#and you get Handiness and trash piles to sort for junk from it

[victorluvsalice]

-->With the selling day finally done, I had Smiler take a moment to tune up Marm (whose durability was slowly failing) while Victor and Alice cleaned up all the out-of-stock signs around the store, then sent everyone home at 9 PM. An exhausted Victor was promptly sent to bed, while Alice finished off the final bites of her spinach frittata from lunch before it went bad (as she could super-speed her way to it faster than it could spoil) before joining him. Smiler, feeling flirty thanks to the nearness of their partner, wandered into the living room to sculpt the bonsai there into a heart, while Marm cleaned up Alice’s plate for her, took a moment to pet Shock (making friends with the cat, aw), then flew outside to rake up all the leaves falling around the property, with a quick break to feed Toothy. *nods* Good robot. I thus sent Smiler to play chess once they were done with the bonsai (mostly because they’d swapped moods from Flirty to Focused, and they could use the Logic) and prepared to end the day –

-->And then I noticed that the ENTIRE FUCKING WIND FARM was broken again. *sigh* These turbines, I swear... Cue me waking Victor up to Repairio the lot of them, and Alice waking up in turn to react to his magic skills. Which would have annoyed me more if they weren’t already both at full energy thanks to their amazing bed. XD So instead of forcing them to go back to sleep, I sent Alice downstairs to read a werewolf book (she wanted to read a book as a want, and I figured I might as well try to unlock the werewolf power that lets her read secret werewolf writings), and set Victor on upgrading one of the upstairs bathroom sinks with an automatic soap dispenser. Meaning the session actually ended on Marm stopping his raking to get in some more recharge time in the backyard, and Victor completing the sink upgrade and getting maxed Handiness skill in the process! Yay! :D

And that is that! As you can see, Marm is still having a little trouble finding his place in this family. Partly because I'm still adjusting to having four Sims to take care of, not three, and partly because he spends a good portion of every day unconscious for one reason or another. *shakehead* But he is still part of this family, and we will make it work! Perhaps a family-focused holiday will help him fit in better? Join us next time to see how the gang handles Harvestfest!

[supermanandvanexceleastlondon]

The Great Pre-Move Purge: Declutter, Donate, and Pack Like a Pro with Super Man and Van Excel East London

If you’ve ever unboxed a tangle of old phone chargers in your new flat and wondered why on earth did I pay to move this?—you’re not alone. Clutter creeps up on everyone, and relocating is the perfect excuse to hit reset. Yet most East Londoners leave the clear-out until the eleventh hour, turning moving day into a costly game of “take it or trash it.” Cue Super Man and Van Excel East London and their game-changing Pre-Move Purge service: a streamlined system that trims van loads, slashes landfill waste, and even scores you a warm fuzzy feeling when your unwanted goods find a new home.

Why Decluttering Before You Pack Pays Off

Lower Removal Costs – Fewer boxes equal fewer labour hours and a smaller van.

Faster Unpacking – Only what you truly need lands on the other side, so new-home chaos stays minimal.

Greener Footprint – Donated items avoid landfill; recycled tech gets a second life.

Mental Clarity – A tidy space (and inbox) makes decision-making easier during the hectic weeks before a move.

By combining professional movers with a donation and recycling network, Super Man and Van Excel East London turns decluttering from dreaded chore into a single, organised phase of your moving plan.

Step 1: The 30-Day Countdown—Sort & Label

Four weeks out, block one hour per evening and tackle cupboards in bite-size zones. Use four sturdy tubs or piles:

Keep – Daily essentials and high-value items.

Donate – Clothes, homeware, toys in good nick.

Recycle – Electronics, batteries, worn textiles.

Dispose – Broken, soiled, or out-of-date goods.

As tubs fill, slap colour-coded stickers on each. Super Man and Van Excel crews recognise these stickers on arrival, so loading is instinctive: blue for charity drop, green for recycling centre, red for landfill (rarely used).

Pro tip: If you haven’t worn or used it in the last 12 months—and it isn’t a seasonal or sentimental item—move it to Donate or Recycle.

Step 2: Donation Pick-Up—Your Clutter Gets a Second Life

Two weeks before moving day, book a free donation collection through the customer portal. Vans swing by at your chosen time slot and whisk away anything marked “Donate.” Items go straight to partner charities in Hackney, Newham, and Tower Hamlets—helping furnish emergency housing and community projects. Clients report cutting van loads by up to 25 percent through this single visit, which means a leaner final quote from Super Man and Van Excel East London.

Step 3: Tech & Textile Recycling—Data Safety Included

Old laptops and phones can’t head to the tip. Hand them to the crew in sealed e-waste bags; devices are wiped to GDPR standards, then recycled through certified East London facilities. Worn-out jeans, towels, or duvets become industrial rags or insulation. Recycling receipts sit in your online dashboard—handy proof for eco-conscious landlords or businesses.

Step 4: Premium Packing—Only the Best Makes the Box

A week out, professional packers arrive with reusable crates, wardrobe rails, and acid-free tissue. Because clutter has already vanished, they pack at speed, cutting labour costs and preventing that dreaded “miscellaneous” box from materialising. Labels list destination rooms and brief contents (e.g., “KITCHEN: mugs & cafetière”), making new-home setup intuitive.

Need to DIY pack? Order the Purge-Friendly Kit: recycled-content cartons, paper tape, and marker pens delivered next-day via Super Man and Van Excel East London.

Step 5: Moving Day—Light Load, Clear Mind

Because duplicates and junk are long gone, loading is quicker and vans run lighter—saving fuel and cash. Items head directly to their designated rooms at the new address, preserving the streamlined vibe you earned during the purge. Unpacking feels less like archaeology and more like styling a curated space.

Quick-Fire Declutter Hacks for Busy Londoners

The Hanger Trick – Hang clothes backwards; anything still reversed after six months gets donated.

One-In, One-Out Rule – When purchasing new décor or tech in the run-up to moving day, pledge to remove one comparable item.

Digital Declutter – Delete files and unsubscribe from mailing lists while queueing for coffee; mental clutter counts too.

Photo Memories – Snap pictures of sentimental but bulky items (kids’ artwork, old trophies) before letting them go.

The “Maybe” Box – Seal a box of undecided items; if you don’t open it within six months post-move, donate it unopened.

The Takeaway: Streamline Your Life Before You Shift It

Decluttering isn’t about discarding memories; it’s about choosing what deserves the cost, space, and energy of a fresh start. With free charity collections, eco-friendly recycling, and expert packing baked into one seamless timeline, Super Man and Van Excel East London makes it effortless to purge the excess and relocate only what you love.

Ready to lighten the load—literally and figuratively? Book your Pre-Move Purge consultation today through Super Man and Van Excel East London and step into your new home with space to breathe, room to grow, and a removal bill that’s leaner than you ever imagined.

[stevamags]

Tired of 848 Junk Mails a Year? Here's the Mail Organizer Hack You Need!

This is a quick insight from the article Best Mail Organizer System Originally published on March 25, 2025

Ever feel like your kitchen counter is drowning in letters, flyers, and junk mail? You’re not alone. An average American household receives over 848 pieces of junk mail a year—that’s about 16 per week! It’s no wonder bills, postcards, and coupons pile up faster than you can say, “Where’d I put my keys?”

The good news? A clutter-free counter isn’t a pipe dream. With the best mail organizer system and a few easy-to-follow tips, you can banish that paper mountain forever. Below are seven practical ways to keep your mail in check so you can finally reclaim your space.

1. Sort Immediately (The “Divide and Conquer” Rule)

Make It a Habit: As soon as the mail comes in, sort it. Don’t let envelopes linger unopened and unfiled.

Easy Categories: Create simple labels like “Bills,” “Invitations,” “To Shred,” and “Review Later.”

Speed Counts: The longer mail sits untouched, the more likely it becomes a chaotic pile.

Why It Works: Quick sorting prevents avalanche-style buildups. It’s a small daily habit that leads to major clutter wins.

2. Be Ruthless with Junk Mail

Trash It Fast: Credit card offers, random flyers—if you don’t need it, it goes out immediately.

Keep a Shredder Handy: Sensitive documents like pre-approved loans or financial statements can go straight into the shredder, removing any privacy worries.

Opt Out: Reduce your junk mail by unsubscribing from unwanted lists. Fewer flyers mean less to sort through.

Pro Tip: Keep a small recycling bin or shredder next to your preferred sorting spot. That way, junk never has a chance to pile up.

3. Pick the Right Organizer for Your Budget

No two homes are alike—nor are two budgets. Whether you’re a bargain hunter or want a premium feel, here are three top-rated favorites:

(a) Budget: Pag Desktop Mail Organizer (~$10–$12)

✔ Durable & Compact: Metal mesh frame with waterproof coating.

✔ 12 Compartments: Perfect for sorting bills, letters, and random papers.

✔ Great for Small Spaces: Sits neatly on desks or counters.

📌 Best for: Basic organization on a budget.

