Another spring, another chance to cleanse your home of an entire year (or years) of clutter and find renewed calm and breathing room in your reclaimed space.
It’s still early March, so you might not be ready to take on the full court spring cleaning ritual, so here are a couple tips for making a huge difference in your home by just focusing on a couple of important areas.
1. Steam things up. If you do not already own one, go to this link and purchase a Homeright Steam Machine Plus Multi-Purpose mop ($119). It’s worth every penny. Without a single bid of suds or chemicals, this mop (with attachments that also allow you to also clean bathrooms, greasy countertop or attack mold and mildew in tight spaces) kills 99.9% of germs and bacteria. It’s also slim and easy store, so it does not add to clutter.
2. Add scents. Even better, you can turn cleaning into a sensual pleasure by adding just a few drops (5 to 10) of your favorite aromatherapy oil to the steam and scent the entire house. Our favorite formula is two drops lavender, two drops lemon, and two drops peppermint. Adjust to your taste.
3. Learn from the Master. There are decluttering gurus and then there are miracle workers like Marie Condo, author of the bestseller The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up: The Japanese Art of Decluttering and Organizing. Her slim little book offers an entire new plan for your home, but to make a big difference in a day, try two of her best tips.
4, Pick and purge. Declutter by category, not room. Pick the one thing you have way too much of — photos, paper, books — and clear it from every room, rather than tackling the same type of clutter over and over again all over the house.
5. Embrace the fold. Condo fans rave about her origami-like folding technique for clothing. Check out her path to the perfect underwear drawer. She will show you how to turn each piece of clothing into a slim, stackable little envelope that will maximize drawer space and make it easy for you to see the color and texture of every piece of your wardrobe at a glance.
6. Enjoy. There’s nothing like a clear, well-organized space to make you feel at home.
