Summer Cleaning

I've been "Summer" cleaning each evening this month. "Summer" cleaning you ask? That is what I'm calling my attach on clutter. It seems the stack of items to review and deal with continually grows (I'm thinking with the help of elves at night!) There's always something else more important (fun) to do.

July 4th arrived and I thought "Oh my, where did June go...no, where did the first half of 2010 go?" School is out, work is a little slower, and children are visiting grandparents. I still haven't accomplished half of my Summer To Do list.

School starts in about one month (yes parents, one month). I want to be ahead of the game, organized to the hilt (okay, just organized), and ready for the added demands of kids in school. I decided to take stock and think back to a time when I didn't feel harried all the time (translates to enjoyable weekends).

The destination turned out to be when our house was on the market. We did the standard repainting, carpet cleaning, etc, but I took it one step farther. I boxed up stuff that we did not need at the time (didn't miss 85% of it). This was to decrease the clutter, make the closets appear more spacious and the house more attractive. Everyone was responsible for cleaning up after themselves as we went each day. We didn't leave the house without making the beds, wiping down counters, and the list goes on. The result was not only a house ready to show, but also a lot more free time. We did not have a constant list of things to clean every weekend.

I have gone through those boxes and started on closets and drawers. (We've already had one garage sale to clear out the items set aside and there will be another one.) I'm taking the time to truly sort...trash, donate, garage sale, eBay and save. My goal is to remove the extra "stuff" that clutters not only my home, but my energy. You cannot imagine how good it feels to see unused items go out the door! It also brought to light additional ways we can unclutter our spending, but that is a post for another day.

Take a moment to look around your home for clutter "stuff" and start sorting it out. It doesn't have to be done all at once. Start out one drawer or closet at a time. Grab a trash bag and a couple of boxes and get going. Maybe even reward yourself with a treat each time you complete an area. You'll be amazed at the results!