(b) Mid-Range: Amazon Basics 3-Tier Metal Document Organizer (~$20–$25)

✔ Stackable Trays: Perfect for sorting urgent vs. non-urgent mail.

✔ Space-Saving Design: Keeps counters clear and mail visible.

✔ Sturdy & Dependable: Made of metal mesh for long-term use.

📌 Best for: Households with frequent incoming mail.

(c) Premium: Safco Mesh Desk Organizer with File Drawer (~$40–$50)

✔ All-in-One Organizer: Multiple compartments + a drawer for extra storage.

✔ Heavy-Duty Build: Handles large stacks without bending.

✔ Professional Look: Works great in home offices.

📌 Best for: People who want ultimate organization.

How to Choose: Factor in how much mail you typically handle. If it’s a ton, that extra drawer in the Safco organizer might be your best friend.

4. Get Vertical with a Wall-Mounted Organizer

Save Counter Space: If you’re short on surface area, a mail organizer for the wall keeps envelopes neatly at eye level.

Multiple Compartments: Separate bills, invitations, and coupons instantly.

Bonus Hooks: Some wall organizers include hooks for keys—talk about a clutter-busting double win!

Why It Works: By hanging your system on the wall, you’ll never forget to file or check your mail as soon as you walk in.

5. Schedule “Mail Time”

Consistency is Key: Whether it’s first thing in the morning or right before bed, set a daily or weekly “mail hour.”

Treat It Like a Routine: Just like brushing your teeth—quick, habitual, and non-negotiable.

Faster Decisions: Knowing you have a dedicated time slot makes you less likely to procrastinate.

Life Hack: Pair your mail-sorting routine with an existing habit—like brewing your morning coffee or winding down after dinner.

6. Use the “Urgent vs. Non-Urgent” Trick

Separate Immediately: If a letter needs action ASAP (like a bill due in a few days), file it where you can’t miss it.

Non-Urgent Pile: A separate tray or folder can hold items that can wait—magazines, newsletters, or event invites with no immediate deadline.

Stay on Track: You’ll stop missing important deadlines (or rummaging through piles at 11 PM).

Pro Tip: Combine this with your organizer of choice so urgent mail is always top-of-stack.

7. Maintain & Revisit

Weekly Refresh: Set aside 10–15 minutes to clear out your organizer. Shred or recycle old mail that’s out of date.

Monthly Deep Clean: Remove everything from your organizer. File away or toss what you don’t need anymore.

Stay Flexible: If you find yourself hoarding coupons you never use or letting non-urgent mail pile up, tweak your categories or routines.

End Goal: A mail system that works automatically for you, so the paper never gets out of hand again.

Final Thoughts

A cluttered counter or desk full of mail doesn’t have to be your reality. By pairing a best mail organizer system (like a desktop tray, wall-mounted rack, or multi-drawer mesh unit) With simple habits—immediate sorting, regular maintenance, and ruthless decluttering—you’ll keep your counters free and your stress levels low.

It’s time to let those 848 pieces of junk mail know who’s boss. Pick your organizer, set your routine, and watch the paper piles disappear for good. Because you deserve a home that’s organized, calm, and 100% yours.

[caycechavous]

6 Handy Tips To Help You Spend Less Time On Housework

“It’s a rare person among us who looks forward to cleaning the house,” writes Leo Babauta of Zen Habits. “I certainly don’t., but a clean house is something I love perhaps too much.” For most of us, household chores are the sort of thing we just suffer through – we don’t really want to do them, but we know they have to be done. We also waste a great deal more time on them than we have to.

Here are a few time-saving tips that’ll help you reclaim your free time, courtesy of Handy!

Be More Efficient

A lack of efficiency – either through an eclectic personality, an easily-distracted mind or simple laziness – is one of the primary reasons that cleaning the house can take hours. In all but the most extreme cases, if you spend hours cleaning up a room, you probably weren’t really cleaning the whole time. Instead, you were trying to do about ten different things at once.

Handy Tip: Don’t try to take on more than one chore at a time. Focus on what you’re doing.

Do Away With Procrastination

As far as chores are concerned, procrastination is your worst nightmare. The longer you let a mess pile up, the more difficult it’ll become to clean.  What may once have been a ten-minute weekly job can thus very easily turn into an hours-long slog through filth and trash.

Handy Tip:  Don’t work in bursts – make a regular effort to keep your surroundings clean.

Tone Down The Clutter

Clutter is awful – and the more there is, the less happy you’re going to be with your surroundings. A cluttered room not only has a negative effect on your mental well-being, but it’s also extremely tough to clean. Consider whether or not there’s any junk in your surroundings you can be rid of – then get rid of it.

Handy Tip:  Don’t just keep your surroundings clean – keep them tidy, too. The less clutter you’ve got, the easier it’ll be to keep your home looking spotless.

Don’t Try To Do Everything On Your Own

Unless you’re living on your own, housework shouldn’t be a one-person job.  Although we’d strongly advise against micromanagement (seriously. Don’t do it. Just don’t), there’s nothing wrong with asking (or encouraging) your family members or roommates to lend you a hand. After all, they have to live there same as you; you should both be making an effort to keep the place tidy.

Handy Tip: Treat chores as a team effort, not as any one person’s job.

Plan Things Out

The best way to motivate yourself to keep things clean is to set up a schedule. Have a day and time on which you’ll clean the bathroom, or reorganize your clothes, or vacuum, or go pick up groceries. Don’t deviate from that time unless you absolutely have to.

Handy Tip:  Your schedule doesn’t need to chart out your every waking minute. Just set aside a specific time to do your chores, and you’ll be fine.

Change How You Look At Cleaning -  home cleaning NYC

Alright, this last one is admittedly a bit of a crazy statement, but maybe you spend too much time cleaning – and too much time putting it off – because you’ve got the wrong perspective? Why not, as Babauta suggests, try turning it into a meditative exercise? You probably still won’t enjoy doing chores, but at least you’ll feel like you’re doing something else with yourself instead of just sweeping or scrubbing a toilet.

Handy Tip: Try thinking about a creative pursuit while cleaning – writing, art, or music, for example.

Keeping It Clean

It’s extremely rare to meet someone who actually enjoys housework. We’re not even sure such people exist. With that in mind, you want to spend as little time doing it as possible without having to sacrifice the cleanliness of your home. You’ll probably always view chores as general drudgery, but so long as you follow some of the advice laid out here, at least you won’t feel like you’re wasting your life away while you do them.

[rubbishremovalnewcastle-blog]

Rubbish Removal in Newcastle

Alternative Skip Hire in Newcastle for all your trash removal needs

A reliable commercial junk removal service is something that many owners will require the use of at one time or another. For some, it isn't until you discover a mass of garbage that is simply too big for you to dispose easily of yourselves, that you actually decide to do something about it. 

Often, you simply do not have the time or the resources in which to dispose of all the waste that the average house collects over the years. This is where a professional residential junk removal services comes in handy, making junk disposal quick and easy. There are a number of advantages of using the service of a professional Rubbish Removal in Newcastle. 

Our junk removal services will have their head offices and branches strategically located in close proximity to large housing estates, providing an exceeding convenient service to the consumer. In order to take full advantage of your local junk removal service, simply research into their whereabouts either through your local directory or the web, and inquire as to their fee and when they can remove your unwanted junk. 

Junk removal services are responsible for taking care of all junk materials they collect in the most environment friendly manner possible. Our services operate in a fairly similar way which involves separating scrap items from useful and still functioning items and sending these away to the specified recycling units. 

If some items are in a good enough condition to be reused, they may even be sent out as a donation to local and global charity organizations. This is the most eco-friendly way of disposing of unwanted junk on a large scale and is a process that some of you may be unable to do yourselves.

If you are tired of looking around your home or in your garage and seeing nothing but an ever-growing mountain of junk, then you may have considering using a junk removal service. Using a junk removal service is a great way to gain back control of your life, not to mention gain back a large amount of living space in your home. So, how exactly do you go about using a junk hauling service?

How will junk removal companies help you? Well, whether you are a commercial or residential property owner, hiring a contractor to clean your property can help you in more ways than one. Below are some of the following benefits when you hire a Rubbish Removal in Newcastle upon Tyne to clear out the accumulated junk in your property.

Clearing up all the junk in a residential or commercial property would take a lot of time. Sometimes, it can reach several hours depending on the accumulated junk you have. It is also an exhausting thing to do because you would need to separate, haul and properly dispose of them. In other places, there's a need to fulfill certain requirements in order to dump particular kinds of junk or trash. On the other hand, hiring a contractor to clear out all the junk will lead to avoiding all these hassles. You can also locate affordable junk removal services. 

Hiring a junk removal service will help you save a lot of time and also effort. This is because the contractors will do all the hard work. Moreover, they can do it in an efficient and swift manner. This is due to the skills and experience they have in hauling junk. Aside from this, you can also save money. You can write this thing off on your tax report as an ongoing renovation. As a matter of fact, many businessmen do this thing in order to save money on their taxes.

