Spring Cleaning and Downsizing – A Match Made in Heaven

If you are like most, the signs of spring with warmer temperatures, blue skies and new garden growth make us itch to get our homes spruced up and better organized.  We are inspired to get out there and clean things up and make everything neat and tidy to start the new season.  It is an age-old tradition. The dark days of winter are behind us and we can’t wait to peel off all the layers that have accumulated throughout the past several months. 

If you are embarking on your yearly cleansing ritual and if you have a move in your future, it is a perfect time to combine your spring cleaning with your downsizing efforts to make some serious progress. Knowing that you plan to move puts a whole new dimension on Spring Cleaning.  Now you are not just cleaning for the sake of cleaning, but you are going to be getting rid of the clutter that has collected and start some serious downsizing to get rid of things no longer needed or wanted.

TIP #1

Ask yourself the tough questions:

• Am I using this?

• Do I need or want it?

• Do I plan to take it with me when I move?

If you answered NO to these questions, then why wait?  Start getting rid of these things now. Send that unused furniture to donation, dispose of those things that are beyond repair. 

TIP #2

Tackle one of the biggies – go after that garage, basement, attic or outside space that tends to be the collection site for all the things you no longer use or need.  These are the places, (you know where they are), that people throw things during their Spring-Cleaning efforts.  Case in point, how many things are piled into the garage or thrown down into the basement to be dealt with later?  Your living spaces became neater, so you feel good about that, but you just moved the culprit from one room to another. Out of sight out of mind sort of thing.  If you are planning to move, there is no better time than the present to deal with it.  You will have to tackle that room sooner or later so why not do it now under the guise of Spring-Cleaning and feel good about it?  There is something truly liberating about tackling that garage and getting it all cleaned out except for what you really need.

TIP #3

Only handle it once. If you are going to the trouble to get better organized and to get things cleaned up, then handle the items as few times as possible.  Have boxes and bags ready to go for donation, disposal, recycling and shredding.  Drop items directly into the appropriate container.  If you are keeping something, then decide where it should live and put it with other like items. 

If you are planning a move and are gearing up for some Spring Cleaning, then use that energy to move you forward in your downsizing efforts.  Tackling some of those areas you dread will do wonders. The feeling of overwhelm that most feel when getting ready to move can be significantly reduced if you take it one room at a time.  Small steps can create big results.