Cleaning and Decluttering Tips for Spring!

Clearwater Carpet Cleaning is the best cleaning company at the Lake of the Ozarks so we know that regularly cleaning your carpets, tile, and upholstery is important for your personal wellness and the health of your home. But, it can be hard to clean thoroughly if there is a lot of clutter or disorganization in the house. Are you constantly struggling to keep your house picked-up and clean? Today's blog has great tips on how to get your home organized for a more peaceful home life and an easier time cleaning.


The Room-by-Room Method


With this method, make your way through your home room-by-room decluttering as you go. This method is especially useful for those who don't have a lot of time to organize their whole home all at once. It can be easier to compartmentalize when the only items you have to focus on are those directly surrounding you in the room where you are working.

Gather all of the items out of drawers and closets so that nothing is left in hiding. You may be surprised at what you find in the back of your junk drawer or at the bottom of your closet. It can be easy to stash something away to deal with later. But the reality is that it is easy to forget about it, then it continues to sit there taking up space for months on end.

Sort things carefully and thoughtfully into three piles: keep, donate, trash. There may be some items that you can't use anymore that are still in good condition. Start a donation box and take it with you through each room to collect items for the local Salvation Army or shelter.



The KonMari Method


This method has gained a lot of popularity recently due to the book and Netflix show: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up by Marie Kondo. The main concept guiding the KonMari method is determining what items in your home spark joy. With this method, it is important to do the entire home all at once and to organize by category, rather than by room. This way, you can see how much stuff you truly have and can feel better about letting some things go.

Clothes

Start with your clothes. These items typically hold no sentimental value and are easier to begin with to find your rhythm in how to determine whether or not something sparks joy for you. This is a feeling that is hard to describe, but you know it when you feel it. If you're struggling to feel it, hold something in your home that you know brings you true inner joy. Absorb that feeling and look for that again with each item as you hold it and go through the process.

Books

The next category is books. This category has received some criticism as Marie Kondo recommends keeping a small number of books in the home. However, she does acknowledge that if books are your passion and truly spark joy for you, then there isn't a particular limit. The goal is to not have books sitting on your shelf for years on end, unappreciated and unread.


Papers

Papers are the next major category to sort. Paper can seem to take over our lives if we let it. Whether it's user manuals, magazines, warranty agreements, insurance policies, or irreplaceable documents, it can be easy for the paper stack to get out of hand. Your tax receipts may not bring you joy, but they could also be important to keep around if you plan to visit the DMV anytime soon. Sort your papers by how easy they are to replace. For example, user manuals are truly an outdated item, as everything can be found online with a quick Google search.

Miscellany

The fourth category is miscellany, or as Marie Kondo calls it, Komono. This includes any other items in your home that are not sentimental... kitchen items, kids' toys, electronics, office items, decorations, bathroom toiletries, etc.

Sentimental Items

Lastly, once you have developed your ability to sense the feeling of an item sparking joy, you are ready to work with the sentimental items in your home. Any item that has significant meaning to you would fall into this category - photos, albums, letters, journals, heirlooms, trophies, memorabilia, etc.

As you go through each category, when you find an item that sparks joy, it should be given its own, specific place where it belongs long-term. If an item no longer sparks joy, it has served its purpose to you and can be let go. Marie Kondo ascribes to the thought that things should be let go with gratefulness for bringing you joy, rather than just tossed aside. This is a kinder, gentler way to go through the process without feeling guilty for letting something go.


Cleaning at the Lake of the Ozarks


As you declutter your home and make space in the house, it is the perfect time to schedule a professional cleaning of your carpets, tile, and upholstery. The feeling of a clutter-free, clean home is outstanding! It can help you be more focused and less anxious in the home and also promote a healthy immune system. Clearwater Carpet is the best cleaning company at the Lake of the Ozarks. Give us a call and schedule your cleaning!

When second best just will not do… 

Call 573-348-1212! 





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