There are wastes that can be dangerous to health, like old paint and thinner. If you inhale their fumes while clearing away junk you may end up having certain health complications. In addition to this, accidents may occur if you clear away junk on your own like cuts, burns or others. Hiring expert removers on the other hand will take away these risks. This is because whenever they are on duty, they use the proper gears and tools.

There are junks that cannot be taken to the local landfill. There are also junks that require a specific way of disposing them. There are also certain rules placed when it comes to trash and disposal. Disregarding these things can lead to serious repercussions on your part.

Promote Your Safety and Health: While you may not think about it, having a lot of junk lying around can in fact be bad for your health and if kept extremely out of order, it can be very dangerous as well. All sorts of dust, molds, and other illness causing nastiness will often be hidden when junk begins to pile up in your home. Add to that the danger of junk being piled up in a not so orderly way and you may have a disaster waiting to happen. Even if your junk is kept in the garage, you never know when that mountain of stuff may come tumbling down in a dangerous avalanche.

Get Your Home Back: After using a junk removal service to rid you of all your excess junk, you will simply be amazed at the amount of space you will gain. Imagine being able to put in that new kitchen table that you have no room for right now. Maybe your garage could be used for actually parking your car in. The point is that by ridding yourself of your junk, you gain back valuable living space.

Our Newcastle Rubbish Removal services are flexible as far as they will let you determine just how much junk gets removed from your home. You can choose to rid your home of all the junk that plagues it, or you can simply get rid of a pile or two. No matter how you go about it, the end result is a home that is free of some or all of the junk that you have managed to let pile up.

Still, with junk removal services, you will not need to worry about these things. Overall, junk removal offer a lot of advantages to any home or property owner. With our service, you could have a peace of mind that every junk you have accumulated can be cleared out properly.

Visit To The Website for getting more information related to Rubbish Removal in Newcastle.

[dumpstermaxx]

Situations That Require A Dumpster Rental Service

Dumpster rental services are an excellent solution for a wide range of situations. If you’re in the market for dumpster rentals, you may be wondering: why would I need a dumpster?

Here are just some of the situations that demand a dumpster rental service:

Renovating Your Home:

If you’re renovating your home, you’ll need a place to put all that debris! Whether you’re doing a kitchen renovation, bathroom renovation, or even just painting the house, it’s important that you keep the mess contained while you work. A dumpster rental in Orlando FL will help ensure that your home stays clean and safe during the construction process.

Remodeling Your Business:

If you’re remodeling your business space or office space, there’s going to be some serious trash left over. That’s where a dumpster rental service can come in handy—they’ll make sure that all of this trash gets removed so that it doesn’t end up cluttering up your property after the fact. This can save you time and money when it comes time to clean up afterward!

Cleaning Your Garage:

A dumpster is one of the most important things you can have when it comes to garage cleanouts. Garages are notorious for being full of all sorts of stuff, from old electronics to broken furniture to piles upon piles of clothes. The amount of stuff that can be in there is truly staggering—and it’s not always easy to find a way out of the mess.

But with a dumpster, you’ll be able to make quick work out of cleaning up that garage! You won’t have to worry about getting rid of your old junk or finding a way to make it useful again—you’ll just be able to throw it all away in one big pile and walk away knowing that your garage will never be cluttered again!

Reach Dumpstermaxx at 800-369-6299:

A dumpster rental in Orlando FL is a great way to take care of all your trash and waste disposal needs. Whether you need a dumpster for a construction project, clean-up after an event, or just some extra space in your garage, Dumpstermaxx can help.

Our dumpster rentals come in different sizes and are available for both residential and commercial use. We also offer other services like pickup of your garbage, removal of debris from construction sites, waste recycling, and more. If you want to get rid of your junk fast and cheaply, we’re the company for you!

[benq-mx812st]

Three Recommendations For Efficient Get Cash For Scrap Metal With Junk Metal Recycling

Considering non-ferrous metal a junk can be considered a huge error. Scrap metal recycling is not an green clinic however can be additionally a rewarding task, with depleting natural resources. Every year, approximately 55 million tons of iron and scrap steel is processed with the metal market. Scrap metallic recycling is getting a significant enterprise by looking at its own benefits for the pocket. As such, many individuals have taken selling and recycling garbage alloys being a full-time profession.

Image outcome for Scrap Steel Recycling

The demand of recycled stuff has significantly increased. Organizations, along with, human collectors are now taking interest in recycling garbage alloy to put into cash and collecting. Collecting and recycling the garbage requires a little comprehension. Whether you are familiarized with this specific practice or not, it's necessary to understand about certain universal myths related-to Cash for scrap Metal. By studying about various alloys, their own worth, and a few hints that are recycling, it is possible to optimize your earning capacity. For crap steel, then you require some know-how about metals, in which you can find them, and also which ones attract the absolute most profit.

Within this article, we have discussed several helpful tips for enterprise owners or residents who are contemplating commencing scrap-metal to conserve the environment, although building a profit. The following 3 tips will assist you in protecting some time, in addition to, money to acquire the most from your next day at a recycling centre.

Know Your Metals

For exporting and accumulating crap steel, it's very important to have a fundamental understanding of types of alloys. Alloys are those that contain iron, such as stainless and carbon steel. Even the alloys would be those with out iron, like aluminum, or aluminum. The qualities like a higher level of conductivity, and resistance make alloys profitable. To distinguish ferrous-metal from non-ferrous, keep a small pocket handy. In the event the magnet sticks firmly to metals, then it indicates large iron material (ferrous metals). Although metals like lead, zinc, aluminum, copper, and brass do not stick easily towards the magnet.

Split up and Prepare Your Scraps

Preparing and sorting are necessary to getting the value of the substances you have. Make sure that before you get to the recycling centre, separate aluminum, steel, aluminum, brass, and other bits. Piled metal can be readily and quickly recycled. Since the cash for copper is attached with additional products, you can need exceptional tools to different the substances. For getting rid of screws, wire strippers, as well as saws, You're going to require drills. For example, to make money out of a older machine, then sold components, such as for example metal drums, aluminum pipes, and electric motors to garbage yards. Don't forget, it is crucial to safeguard your self by wearing large gloves, goggles, and protective garments.

Know Your Recycling Center

Once you have piled and prepared your scrap metal, it's time for you to bring it to the yard. It is essential to investigate local trash yards. Locate recycling center and a reliable that pays top market-value for alloy scraps.

Thus, that which we believe as junk can be golden. From metal components and old appliances to metal counter tops and bicycles, there's so much to recycle.

Bright Star Scrap Metal

Address:- 29 Mickle Street,

Dandenong South, 3175, VIC

(03) 9706 4073

info@brightstarscrapmetal.com.au

[pointy-kitty]

We Can Make It

A Wreck It Ralph fanfiction from five years ago

Chapter One

The pain of her revelation eased far sooner than she expected.  

Its initial bite left her practically motionless in the black, frozen abyss of the basement. Only then did she realize just how cold it was. The walls were made of ice, a terrible, consuming cage of doubt. No thoughts brought warmth, no memories brought happiness. She knew it all to be manufactured. She was not who she was made to believe she was, and yet the emotions that she had recalled felt just as real as the knitted hat on her head.  

She missed her great-grandmother. Wanted to be proud of her achievements. Wanted to know that her sense of accomplishment and self-worth had been real.

But it was not. It never was. None of it.

And yet, there she was. Though none of her memories were real, the moment that she lived was present. Reality seemed to settle next to her, watching quietly, slowly wrapping an arm around her shoulders. It whispered gently and lowly in her ear, “There is no past. And there is no use hurting over what never existed.”

That thought stretched a thin sheet of calm over her nerves. Her eyes lifted, surveying the desolate space around her. So bland, plain, and empty.  

A blank slate.

A new start.

Her heart tickled and the tiniest, yet most glorious spark flickered inside, illuminating the edges of a smile on her lips. This cold, ugly hole was absolutely perfect.

The following week turned the burning pain into nothing but a scar in the back of her mind, all but forgotten. It was uneventful in terms of gameplay for her, but goodness, did she spruce up her living space. Not an inch of that basement was without color, and almost none of it was complimentary. It looked as if a tornado and a rainbow had made wild and passionate love all over the walls and floors. She created doors, furniture, shelves, lights (far more than were actually necessary), bells, trinkets, wall art, appliances, and mountains of more food than she could ever eat on her own. There was no shortage of fun; the floors were littered with rollerblades, rocket shoes, jet packs, pogo sticks, bouncy balls of every size, tubs of colorful candy, sticky-soled shoes (what good is a ceiling if it cannot be walked on?), and in a far and crowded corner, a real beast of a motorbike. She really was not sure what good that would do her if she were hiding out in a basement, but it would come in handy somehow, she knew, if not just for the sake of eye candy.  

