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Trove Table Talk: Spring Organization

It's the most wonderful time of the year...spring cleaning! For me, there is nothing I enjoy more than deep cleaning and organizing my house after a long, cold and dirty winter. I realize most people can't relate, so from time-to-time I like to give my friends a little assistance. Today I am helping my good friend Mara Ackermann. 

Mara is an owner and broker with Ackermann & Associates RE/Max Consultant Group in New Albany and has a large family including two adult children, two twin 5-year-old daughters, a foreign exchange student, and two large dogs. To say she is busy is an understatement! Mara strives to provide excellent customer service and appreciates the need for detail...as a result sometimes home-life can get crazy and things pile-up. We can all relate to this!

Staying clean and organized is a never-ending task as we are all pulled in a hundred different directions. Today I got my sister, Lindsay Herrick to help out. Lindsay is a professional organizer with NEAT Method Columbus, so she is more than qualified! Here are my seven rules on how to stay clean and organized when your schedule is crazy busy. 

1. Make it fun! Pick a time to clean the house and surround yourself with things that you like. One of my top recommendations is the Honest Company's cleaning products because they strive to promote healthy and sustainable living. Use products that smell good, be comfortable, have some snacks and drinks on hand, play your favorite music and enlist help.

2. Forget SPRING cleaning! Instead, make purging and organizing a year-round routine to keep out the clutter. One way I like to do this is by keeping three bins on-hand at all times in a well-marked convenient location: Donate Items, Hand-Me-Downs and Recycle Items. Also, have a designated file for mail organization and spend 30 seconds every day sorting your mail so it doesn't pile up. 

3. Invest in laundry. Get laundry baskets that are aesthetically appealing for every bedroom. We have some of my favorite baskets here at Trove! Also get an Upstairs/Downstairs basket to keep at the foot of your stairs to save yourself a trip. Keep laundry from piling up by establishing a routine that works for you and stick to it! 

4. Clean the kitchen every evening using a "clean-as-you-go" philosophy with the entire family. Clean the dishes as you cook, wipe down the counters and high-touch surfaces every night after dinner and run your dishwasher overnight, that way you can unload it in the morning while your coffee brews. 

5. Keep an orderly linen closet, pantry and refrigerator by using a one-shelf at a time method. Every time you restock with new items, take a moment to shift items off the top shelf, making sure to wipe down the shelf, and then re-organize it. Next time you restock, move down to the next shelf and so on. This way you are re-organizing your items every time you purchase new items one-level at a time. 

6. Take advantage of all your vacuum attachments. Use the attachments for those hard to reach areas and be sure to vacuum your furniture once a month. Also, go up with the vacuum attachments using them to clean ceiling corners, window treatments, ceiling fans and shelves. 

7. Add plants! Indoor plants make a space cozy and beautiful, but also improve air quality by filtering toxins and producing oxygen. Adding air-purifying plants will make you love your space even more and want to keep it looking fresh. 

Always remember with cleaning and organizing, don't wait until tomorrow! It has to be continuous maintenance! It can be easy if you develop a routine that works for you including these simple rules and stick to it by spending a few minutes every day. Organization is crucial to success and can help you consistently accomplish your goals. As Benjamin Franklin said, "For every minute spent organizing, an hour is earned." Next time your in check out our large selection of baskets and trays to keep your spaces organized! 

Happy organizing!

Kelly

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