Make the world of difference with that timely spring-clean
Getting rid of those unused items is big bugbear you can do without
IT’S THE season of bright, warm sunshine after months of cold, of the sound of bird chatter outside your window and the sight of flowers budding in gardens – it’s also the season to clean and de-clutter your home.
Spring cleaning, in which your home is given a thorough scrubbing down directly after winter and clutter is rounded up and dispensed with, should feature somewhere in your day planner round about now.
From windows, walls, wardrobes and cupboards – no area of your home should be left untouched.
Highlighting the benefits of a spring clean and de-clutter session is Cash Converters managing director Richard Mukheibir, who said this was an activity which assisted people to focus on their homes and discover what it was they did not like about them and what areas they would like to improve.
According to Mukheibir, townhouses have become significantly smaller in size in the last few years, leading to living spaces constantly looking more cluttered.
Apart from the anxiety this can create in the homeowner, Mukheibir added that the hassle of tidying up was one of the most common reasons for arguments in relationships.
He advised homeowners to find and clear out all unused items such as: Gifts or inherited items; Kitchen gadgets; Power tools; Exercise equipment; Jewellery and watches; Phones; Computers or cameras; and Electronic goods. “Spring cleaning will also make you focus on just how much you have in your home and what proportion of that you actually use or need. Then you can weed out items you no longer need or treasure, creating a more tranquil space and giving you the opportunity to liquidate those assets – sell them for cash in your hand at any second-hand goods dealer for example,” he said.
“Apartment sizes are also smaller and though there is a move to loft living in the inner cities, this lifestyle also makes any clutter a potential irritation. What used to be called a townhouse about 60 years ago was about twice the size of what we consider to be a townhouse today.
“At the same time as our living spaces are shrinking, our lives are becoming fuller. The clutter crunch comes because we do not have time in our busy lives to sort through our possessions regularly so they pile up around us, creating anxiety until we tackle the clutter.”
Isabelle Daruti – CEO of home and office organising company Neat Freak – advised homeowners to focus particularly on kitchens, bedrooms and home offices as these were the rooms in the house prone to unnecessary clutter.
Daruti stressed the importance of ensuring all documents, particularly bills, were kept in the same place in the home office as these often needed regular consulting.
She said unused clothes in bedroom cupboards should be cleared out regularly to prevent hoarding, while space organisers were useful in the kitchen to keep items such as lunch boxes and cutlery from cluttering up small storage spaces.
“The bedroom needs to be kept clean and tranquil at all times as it’s a place to relax and rest every day, but it’s also a place where clutter likes to pile up. I generally clean my bedroom once every few months. What I like to focus on is the wardrobes.
“I take orange stickers and stick them on all of my clothes. Then when I pick out that particular item to wear I remove the sticker and throw it away. After a few months I go back into my wardrobe and look for whatever items still have an orange sticker and I throw them out.
“There are so many homeless people or charities who would really appreciate the clothes which many of us hoard in our wardrobes,” Daruti said.
“Kitchens these days don’t have much space so it’s important to use tricks like using racks to keep things like Tupperware hanging on the door in the cupboard instead of taking up a lot of space. The other important thing is to create a work triangle. Make a space to wash up and ensure that you keep everything you need in that space. Have a space for cooking and place everything you need to prepare food in that space. That will help with good space utilisation.”
Owner of Organized Living, Germaine Ross, said the most important thing was to strive for is progress and not perfection.
Ross advised homeowners to start by removing things such as broken items and what they consider trash, as well as anything else which is not wanted or needed in the home.
She said organising the newly cleared space should be the next immediate move, with all the remaining items given a space and everything put in their place.
Ross said: “You need to take action though, it’s really important to understand that you are in control and the change that you require will not just happen to you, but rather by you. You need to make it happen.
“It’s important to know that there’s no right or wrong when it comes to home de-cluttering and organisation. Everyone has a different level of home organisation that is right for them and makes them happy. There is definitely a link between emotions and being your satisfied level of organised, you will have more time, energy and feel less overwhelmed.”
Mukheibir advised all those who were nervous at the prospect of clearing out unused items to take their time.
“If you feel separation anxiety about de-cluttering, don’t rush the process. Make a space – anything from a big box to a cupboard or even your garage floor – and find one item a day that you no longer need to move there,” he said. — zisandan@dispatch.