She was still somewhat avoiding going outside. It was more fun to imagine her cousin constantly guessing when she would pop out, picturing him startling and looking over his shoulder for a creeping artist. Not to mention that she would not mind avoiding a confrontation and being asked how in the blue blazes she managed to get into Niceland. Felix was nice enough. Almost too nice, if she were to be honest. But paying attention to anything he said for more than ten seconds was not something she thought herself particularly skilled at. She would hate to get stuck in an awkward one-sided conversation that would only end up in her finding some sort of socially unacceptable way to escape the encounter. Although she was certain he was unaware of it, he had a certain way of making her feel guilty for ditching him. It seemed akin to shunning a polite and playful puppy.

It was true that she loved playing with Felix, but only when she decided the games. And more often than not, those games were along the lines of “How many yellow dinosaurs can Felix outrun in an hour” or “How well can Felix fill out this dress”. For reasons she feigned ignorance to, he just did not quite share her sense of fun.

Being cooped up in a basement with a bunch of junk lying around, however, was starting to lose its lustre. Broken and torn canvases were everywhere, crumpled up pieces of paper, discarded blueprints, candy wrappers, and every manner of broken trinket. She found herself lying on the floor, staring at the ceiling, bouncing a ball up against it.

The junk was all her fault, she admitted as she watched the red ball fly back and forth. Of course, it was not as if she could do anything about it. Her name was Make-It Mavis. She made things, not destroyed them. And prohibiting herself from going outside somewhat limited her space in which to put her garbage.  

Maybe she could create some sort of garbage dispos—THWAP. The ball bounced at an odd angle and came back to hit her right in the forehead.  

Grumbling in pain as she rubbed her head, she made a radical decision. She was going to go outside. Pay a visit to the dump and get rid of her piles of junk.  

Within a few moments, she was ready to go, having painted herself a shiny blue wheelbarrow in which to roll out the trash. If she moved quickly, she could go out and come back without being spotted by Felix or the Nicelanders. Sneaky, very sneaky, she thought to herself as she pushed her load over to the out-chute and stomped on it.  

The loaded spring activated, sending her spiraling out of the potted plants again, her trash and wheelbarrow flying everywhere and landing with a loud ‘clang’ as she nimbly landed on her feet with a little ‘ding’.

Her face was screwed up and her shoulders tensed in a prolonged flinch. She had not realized that the out-chute would fire her up so fast every time she used it. This was, after all, only her second time going outside, and her first during the closed hours of the arcade. It was eerily quiet after the echo of her crash faded. No music floated through the air like it did during open hours. Just strange, unnatural light, an abyssal black sky, and a great far-off window outside of which sat other resting consoles.

A sigh of relief relaxed her shoulders. That was entirely too close for her comfort. As quickly as she could manage, she gathered up the scattered junk back into her wheelbarrow and lifted it back upright. She began to scamper forward, but knocked her belly against the back edge as the wheel snapped off and rolled away into the garden.  

“Agh, piece o’ cuss,” she hissed under her breath, rubbing her stomach and kneeling next to her broken contraption. “Why can’t I paint a decent wheelbarrow, honestly, Mavis? How hard is it to paint a bloody tub with a wheel…”  

She pulled out her brush and circled another wheel under the dented body, knocking it once and turning it a bit to make sure it was sturdy. Once she was satisfied that this one would not fly away, she got back into position and resumed her mission. Things were not going quite as sneakily as she had originally hoped.

It barely took her a moment to reach the dump. A looming mountain of bricks was hard to miss, and it looked fairly out of place barely fifty feet away from such a magnificent apartment building. As she skid to a stop on the grass next to the bottom, she pondered for a moment if this was where they put all the bricks knocked out of the building by Ralph. Or did they just disappear? No, then where would this absurd pile of bricks come from?  

“Hey!”

Make-It shrieked in surprise and literally jumped a good ten feet backwards with a ‘boing’, leaving her junk to fend for itself. When she landed, her heart fluttering so hard it was practically flapping, she spotted the nine-foot tall man glaring down at her from the rise of the hill.  

“What do you think you’re doing to my bricks? I work hard for these, you know! Go paint your own or something!” He shooed her away with a hand like a tiny pest.  

“What? No, I don’t want your bricks! I didn’t even know they were yours.”

“Uh huh. Well, I guess a dump of old bricks isn’t quite as catchy as ‘Niceland’, is it? Kind of hard to remember?” He frowned deeper than he was before, sitting back on an enormous stump and resting his gargantuan arms on his legs.

Make-It’s eyes shifted back and forth. “Uh… I’m sorry. I haven’t been outside much since we were plugged in. I don’t think you and I have even talked yet, have we?”

“You haven’t talked to anyone yet, fem-Fix-It.”

She scoffed. “I’m not my cousin. I have a name, you know.”

“Uh, I’m sorry, you haven’t been outside much since we were plugged in.”

She prepared a retort, but came up with nothing. “Fair enough,” she shrugged, hopping up the hill to speak closer with him.

“Hey, HEY, GET OFF MY—ugh, fine.” He rested his chin in his hand. Make-It observed that his fingers could probably easily close around his entire head.

“Sorry that I’m dirtying your bricks with my little feet,” she smiled up at him. “My name is Make-It Mavis.”

“And you’re Felix’s cousin.”

“Yup.”

“Who lives in the basement.”  

“That’s me.”

He paused, staring at her, looking about the least impressed that he could possibly be. “And just why are you here?”

She shrugged and stretched her arms behind her back, clasping her fingers. “Your guess is as good as mine. I’m an Easter Egg, whatever that means. I don’t know just why I’m here, but I only come up when the players hit the right combination of controls. I guess I’m a gag. A surprise, if you will.”

“Ch—yeah,” he snorted, “You’re a surprise, alright. I don’t think anyone expected to see a little hippy-painter-trickster-thing pop out of the dirt. Least of all your cousin.”

Her impish laugh chimed out of her throat. “His face was just so priceless,” she panted, putting a knuckle to her lips.  

“How’d you get down there?”

Her smile became far more crooked. “I have connections.”

“…I see. Well. Okay then. I’m Ralph. I live on a pile of bricks. I used to live there,” he pointed to Niceland, “before they stacked that ugly building where my stump was.” He pressed his lips together, pressing down a growl in his chest.  

“So that’s why you wanna wreck it,” she nodded, stepping over to sit on the bricks next to him, and flinching when they poked her rump. With a quick swish, she painted herself a lovely cushion to sit on. “Do you sleep up here?”

“Yup. It’s not that bad, really. I’ve got thick skin. I barely feel it.”

She observed him. “I see… That would explain how you still have the flesh on your knuckles.”

He chortled sarcastically. “Uh huh. Ignoring the fact that I’m the ‘bad guy’ and it’s my job. It’s in my code, so of course it doesn’t hurt.”

“Bad guy, huh. You don’t seem all that bad.”

He glanced at her sidelong, unimpressed as ever. “You know, I was ready to punt you through the screen when you showed up.”

She shrugged. “I’d punt me through the screen, too.”

“What does that even mean..?”

Another shrug, accented with a wink. He pinched his brow between his fingers. “Okay… Well, regardless of how I seem, pint-size, I’m the bad guy. It’s in my code.”

Her heart sank a bit, though she was not sure why. She frowned and blinked slowly at her knees. “I suppose your code is everything, then?”

“Code IS everything. I’m code, you’re code, the building’s code. We can’t change code.”

Sickly thumps against her ribcage brought a deeper frown to her face. “I see. Well. I can’t force myself to believe that anything and everything is just a series of numbers.”

“Get used to it. It’s not changing.”

“Maybe not, but…” she squirmed a bit, “it can be built upon. Maybe. Maybe our code is just a start. Kind of like the sketch that starts the painting.”

He stared at her. “Don’t get philosophical on me, kid. I didn’t want you up here in the first place, let alone to preach some hippy mumbo-jumbo.”  

Her hands raised in feigned defense. “Okay there big guy. I’ll cut the deep talk. Being plugged in must have fried my brain or something.”

“That would explain a lot.”

Her giggle jingled, but his frown never flinched. Smile fading a bit, she cleared her throat. “Well then. Uh… You know, if you’re the ‘bad guy’… and Felix is the ‘good guy’, what does that make me? I’m not an NPC.”  

He nodded briefly. “I know you’re not. I’ve talked with some of the other bad guys from the games around here. They’ve been plugged in just a few days longer than we have and they already know a whole heck of a lot more than we do. This whole arcade’s only been open for a few days.” He picked up a brick absent-mindedly and crushed it between his thumb and forefinger. “You’re an Easter Egg, a neutral party. And what a character wouldn’t give to be in your position.”

She scoffed. “Locked up in a basement throwing paint everywhere? I kind of think I’m the only one who would enjoy that.”

“I mean being an Easter Egg,” he growled, “it means you do hardly a fraction of the work that we do and yet you’re about fifty times as appreciated as us non-hidden characters. Whenever you pop up on the screen, all the gamers ‘freak out!’” He jittered his hands in mock excitement. “It doesn’t matter if your job is pretty much useless; you’re a fun little secret that gamers consider themselves better than other gamers for knowing about. You get so much more fame with such less effort.”

