De-Clutter Clean and Organize Day 1

How to de-clutter, clean and organize your entire home in 30 days

ESPECIALLY if you work a full time job.

The way I have broken this down, you can either start at the back/top of the home or go from the front/bottom of your home.(0nce it is all posted) Each room is broken down step by step so you can spend as much or as little time on each process (Marked with a bullet).

*Always try to start with a clean surface to sort on (even if it is an area on the floor).*

Day One:

Front Room (in my case it is our Formal Living Room/Entryway)

~Remove all items off of surfaces. Place on your sort surface. If you have kids this is a great way for them to help you, but be careful if those items are breakable.

~Take your favorite dusting product and dust all of these newly cleaned off surfaces.

~Now go to your sorting area. Combine like items into piles or stacks. The purpose of sorting is to go through your things and see what you have. If you are done with something it is time to pass it on, recycle or reuse it. I love donating to the good will, and passing used items onto my friends and neighbors who might need them. Or put it in a box labeled garage sale and actually have one.

• Magazines: Donate any magazines that are 6 months or older. Local library, woman’s shelter or even elementary schools are a great place to do this with.
• Books: Stack into piles divided by subject, author, color . If any are library books-separate them out for return
• Paperwork: I sort my paperwork into 4 piles: Bills to Pay, Things to file (including paid bills), Shred Pile (all that pesky junk mail with our names and addresses all over it) and To Look at/Read over pile-this pile eventually goes into one of the previous piles.
• Keys: Combine into a pile, taking care to make sure they are labeled first.
• Misc Odds and Ends: Make sure they belong here. If they are misplaces put them in a carrying vessel. This can be a big Tupperware bowl from your kitchen or a basket or a box, what ever you have will work. Take 2 minutes and go put these away. Do not stop and get distracted. You are only putting these items back where they belong. Again if you have kids and they are home make them your little runners. Teaching your children that everything in it’s place is a great thing. And they are never to young to learn and I believe that they are never too old to learn (ie spouses but it may take a bit of prodding).

~This should take care of your surfaces. Now is the time to put your items back. Keep in mind this #1 rule never put something back that doesn’t belong there. I love rearranging, making new vignettes, freshening up my old items. I might just even get out my fall/Halloween decorations. J That is it for day one. Stay tuned for day two where I will still be working my way through my front room.