Truth be told, I hate cleaning. You know dusting, dishes, laundry I really don't like it all. It's so boring and tedious. But, I love having a clean home so it's a necessary evil to my life. I do on the other hand love getting rid of stuff and throwing stuff away. Maybe it's the organizer in me that loves seeing clutter and then seeing the after even more.
I just did a major Spring Cleaning before we moved back in August. It was the perfect time to go through everything since we were packing it up anyway and purge. That's the best feeling for me anyway, getting rid of stuff that you don't need or don't use. This past weekend our youth were having a garage sale fundraiser for camp, so again it was a great time to go through stuff and see if we had anything to donate.
Here's some simple rules that we live by here at the Worley House when it comes to having a clean & clutter free home.
1. Spring Clean twice a year:
You all know that you accumulate stuff more than just a couple times a year. Why only take the first of the year to clean, or one season? I do this twice a year at our house, once in the Fall and once in the Spring, or every six months is also a good rule. Why? Because stuff adds up, and most of the time you don't have a clue what you have and don't have, what you're using and not using. Take stock twice a year, purge and get rid of stuff and organize it. You'll feel better I promise.
2. If you haven't used it, worn it or seen it in 6-12 months get rid of it:
This rule is pretty simple. If you haven't used it during this time frame chances are that you won't in the next six months either. This is a great rule for all those clothing, shoes and accessories in your closet that are taking up space. It's also a good rule for beauty products that you have sitting under your sink, since most beauty products expire after this time. (yes, that make-up of yours does expire.) Get rid of it!
3. The In/Out Rule:
If you bring something in, take something out. This is a great rule for not having to much stuff. If you're going to bring something in or buy something to add to your home always make sure you have a place for it, or know what you're going to use it for. Don't just buy stuff because, although it can be really tempting. It will also save you money too this rule, because it'll force you to really think about all your purchases.
Three pretty simple rules that keep our home running, clean and clutter free. I just did this last night, I went through all of our bathrooms cleaned them and went through the stuff underneath the sink and organized it all. Such a good feeling to have things in order now.
images: realsimple.com