“Well, now.” Her eyebrows raised. “Sounds like quite an honor over nothing. If they could see what I can actually do, then I’d understand why they love me so much!” Knocking her paint color to yellow, she waved the brush above her head and smacked it into flames. Ralph flinched visibly, leaning away from the heat as it fizzled out.  

“That’s a cute trick.” He immediately went back to frowning, “Except your hat’s on fire.”

“No it’s not.”

“Uh, yeah, it is.”

A rather toasty sensation found its way to her scalp. So it was.  

“Hmm,” she tossed the maroon knit off of her head before it could catch onto her short, chestnut hair, watching it reduce to smolders on the bricks. “Welp.”

“Good job. Now what’ll you do? Gamers who know you won’t be happy to see you without a hat.”

She shrugged, gesturing that he made a good point. “Well, I could kill myself so I spawn with a new hat, but… you know, I always wanted it a little bit more purple.” She tapped on her bucket, choosing a shade just the slightest bit more violet than prior, and painted a neat blob on the back of her head, tapping it into a plush looking hat.

“Ta-da.”

He nodded slowly, pressing his lips together.

A light flicked on in her head. “THAT’S what I need! An incinerator. Then I can get rid of my garbage and not leave it in your lovely bricks…”

Ralph just grunted.

“Oh, uh, by the way,” she continued, twisting the handle of her brush in her fingers, “you mentioned that you talked to the other bad guys. Where are they? How did you get to them?”

“Wow. You really do live underground, don’t you? You can leave the game, you know. Visit other games. Sounds great, right? Well you’d just better not die, ‘cause you die for good outside of your game. No spawning with new hats or whatever it is you just said.”

“Huh.”

“Oh, and YOU can leave a lot more than we can. You’ve got a lot more spare time. If someone tries to access the Easter Egg and you don’t show up, they’ll just think they did the combination wrong. Maybe some whiny kid will blame it on the console, but that won’t get us in trouble. You’re a secret. The game can function just fine without you.”

“Hmm.”

“…You’re gonna use that as an excuse to go bother other games during their working hours, aren’t you?”

“Who, me?” She pressed her palm to her heart, stricken. “Where would you get that notion?”

He glared, and she guffawed.  

“So just how do you leave?”

He growled out a sigh, “Oh my land, kid,” he picked her up by her head between his thumb and middle finger, pointing her towards the back of the console. “You get out through that dinky little subway train.”

And quite the dinky little subway train it was. It looked a lot more like a sub-par amusement park ride for kids than a mode of transportation. Its colors were bright, its cars boxy, and the tracks did not look all that reliable. It sat politely next to a station that looked hardly bigger than Ralph, hiding behind some uniform trees and over a tiny bridge.

“Well, would you look at that!” She folded her arms, still dangling from Ralph’s massive fingers. “What a crap-tacular little train. I wanna ride on it. Let’s take the whole family.”

She was turned around to face Ralph again. “Golly, you’re weird.” He scrutinized her as if he were holding the young of an extra-terrestrial being.

The sound of a window thudding open startled them both, Ralph turning Make-It in the direction of the noise. Felix was leaning halfway out of his window, looking perplexed and horrified.

“Ralph! You put her down right now, mister!”

“Wh—I wasn-” He stood up, gesturing to the tiny woman in his hand and shaking her around a bit. “I’m not gonna break her, Felix!”

“Watch it, Goliath,” she hissed.

“You’ve broken me by accident a good five times this past week!” Felix waved his index finger at him. “I’m sorry Ralph, I don’t mean to get huffy with you, I just don’t want—”

“I know! I know, I know.” He dropped her, and she slipped just a bit on a few loose bricks. She could hear Felix sigh to himself, even from that distance.

“Thank you. Sorry again, Ralph. Please don’t take it personally.”

“Uh huh.” The huge man thumped over onto his back, the bricks smacking together beneath him.

Felix frowned guiltily, letting out another heavy sigh through his nose. He turned to Make-It, leaning an elbow on the windowsill and giving her a bit of a mock accusatory look. Supposedly mock. It could have been genuine, Make-It guessed to herself. There was always something that she could be accused of.

“Now, you, little missy, need a good talking to! It’s been nearly a week since we got here and you haven’t said a word to me. All you’ve done is cover me in paint…” he smiled awkwardly, glancing away. “Hop on up here so we can catch up.”

Make-It stared at him for a moment, a tipsy-looking twist of a smile squished into her lips, but then sighed, resigned. She had been caught fair and square. Time to pay her cousin a visit. She brought her leg up and slapped it down, leaving little boings behind as she hopped from sill to sill until she reached Felix’s near the very top. He was still standing there, smiling jubilantly and freakishly welcomingly. She gripped the sill with one hand and leaned back with her feet against the wall, watching him expectantly.  

“Well, are you gonna mo-”

“Ah, get in here, you rascally cousin of mine!” He grabbed her arm and pulled her in, clasping her in a tight hug as he did. Her legs raised a bit off the ground with the force and she wheezed. He was a lot stronger than he looked.  

She marvelled at how he was still willing to hug her after all the times she had accidentally set him on fire in their backstories.

“It had been way too long, you know! And being painted plaid wasn’t exactly a proper reunion, now was it?” He held her out at arms’ length, smiling brightly. “Look at you, Mavy. You’re almost as tall as I am! And is that a new hat? You painted that yourself, didn’t you?”

Wow. He actually noticed the slight shade difference. “Uh, yes it is, and yes I did!” She pulled a smile over one side of her face.  

“Aw,” he cooed, patting her cheek. “Still the same smile I remember. Your non-diabolical smile, anywho.”

“Diabolical, who’s diabolical,” she muttered, barely audible, trailing off. “Are you diabolical, I’m not diabolical…”

His smile softened and he sighed contentedly. “Now, cuz, come on and sit down and tell me how you managed to pull such an elaborate prank.” He put his hand on her back, leading her across the woolly shag carpet to sit her down on a shimmering, plush, bouncy couch. Glancing around the room, it practically made her skin crawl how neat it was. All of his new medals were hung in a row on the perfectly clean yellow walls, not one higher or lower than the other. Everything was dusted and shining proudly, the windows had not a single speck of dirt, the books on the shelves were alphabetized, and even the shag seemed well groomed.  

So much order. So much precision. It was disgusting.

“What’s the sour face for, Mavy?”

“Oh! Nothing. I was gonna tell you something. What was I telling you?”

“How you got here, of course!”

“Oh! Yes. Right. Uh,” she glanced away from his terrifyingly honest eyes. It seemed like his soul might fall out of them if she looked too long. “Hmm. Well. I bribed the contractors.”

His smile quickly became rueful. “Did you really?”

“And the construction workers… to build me a basement suite. Sort of.”

“Oh, Mavy,” he shook his head. “I’m surprised at you.”

“No, you’re not.”

“No, I’m not.”

“Dang straight.” She nodded.

“But where on Earth did you get that kind of money? I didn’t know you could afford that on an artist’s budget!” He gasped, scandalized, and leaned in to whisper, “Mavy, you didn’t PAINT it, did you..?”

She blinked and took a long, slow breath. “…Yes, yes I did.” She got it from his wallet.  

Felix leaned back and shook his head, tut-tut-tutting. “Mavy.”

“I’m terrible. I have a problem.”

“I’m sure we could find some sort of counselling for behavior like that,” he put his hand on her shoulder, staring into her eyes with all-too-genuine kindness. It was making her beyond uncomfortable.

“I wouldn’t want to trouble you,” she avoided his gaze.

“Family is never trouble for me!”

“Yeah, I am.”

“No, you’re not! I’m not giving up on this one, missy! I mean what I say.”

Her mouth wiggled into what she imagined must have been the worst smile in the history of smiles. “Thank you?” She had not meant to make it a question.

He sat straighter, a valiant smile spread across his face. “You are more than welcome, my dear cousin!”

Make-It’s eyes were suddenly very fascinated by the luxurious shag at her feet. Maybe if she did not look at him, he would go away.

“Oh! You know something?” He piped up enthusiastically. “I’ve got an old photo album from when we were just teeny little things! We oughtta go through it together, relive the old days with our eyes!” He stood and marched over to his bookcase.  

“Oh my cuss, no,” she spluttered in her throat, and thankfully, her cousin did not pick up on it. His back was finally turned. It was her chance to make a break for it. She would throw herself through a glass window if she had to, but she would not spend hours looking at old photos of things that never happened! Anything but that! She threw herself up, drawing out her brush and slapping little rockets on the bottom of her shoes. Felix turned around to catch her hopping awkwardly towards the window. Really should have painted those in mid-air.

“What?” He asked, clearly crestfallen. She avoided his face at all costs. She would not be unintentionally guilt-tripped. Not today.

