Spring Cleaning

Safe, Sound and Family Friendly

By Jacqueline Rupp

Marion Pebbles of Springfield, Mont., always tries to plan out her projects. "I make a list," she says. "I break every project down into small tasks. I write something like 'clean and organize my closet shelf,' instead of 'organize entire closet'; that way I get to mark more stuff off the list. I have kept my closet perfect now for a year, which is amazing."

Taylor suggests setting a timeframe for the organizing process, such as finishing the sorting in time for an upcoming flea market. She also advises gathering all the resources needed before you begin, such as boxes for sorting and containers for storing. Finally, decide if you need assistance moving and lifting heavy objects.

After you get a plan of attack together, it's time to jump into the clutter. Begin by having designated bins or boxes labeled "Trash," "Donate," "Keep" and "Store Elsewhere in House."

Start sorting in one corner, tossing items into the bins. Kids can have fun helping out with this task (just make sure they don't toss a family heirloom into the 'trash" bin). Keep a notepad handy for jotting down ideas, like "find place for family photos," or "buy organizer for sewing notions." Once you have everything sorted, move out the boxes of things that will no longer be in the room and begin to focus on how to rearrange the items that remain.

There are so many choices when it comes to buying organizing accessories that the selection can be sometimes overwhelming. Think about what practices haven't worked in the past and also what places in your home have stayed organized. Follow a plan that will realistically work for you.

For instance, if you know your kitchen island continually piles up with clutter, consider a system to manage the mess. Ask yourself what items need "homes" and what the best organization pieces would be for them.

"Think about the goals for the space in which you are working," says Taylor, who also suggests considering overall budget and d袯r before buying. "Will it be a storage room, where bins and boxes will suffice? Or will it be a living space with storage areas, which means utilizing items like a stool that doubles as a storage box?" Bear in mind which items need to have easy access; these items call for bins and decorative baskets. Meanwhile, less-used items can be stored in stackable, sealed containers.

Don't forget to get creative. Plenty of innovative storage solutions are available at stores like IKEA, Crate and Barrel and Hold Everything

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