14 May 2009 09:50:58 +0000

We have lived in five different homes since we got married, and this is the first time that we’ve had a beautiful master bedroom. In the past, it’s been the room that guests don’t see – the one that has a door that can be closed when people visit – and we’ve neglected to make it into a beautiful room to enjoy for ourselves.

We knew we wanted that to change when we built our new home, and this time it was one of the first rooms we finished. We actually converted our master closet to a nursery and just added Ikea wardrobes in place of the closet. Because the space is limited, our room is no longer a “storage space” for all the things that don’t have a home, and it really has made a huge difference.

Regardless of whether you’re married and looking for a romantic space or just looking for a quiet retreat in your home, I really encourage you to take the time to make your master bedroom into a haven where you can rest and relax away from the responsibility of life.

Tsh shares some great tips today for organizing your clothes and decluttering your room in general, and be sure to link to your before and after shots in her comments so we can see what you’ve accomplished!

Here are a few more tips for making the master bedroom a haven:

Not a Storage Room

The first step to creating a haven is to decide that your bedroom will not be a storage area or the place where you put everything that doesn’t have a home. Clean out the closet, under the bed and the nightstand drawers. Give away, sell or trash as much as you’re willing to part with and find proper homes for the rest of it. I know those things are in your bedroom because you haven’t been able to think of a better place for it, but think through all possible alternatives before you decide your bedroom is the best storage space.

Little Touches

The key to making any room beautiful is little touches such as pictures, art work, paint color and lighting. For a romantic retreat, hang pictures of you and your husband, add sconces or dimmer lights for romantic lighting and keep the room clutter free. Pick colors that reflect the mood you want for your room – neutral colors for a serene retreat, dark and rich colors for a luxurious space or splashes of bright color for a refreshing and invigorating tone.

Minimize Knick Knacks

While little touches do make the difference, there’s no need to go overboard with the knick knacks and decorations. Having a minimalist design can make a room feel more serene and relaxing, and it also reduces the amount of dusting and cleaning you’ll have to do! I love Tsh’s reminder to consider whether the knick knacks create memories or just happen to be things you collected during trips or events.

Quick Tip: Empty Those Pockets

Finally, if you or your husband often have a pocket full of change, receipts or other miscellaneous items, use a pretty bowl on the dresser or a little box in one of your drawers as a catch all for the contents of your pockets rather than just dumping them on top of the dresser. You’ll still have to set aside time each week to go through them and find homes for the things that don’t end up back in a pocket, but at least they’ll be out of sight and contained!

How much effort have you put into making your bedroom a haven in the past? Is it last on your priority list? Do you use it as a storage room for things that don’t have a home?

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Spring Cleaning Party: Making Your Bedroom a Haven is a post from Organizing Your Way