“I just, I have to, uh, go to, the, uh,” she grasped at her memory, trying to remember the name of that other game that was plugged in after they were. “Go to, uh, that place, uh, Turbo-Time!” With the force of her memory prevailing, she knocked her hip against the windowsill and fell through the open gap.  

The rockets on her shoes screeched into life, shooting her towards the sub-par little subway. She landed on her back in the front car.

“But, why? What’s the hurry?” She heard Felix calling through the window.  

Straightening herself up, she pointed to her wrist, where a watch should have been. “Because it’s Time for Turbo?!”  

The dinky little train started and rolled away far slower than she would have liked it to.

[welcomeeatery]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[lincolnhandyman-blog]

Garage Clean Out Garage Junk Trash Hauling Services and Cost Council Bluffs IA | Lincoln Handyman Services

More Information is at: http://www.handymanlincolne.com/garage-cleanout-services-council-bluffs-ia.html

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 Council Bluffs IA Garage Cleanout: Looking for garage clean out services near me? We'll clean up your garage and get rid of all the unwanted clutter lying around so that you can reclaim the space in your garage and start parking your car where it belongs in Council Bluffs IA. For a free estimate into your next garage cleanout, call the pros at Lincoln Handyman Services today. Affordable Garage Clean Out services that you can trust! Best junk removal and garage clean out services in Council Bluffs IA. We also offer house cleanout, basement cleanout services, estate cleanout, property clean out, appliance and furniture hauling junk pick up services. Cost of garage junk pick up services? Send us a message for information and free estimates.

 GARAGE CLEANOUT SERVICES COUNCIL BLUFFS IA

Professional Junk Removal Solutions for the Entire Home

When you book Lincoln Handyman Services for your garage cleaning project, our professionally trained junk removal team will handle all the sorting, labor, loading, hauling, and proper disposal, recycling, or donating. We’ll clean up your garage or car port space and rid you of clutter so that you can finally park your car where it belongs. Whether you’ve just got a few items that need to go, or your garage is so full of junk it’s about to burst at the seams, Lincoln Handyman Services can help.

Reclaim Your Space!

Is your garage so cluttered and filled with junk there is little room to walk? It’s time to break free from the mess and take back your space. With Lincoln Handyman Services, you can count on us to remove your belongings carefully and without doing any harm to your home, and you can rest easy knowing we will either donate or recycle your items. You’ll be pleasantly surprised with the amount of space you’ll win back once you commit to ridding yourself of junk and clutter. We can help you rediscover some square footage!

Garage clean out and junk removal services:

·         Apartment Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Basement Clean Out Council Bluffs IA

·         Bathroom Demolition Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Estate Clean Out Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Foreclosure Clean Out Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Garage Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Garage Junk Removal Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Hot Tub Removal Service Council Bluffs IA

·         House Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Interior Demolition Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Junk Trash Clean Out Council Bluffs IA

·         Junk Trash Removal Council Bluffs IA

·         Kitchen Demolition Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Mattress Removal Council Bluffs IA

·         Office Clean Out Services Council Bluffs IA

·         Property Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Spring Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Storage Cleanup And Disposal Council Bluffs IA

·         Storage Unit Clean Out Council Bluffs IA

·         Trash Clean Out Service Council Bluffs IA

·         Yard Clean Outs Council Bluffs IA

 Garage Clean Out Services | Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal Service

Are you looking for a garage clean out services provider? If your answer is yes, Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal Service provide garage clean outs for home owners. Contact us today for a FREE estimate and let our professional team come do the garage clean out services for you. Allow us to clear out your garage in order for you to park your car or better utilize the garage space.

 Call us today Or Email Us Through The Form Below

 HOW MUCH DOES IT COST FOR JUNK REMOVAL SERVICES?

Junk removal fees depend on the job, and most hauling companies charge a minimum of $50 to $150 for pickup on a smaller job, according to LNK JUNK REMOVAL: http://www.lnkjunkremoval.com/. For larger jobs, such as hauling away yard or construction debris, fees can range from $100 to $650.

How much does it cost to have a couch removed?

Cost of other furniture disposal methods. As previously mentioned, the average nationwide cost to hire a junk removal service to come pick up your furniture is about $163. The average range for a basic couch and chair removal is between $75 and $200. Below, you'll find some other options to get rid of your furniture.

GARAGE CLEANOUT TIPS

A step-by-step guide to getting it done

If you own a garage, chances are that you store excess items there. This is a convenient arrangement to an extent, but it can also be a problem. Say you consistently lose things in there or you’ve bought a new riding mower that needs a place to live. Your stored clutter is now a nuisance. It might be time to empty, clean, and organize your garage to promote efficiency. This can sound like a daunting task, though. Here’s how to handle a garage cleanout.

Empty

First, remove each item from the garage to the driveway, making three piles as you work: keep, toss, and recycle/donate. The “keep” items can be moved back in after you clean the garage, while the smaller “toss” items can go to the curb for trash day. The larger “toss” items, along with the recycle/donate pile present a challenge all their own. Transporting them can be time-consuming and expensive if you don’t have access to a large enough vehicle. This is where a junk removal comes in handy. For a fee, they can take your items where they need to go for you.

Clean

Now that your garage is emptied of its contents, it’s a chance for you to give it a thorough cleaning. Give the floor a good sweep and hose it down before moving items back in.

Organize

Next, turn your attention to your “keep” pile. Invest in a new organizational system of shelves, cabinets, drawers, or containers designated to hold certain items. Plan out where you want to store certain groups of items before bringing the items back into the garage.

After Your Garage Cleanout

After a garage cleanout, you’ll undoubtedly have a lot of junk to throw away, recycle, and donate. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling has the trucks and the time you don’t. Let us haul away your unwanted items for you. Call us today to find out how we can help with your garage cleanout.

What We Haul Away

At Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling, we haul away just about anything (with the exception of hazardous materials). Contact us and we will provide a free estimate, remove and haul away your items, tidy up afterward, and dispose of the items responsibly. We will always serve you with Respect, Integrity, and Trust.

Appliance Removal

When it is time to replace your old appliances, removing them on your own is a mighty task. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling is here to serve and dispose of your old appliances responsibly.

Refrigerator Removal

Old refrigerators are difficult to haul away. Not only that, they leak toxic chemicals that harm the environment if they’re just tossed into a landfill. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling knows just what to do in order to safely, responsibly remove your fridge.

Carpet Removal

Nothing freshens up a room like new carpeting. Call on Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling to get rid of your old carpeting. We will remove and recycle so that you can enjoy your fresh space.

Mattress Disposal

Not many places take old mattresses. Plus, they are cumbersome to move throughout your home. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling will remove and utilize responsible recycling solutions.

 Couch Removal

Unless you have a truck, you can’t remove a couch on your own. Because of their size, couches cannot be placed on the curb with normal trash. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling can handle removes couches and furniture of all sizes.

Television Disposal

Televisions can be heavy, unsightly. They are not easy to dispose and must be treated responsibly. They can be recycled, if you know how to do it. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling removes TVs of all kinds and makes sure everyone is recycled properly.

Waste Management

If you have excess garbage and trash around your home or business that your local trash company refuses to pick up, Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling is here to help.

Building & Office Furniture Removal

When your business is upgrading its furniture and your need to make room for new office and building furniture, you’ll need help removing your cubicles, desks, filing cabinets, and more. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling is here to help the upgrade run smoothly. We will find a place to donate all your old items.

E-Waste Recycling

Electronic waste needs to be handled with care to protect our planet. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling is highly trained in responsible disposal of e-waste to minimize its impact on the environment.

Construction Debris Removal

Removing construction debris keeps a job site safe and organized. During a construction, renovation or demolition project, Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling team is the perfect partner.

Yard Waste Removal

Even excess organic material can cause problems. Leaves, limbs and uncollected grass can amount to costly repairs to your home and property. Our team is ready to haul it away.

Scrap Metal Removal

A lot of old items have metal in them. This metal can be recycled and should not be tossed in the trash. Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal & Hauling will ensure your scrap metal items are recycled and turned into something new.

Tire Removal

People need to dispose of tires all the time. Landfills often refuse to take them. The team at Council Bluffs IA will not only remove your old tires, but also has the expertise to know how to recycle them.

 Waste, Junk and Trash Services - What’s the Difference?

The difference between “waste”, “junk” and “trash” removal is an important one, as prices and professionals will differ greatly among them. Trash removal is the regularly scheduled service -- generally provided by the city in which you live -- that you include in your monthly utilities. Junk removal, on the other hand, is the one-time removal of materials that a trash company won’t haul away (i.e., major appliances, furniture, etc.). Waste removal is the removal of certain types of materials that trash and junk removal companies do not have the capacity to handle.

Waste Removal Costs

Waste removal takes a little more time and preparation than trash and junk removal because it involves anything from dangerous fluorescent bulbs to old latex paint and other harmful chemicals. The price of waste removal will vary greatly, depending on which of the following categories it falls into:

Solid Waste: Garbage and household clutter generally fall into the solid waste category. The cost for solid waste removed is usually around $160, unless you have specialty or excess waste that might require special attention or take longer to remove.

