Figure out a plan to organize, clean your home
Spring can be a great excuse to tackle that unwanted clutter around the house, and with so many people staying at home during this time, it is especially important to better organize and clean your home. However, it can seem overwhelming when looking at the over-flowing drawers, the stuffed closets and the cluttered garages, but your BBB is here to help.
The first step is to not get overwhelmed and figure out a plan. You may not be able to tackle everything in one weekend, but creating an organized plan can help mitigate the stress. Remember, you have to start somewhere.
In your checklist, be realistic about what you can, and can’t accomplish on your own. If you need some extra help, don’t be afraid to hire a professional for the difficult jobs. The Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas offers the following tips to help get your home in order:
Learn to let go. Are all of those knick-knacks in your junk drawer necessities? Or are they throwaways that are taking up valuable space? Deciding what to keep and what to give away is often what makes decluttering so difficult. For some, it’s impossible. If that sounds like you, consider hiring a professional organizer. They can help you organize your belongings and teach you skills that you can use in the future.
Do some deep cleaning. Spring is a great time to thoroughly clean areas of your home that might usually be ignored, like your upholstery, curtains, or carpet. An outside business can help you out with this cleaning process, if necessary, but do your research first and a find business you trust to perform the work.
Remember your yard. Stormy weather and lack of sunshine may have left your yard looking less than perfect. If you’re planning on spending more time outside, now is the perfect time for a landscape makeover. You can do much of this work yourself, but for a larger, more extensive project, you may choose to hire a professional.
Don’t forget about digital spring cleaning. Your online life needs regular attention as well. It involves making sure your web-connected devices are free from malware and infections, enhancing the security of your online accounts, tending to your digital records and files, and cleaning up your online reputation.
Check with the Better Business Bureau. If you need to hire a professional to organize, clean your home, or perform yard work, visit BBBHouston.org to find a trustworthy BBB Accredited Business near you. Make sure to talk to multiple professionals and verify their references, and if the business needs to enter your home, first ask them about their procedures to sanitize and protect their clients from COVID-19.
The Better Business Bureau is an unbiased nonprofit organization that sets and upholds high standards for fair and honest business behavior. For information or to check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit www.bbbhouston.org, which includes our BBB Accredited Business Directory, or call 713-868-9500. Leah Napoliello is senior director of Investigative Services with the Better Business Bureau of Greater Houston and South Texas. Send homeowner questions to Leah Napoliello, Better Business Bureau, 1333 West Loop South, Suite 1200, Houston, TX 77027, or e-mail lnapoliello@bbbhou.org. Include mailing address and phone number on letters and emails.