Spring Clean

5 tips to a clutter-free house in just 15 minutes

Spring cleaning is an annual ritual that heralds the arrival of longer days and warmer weather. But before you’re ready to clean every nook and cranny with a toothbrush, you gotta cut the clutter.

Just pick a room, set a timer for 15 to 20 minutes and follow these five tips:

1. Clean around the clock. No, this doesn’t mean you have to clean 24/7! Messy rooms with lots of clutter can be overwhelming. Start in a corner and work your way clockwise around the room. You won’t miss anything, and it’ll make a big task seem more manageable. Bonus: You’ll see progress immediately, which is motivating. If you have a whole day where you know that you can dedicate it to cleaning, then you may want to find a company that offers something like a dumpster rental company, as this way, you’ll know that when you’re ready to declutter, everything you don’t need can go in one place. Plus, it will be one less thing to think about.
2. Sort as you go. Designate three laundry baskets for stuff you want to keep, toss or sell/donate. Sort objects in the appropriate basket as you work your way around the room. If you’re not sure of something, put it in a box (we’ll get to that next).
3. Box it up. One of the hardest things about decluttering is the fear of getting rid of something you might need or want in the future. Put anything you’re on the fence about in a cardboard box labeled with a date six months from now. If you haven’t gone searching for anything in the box by the date, it’s probably a good bet that you can get rid of it (ALL of it!). Speaking of boxing everything up, even with everything in boxes, this can still take up unnecessary space. A potential way around this may be to look into companies who provide self storage solutions. This way, you can keep your boxes in one place, as well as making space within the home. Plus, you won’t have to make any fast decisions about what you want to keep or get rid of.
4. Put it away. Once you’ve decided the fate of your stuff, put everything in the “keep” basket away. At this stage, you’re just trying to give everything a home, so try not to get sidetracked with other tasks.
5. Get rid of 80 percent of your wardrobe. You only wear 20 percent of your wardrobe regularly, so start by getting rid of clothes with stains, holes or anything that doesn’t fit tuh-day (not minus 5 or 10 pounds from now!). Get rid of your jeans from high school or that LBD that’s just a little too tight, and keep the pieces in your wardrobe that make you feel – and look – amazing right now.

Ultimately, there are a number of benefits associated with a clean and tidy home. For example, not only is it more relaxing to live in an organized household, if the time has come for you to sell your property on the real estate market, then de-cluttering your house can help to make it more captivating to potential buyers. This is a particularly useful strategy for property developers who often invest in multiple properties at one time.

Furthermore, if you are looking for more real estate investment tips, you might want to check out this Roofstock guide on investing 20k. Investing in real estate can seem overwhelming but by doing your research and keeping your properties free from clutter, you are much more likely to experience success.

Once your home is clutter free, you might even feel inspired to take on some renovation work. Perhaps you have always wanted to give your living room a makeover, or maybe your backyard is calling out for a new patio? Renovations can add value to your home, but they don’t always come cheaply.

There are solutions however. Logbook loans enable you to get the money you need quickly and involve securing a loan against the value of your vehicle.

Follow our plan every day for a week, and you’ll have a home worthy of a spread in House Beautiful in no time! And once you’re finished decluttering, make your place spotless with our high-performance – and beautifully scented – cleaning products.

To shop Scentsy Clean products, contact your Scentsy Consultant. Don’t have a Consultant? Find one at scentsy.com.