Hazardous Waste: The professional removal of old latex paint, mercury or other chemicals will take careful preparation and specialty equipment. Hazardous waste removal will be quoted on a per-pound basis, so you could pay anywhere from $50 to $100, depending on the volume of waste.

Construction Debris: If you recently remodeled or added onto your home, it’s likely that you have leftover materials -- most of which will need to be removed. The cost for construction debris removal averages around $200, depending on the quantity involved.

Composting: Yard and food waste can be removed and professionally composted for around $100.

Additional waste removal options include recyclable and universal waste removal. Recyclable waste removal hauls cans, glasses, paper and other reusable items away in bulk. Universal waste removal involves batteries, light bulbs and other reusable materials that do not fall into the hazardous waste category.

Junk Removal

Junk is less dangerous than other types of waste, but it can be bulky. Generally speaking, junk waste removal usually involves the removal of large items (e.g., appliances, tires, pianos, etc.) that will require two or more people to haul away to a landfill or other specified location.

Removal prices will reflect level of difficulty, costing about:

·         $100 for major appliances

·         $80 for large furniture pieces

·         $130 for an outdoor hot tub

Garages & Carports

A garage is meant to be a place to park your car and keep it sheltered from the weather. In many cases, that’s not what the garage ends up being used for. Instead, they end up being used mainly for storage, with piles of junk everywhere.

Simple Garage Clean Outs

Sound familiar? Now imagine what life could be like with a perfectly clean and organized garage. When you get rid of the clutter, you’ll be able to find the things you need and you might be able to actually park your car in your garage.

However, when it comes down to actually cleaning out the garage on your own, it seems like a pretty daunting task. Thankfully, you don’t have to handle it on your own. At 1-800-GOT-JUNK?, we’re garage cleanout experts and we’re happy to help! Whether it’s a couple of larger items or a whole garage full of stuff, we’ll get your garage cleaned out in no time.

Your Local Garage Clean Out Provider

We make garage junk removal easy. It starts with our easy booking process—just give us a call or visit us online and choose a time that is convenient for you. On the day of your appointment, we’ll give you a call before we arrive to let you know when to expect us. Once we arrive, we’ll take a look at your unwanted items and give you an estimate. If you’re happy with the price, we’ll get to work! We take care of everything—all you have to do is point. We’ll even sweep up the area when we’re done. Just like that, you’ll have a clean garage!

Here's how our service works:

1. Simply schedule your free onsite estimate online or by calling us

2. Our friendly, uniformed truck team will call you 15-30 minutes before your scheduled 2-hour appointment window to let you know what time to expect us.

3. When we arrive, just point to the garage you want to be cleaned out and we’ll provide you with an up-front, all-inclusive price.

4. Once you say the word, we’ll clean out the garage, from wherever they're located, and finish by tidying up the area. Plus, we will recycle and donate whatever we can, whenever possible.

Other Cleanout Services Council Bluffs IA Junk Removal Offer

·         Basement Clean Outs

·         Crawl Space Clean Outs

·         Attic Clean Outs

·         Construction Sites Cleanups

·         Foreclosure Clean Outs

·         Office Clean Outs

·         Storage Unit Clean Outs

·         Light Demolition

·         Hot Tub Removal

·         Leftover Moving Junk

·         Hoarder Clean-Outs

  PROFESSIONAL GARAGE CLEAN OUT SERVICES NEAR COUNCIL BLUFFS IA

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BOOK A GARAGE CLEAN OUT TODAY. CONTACT US NOW

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·         Flat Screen / Tv Mount Installment

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Lincoln Nebraska Metro Area: Bennet NE, Firth NE, Hallam NE, Hickman NE, Lancaster County, Lincoln Nebraska, Malcolm NE, Milford NE, Panama NE, Seward County, Seward NE, Staplehurst NE, Utica NE, Walton NE, WAVERLY NE, Lincoln NE | Omaha NE | Lancaster County NE | Seward County NE | Milford NE | 68501, 68510, 68512, 68514, 68516, 68517, 68520, 68524, 68526, 68529, 68531, 68532, 68542, 68544, 68583, 68588.

[timdjohnson131-blog]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[chasenewton911-blog]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[niccoloharter-blog]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[julieslake001-blog]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[theresepattonlove-blog]

January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet

If you're ready to make a change and get rid of all of that unwanted clutter in your home, start the year off with this January decluttering challenge!  This home decluttering “detox diet” will help to jumpstart all of your decluttering and organization habits and set the tone for an ongoing organization plan!

The Household Organization Diet 2019 officially kicks off on January 1 with my January decluttering challenge – The 31 Day Home Detox Diet!  Whether you just have a few trouble spots in your home or are completely feeling overwhelmed with all of  the clutter, this challenge is for you.  Who's ready to make 2019 the best organized year yet?

What is The Household Organization Diet?

The Household Organization Diet is basically a year-long, systematic plan to get every room in your home decluttered, cleaned, and organized.  You'll receive monthly to do lists, tutorials and tips to get it all done, and tons of cleaning and organization inspiration!  It's designed to help you learn strategies and systems to create your ideal home and {most importantly!} how to keep it up on an ongoing basis.  You can read more about it HERE and see last year's posts HERE.

What is The 31 Day Home Detox January Decluttering Challenge?

The 31 day detox decluttering challenge is designed to jumpstart your decluttering and organization habits and will help you clear out all of that obvious unwanted and unused “stuff” that is clogging up your home.   For the next month we will be doing a quick rundown of our homes and getting rid of at least 10 items per day {feel free to do as many as you would like!}  The idea is to keep it simple and easy to keep up with. We will be going more thoroughly through each room during the year, so this is not the time  to be taking on any time consuming projects or major re-organizing.  Just 15 minutes per day – anywhere you would like.

Inevitably, I always get at least a few comments from readers laughing that they would never be able to do this in 15 minutes per day.  While it's true that you may not be able to completely declutter and organize the space – we'll actually be doing that later in the year – this will hopefully give you a good head start and inspire you to keep going.  It feels SO good to start clearing that extra weight out of your home and the benefits you see should encourage you in the year to follow.

What do I need to get started on this decluttering challenge?

All you really need are some garbage bags for trash and recycling and some bins or boxes for items that you will be donating.  I also recommend that you get a binder to keep all of the printables in.  You can find the title page OVER HERE and the January printables below.  Each month, there will be a new calendar for you, as well as a task sheet and notes page.  You can use the filled in printables that I have already completed or use the blank printables to customize the plan for yourself.

Let's Get Started!

JANUARY TASKS DOWNLOAD DOWNLOAD A BLANK JANUARY TASK SHEET HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE BLANK JANUARY CALENDAR HERE

  DOWNLOAD THE JANUARY NOTES SHEET HERE

Tips for a successful home decluttering challenge.

Remember that this is just a quick decluttering – NOT an organization project!  We have a whole year of organization ahead of us so don't get burned out now!  Remember that it has likely taken you years to accumulate all of your stuff so don't feel bad if it takes you some time to get rid of it!

Get rid of any possible distractions.  Put away your phone, turn off notifications, and keep your kiddos busy with something else for 15 minutes {or better yet, get them involved if they're old enough!}.

Work quickly.  Put on a timer and work as quickly as you can for the full time.  Don't spend time debating about things that you're not sure about.  Instead, target all of those obvious items that you know need to go.  There will be more time for other items when we work on the individual rooms.

Stay focused. If you have a lot of decluttering to do, it can be easy to get overwhelmed.  Just remember – it's only 15 minutes and it is only one small space.  Pull out only what you have time for.  You don't want a bigger mess in the end than what you started with!

Have a donate bin {or two!} handy.  Trust me.  You will probably be making multiple trips down to The Salvation Army this month. Have a bin or tote {and garbage bag!} nearby when you are decluttering to sort out all of your items that you will be getting rid of as you come to them.

Don't let perfection get in the way.  Again, this is a quick decluttering.  Spend all of your time getting rid of things and we will be coming back to make things look pretty later.  Don't think about it too much – just get started!!

If you come across items that belong elsewhere when you are decluttering, put them away where they belong!

If you need a little extra motivation to get your going, read this post on tackling procrastination and this post on conquering your decluttering paralysis to help get your started on your way.

The Home Decluttering Diet Book

For those of you that really want to get your home decluttered and organized, my book, The Home Decluttering Diet, is the perfect companion to the plan!   You can find it on Amazon, {plus it's currently on SALE!} as well as Barnes and Nobles, Target, and many other online retailers.  While the blog is a great place to get inspiration, I really wanted to create a book that had all of my thoughts and organization ideas in one place and would allow my readers to easily keep referring back to the information that they needed to keep them motivated and encouraged.  The book is based on the basic idea of The Household Organization, but is filled with additional organization inspiration, strategies, and simple DIY projects.  Think of the book as your ultimate organization text book and the blog as your workbook.

What's the plan for the decluttering challenge?

