5 Steps to Get Organized This Winter

Many people wait for spring cleaning to re-organize and rejuvenate their homes. My theory is that the winter is the best time to do our spring cleaning. We're going to be stuck inside a lot due to the cold and bitter weather, so it is good to make sure the place we are stuck in is spic and span. Not to mention the cold and dry air frequently will make all the dust that has been sitting around go up in the air which can be bad for allergies and breathing.

In addition, winter cleaning allows us to more effectively allocate our time. During the winter we can put outdoor projects aside and truly focus on the inner workings of our homes. This way when spring comes we can focus more on outdoor projects that will allow us to enjoy the beautiful weather we've been waiting for all winter.

Here are 5 steps to clean and organize your home for a winter cleaning ritual. 

1) Dust behind, below, above and around everything. Dust is a common enemy that most of us are always fighting. Left long enough it can even give an unpleasant odor to a home and cause damage to furniture. We recommend using cleaning dusters that actually pick up the dust instead of spreading it around. One good dust once or twice a year that goes around all decorations, pictures, furniture, computers etc. will really make a difference to your home. 

2) Throw away, recycle, give away stuff that you don't need anymore. We all hold on to stuff we don't need, and it can be great to purge ourselves of unwanted items. If you have a hard time getting rid of things for sentimental reasons, make yourself go around with a small grocery bag that you must fill with stuff to get rid of. You'll be surprised how quick this bag will fill up, and you may find yourself wanting to do a couple more after. 

3) Wet-vac. You can rent or buy a wet-vac to clean your carpets with. Washing your carpets is an annual stuck that will get rid of dirt, dust and other nasty build-up in your carpets. When you dump out the dark, dirty water you'll be surprised what kind of stuff lodges itself into our carpets. 

4) Store stuff. Do you have a room, garage or basement filled with items you don't need that are cluttering up your whole home? Or is stuff just laying all around the house. Consolidating the items all into one place can be very helpful. Also, storing items you don't need, but aren't ready to part with can be a great option. 

5) Create a new cleaning rule, ritual, chore. Each year it can be helpful to create a regular chore that makes our annual chores less tedious. Or to reassign chores to partners or children to help you out with the work load. One good rule we could all benefit from is not wearing our shoes in the house. Shoes track in mud, pesticides and all manner of nastiness that we don't want on our floors. Use your imagination to come up with a rule that will work great for your home.