Dust off your Feather Dusters..it's time for Spring Cleaning!
Thank goodness that hideous 2008 winter has come to an end. Yes, while being outside and experiencing the sun for 5 minutes is a great idea, so is purging your old stuff to welcome the spring season. Here are a few good ideas to accelerate your annual clean. Each small step takes you closer to your goal, so start where you are and be proud of your accomplishments in conquering your winter buildup of clutter.
Dumping old bathroom products
We always talk about this, but for good reason. Bathroom shelving is undoubtedly a hot commodity in your suite. These spaces are small and usually full of half-used hair gels, soap from 5 years ago, and near empty perfume and cologne bottles. Take the time to go through your shelves and cupboards and dump out old products that are hogging important space in your bathroom. You will be surprised at how much room you can create. Before replacing everything, take a damp cloth and wipe the shelf or cupboard thoroughly, it will smell much better! Enjoy the spring and take a stroll to your local dollar store to pick up some baskets and shelf liner to keep your new found space organized.
Throwing out old magazines and papers
The paper that some of you collect is unheard of! We have seen massive piles of magazines, old newspapers, and piles of unopened mail. Make the next rainy spring day an ‘admin' day and rifle through all of this stuff to clear up space for new magazines (are you really going to reread about what was in style 7 months ago?), open your mail, organize your receipts, and throw out any old paper that is not doing you any good! We suggest shredding or thoroughly cutting up any personal documents. Don't forget to drop any non-private paper products in the recycling bin!
Reorganizing your drawers and closets
This does not have to be as daunting as it sounds. Start with one drawer! Go through your stuff and re-fold what you wear. For your closet, hang all items neatly, with the hooks of the hangers facing the same way. For those who are super organizes, you can even arrange your clothing by colour or type. For the clothing that doesn't do it for you anymore, create a bag for donation and a bag for garbage and select where your garment belongs. When the weather improves, go to your local Goodwill and make your donation. www.goodwill.on.ca should give you an idea where you can drop your items off. To make your drawers smell great, place an anti-static laundry sheet in there to add that freshly laundered scent to your clothes.
Remove unwanted items from your fridge
This quick project makes a big difference. Check all products for expiry dates, you would be surprised at some of the historical monuments you find in your fridge. Open the produce drawers to find items that are not edible anymore (boiling beets seemed like a great idea at the time, but you never got around to it, so move on and throw out the beets, you will never eat them!) . Check your dairy containers for cheese that has gone bad. Check those leftover containers at the back of the fridge and throw out the contents (beware of a potentially pungent smell). Any items that you don't use on the regular should be tossed. If you are feeling really neat, you can wipe down the insides of the fridge too! Place a box of baking soda in the fridge to keep it smelling fresh.
Clean light fixtures
Who ever thinks to do this? Well, the important thing to know is, these tend to get quite dusty and really need a good cleaning every now and again. You might need a step-ladder, so be careful! Before you start, make sure the light is turned off. Take a duster and move it about the fixture to remove dust or cobwebs. Bring a damp cloth along with you and wipe the fixture after it has been thoroughly dusted. Don't worry about dusting the bulb. In fact, be careful around it because you don't want to break it. Be sure to vacuum up any dust or cobwebs from underneath the fixture that fell on the floor while cleaning.
Check back for more spring cleaning tips, or call us in to help you out!