To help get you started, I have a daily plan set up to cover pretty much every area of your house. Feel free to just use this as a guideline though. You can really pick and choose whatever areas of your home need the most work.  For extra cluttered spots, you may want to spend 2 or 3 days going through things and skip some of the other tasks.  It's all up to you!

Here is the plan that I will be following for this year's decluttering challenge…

Day 1: Paperwork.

Do you have a pile of paperwork {or two?} collecting on your kitchen counter or in your home office? Go through bills, receipts, and any other paperwork, tossing {or shredding} what you don't need and sorting whatever is left over into its proper location.

Day 2: Front entry way and coat closet/mudroom.

Donate any coats, shoes, or accessories that you no longer use. If you are short on space, put items that are out of season into storage somewhere else in your home.

Day 3: Purse.

Empty out all garbage and items that you do not use regularly. Sort through any receipts and either put them into paper recycling or file away. Use a small pouch to hold make-up and other essentials that can easily be transferred from purse to purse. Donate any purses that you no longer use or love.

Day 4: Cleaning supplies.

Go through your cleaning supplies {wherever they may be!} and get rid of all of those products that you don't use. Try to use multipurpose cleaners or green cleaning products whenever possible. If you have multiple partially filled bottles of the same product, combine them into one bottle. Toss any old rags or cloths that are at the end of their use.

Day 5: Fridge and Freezer.

Remove all items from that are expired or you know you will not use. Minimize packaging when possible to save space. Find other organization ideas HERE.

Day 6: Pantry and other dry food storage.

Toss all items that are expired and get rid of anything that you know you will not use. Don't forget to go through all of those spices too! Place items that will be expiring soon towards the front of the cupboard.

Day 7: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home and spend a little extra time there.

Day 8: Kitchen Cabinets.

Look for any kitchen items that you do not use or have room for. Ensure that all Tupperware has matching lids and eliminate as many unnecessary kitchen gadgets, cookbooks, and duplicate utensils as you can.  You can see how ours are organized HERE.

Day 9: Medicine Cabinet/First Aid Supplies.

Medicine is actually best stored outside of the bathroom in a cool, dry place out of the reach of children. Go through all medications and look for items that are expired or that you no longer need. Return expired medications to your local pharmacy for proper disposal. Find more ideas HERE.

Day 10: Dining Area.

Commit to keeping your table clutter free.  Find storage solutions for all items that frequently find their way to the table. Donate any dishes, serving ware, or other items that you do not use.

Day 11: Entertainment Area.

Make sure all CDs, DVDs etc are in their proper cases and evaluate what you really will use. Music and videos are so easily accessible through our computers and mobile devices, that your CDs and DVDs may be a thing of the past.

Day 12: Magazines and Books.

Let go of your magazine hoarding and get rid of any outdated editions.  Cut out pages that you would like to keep and sort into a filing system.  Recycle or donate old books that you will no longer read and sort the rest in a logical order.

Day 13: Junk drawer.

Get rid of everything that is not needed. If you have time, use inexpensive plastic containers to store similar items together. Put items that belong elsewhere away.

Day 14: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 15: Desk.

File away any needed paperwork and shred remaining papers. Sort smaller office supplies and only keep products that you use.  Get rid of those 2014 calendars!

Day 16: Bathroom cabinets.

Go through all beauty products and keep only what you really use. Do you really need all of those hotel shampoo bottles?

Day 17: Linen closet.

Donate any linens that you no longer use that are still in good condition.  Toss any items that are really dingy or have holes.

Day 18: Make-up.

Toss anything that is expired, cracked or no longer your style.  Pick your favorites and get rid of those other 10 lipstick tubes that you never wear!  To find out more about the recommended shelf-life for various make-up, check out this post on how to organize your makeup.

Day 19: Jewellery.

Sort through all of your jewellery and decide what items you still wear. Donate or toss the rest!  If anything you would like to keep needs cleaning or repairs, put them aside to take care of as soon as you can.

Day 20: Bedroom closet.

Sort through all clothing and ask yourself if you would still buy it today. If not, it is time for it to go!

Day 21: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas.  If you are all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 22:  Sock and underwear drawer.

Go through all of those socks and underwear.  Make sure you have matching socks with no holes and only keep what you still wear.

Day 23: Nightstand.

Clear off table top and sort through drawers keeping only what you would need before bed or during the night.

Day 24: Kids' Toys.

This is always a fun one. Sort through toys to see what your kids still use {and have your kids help out on this one if they are old enough}. Check to see that toys have all parts and are in working order before donating or selling.  Toss the rest!

Day 25: Kids' Closets

Check to see what clothes still fit and donate the old ones or sort them into a labeled storage bin if you are saving them for younger children.

Day 26: Craft space.

Be ruthless and really evaluate what items you still need and use. Schools will often take extra supplies that you are looking to get rid of.

Day 27: Laundry Room.

Sort through cupboards for any laundry products that are old or not used.  Toss any unpaired socks that are hanging around.

Day 28: Free for All.

This is your catch up day if you didn't finish any of the above areas. If you're all caught up, pick the most cluttered area in your home to go through.

Day 29: Basement.

Chances are this is one of the biggest source of clutter.  Set a timer and try to get rid of as many items as possible.  Use large storage totes to store seasonal items together.

Day 30: Garage.

This one is also a big clutter offender.  Again, set a timer and collect as many items as you can that you no longer use or need.

Day 31: Car.

Grab two bags – one for garbage and one for anything that needs to go back in the house.  Put everything away in its proper place that you bring back into the house.

Get a support team.

The best way to stick with any new plan or habit is to find a support team.  Try doing this challenge with all of the members of your household, a friend, or an extended family member. And for even more support and inspiration, follow along with Instagram or Facebook  and subscribe to my emails {the sign up is right on the side bar!} so you won't miss a post!  There is definitely strength in numbers and I love to hear how things are going for you all!  Please email me with any questions you may have or tag me in your social media posts.

Happy Organizing!!

For more information on The Household Organization Diet and to see last year's spaces, check out this post HERE.

The post January Decluttering Challenge – The Home Detox Diet appeared first on Clean and Scentsible.

[altitudehauling-blog]

Best Practices to Keep In Mind When Cleaning Your Attic

People usually clean their attics once a year during spring cleaning. Unfortunately, when people do this task, they tend to leave a lot of junk behind that should have been thrown out. They also forget to clean out important parts of their attic which can lead to the accumulation of dirt and debris.

When you clean your attic, the rule-of-thumb is to have a plan of attack. Having a plan will ensure that you are able to efficiently remove all of your attics contents, declutter, clean and organize the space effectively.

Steps to Take to Cleaning Your Attic

Cleaning out your attic annually is a good thing. Not going about it systematically however will leave you with a space that is not as thoroughly clean as you would want. To help you out, here are some of the steps you should follow when attic cleaning is on your agenda:

Prepare – before you tackle this task, you need to prepare the stuff that you will need. As they say, you don’t go to war without your weapons and your bullets. To attack this task, you need the following:

Broom

Vacuum cleaner (wet/dry vac is preferable)

Empty boxes

Wet and dry rags

Dust mask

Gloves

Duster with telescopic handle

Mop

Bucket of soapy water

Bucket of clean water

Tape and marker

Sort – when you start cleaning your attic, before you can begin sweeping, vacuuming, and mopping, you first need to sort all the stuff. This is where your boxes come in handy. Separate items that you intend to keep, items that you can sell, items that can be repurposed, and stuff that needs to be tossed. Prepare boxes for each of these and label them.

To make sure that you are not tempted to keep stuff that you don’t really want or need, you should ask yourself a few key questions:

Have used the item recently

Are planning on using it anytime soon

How often do you use the item

Clean – once you have sorted all the stuff in your attic, you will need to move everything out of the way in order to properly clean the area. When cleaning your attic, start by dusting off the hard-to-reach areas, such as the rafters and beams. This will allow the dust to fall to the floor, which will make it easier for you to sweep and vacuum. You can remove cobwebs, any dead pests, and dirt at this stage.

Mop the floor up after sweeping and vacuuming. If you suspect that your attic has pests living in it, you might want to call an exterminator or set up traps to capture these pests yourself. If you find mold and mildew, use a disinfectant cleaner on them to remove them effectively.

Organize – when your space is clean, you will need to organize the stuff that you sorted earlier. Place items you are keeping according to type. Old clothes that you feel you can still use in the future or are planning on giving away can be placed in one box. Old books, mementos, and other stuff that you are planning to keep should also be placed in respective boxes and labeled to make them easier to find.

When you pile these boxes, make sure you leave a space in the middle of the room so you can get to the stuff at the end when you need to. Place heavier and larger boxes at the bottom and lighter ones at the top. Just make sure that you don’t cover any vents to allow for proper air circulation.

Junk Hauling– the stuff that you are thinking of throwing away will have to be carted off for disposal. Stuff that you are thinking of selling at a garage sale should also be separated from the items that you are storing. If you are not selling these on the same day, move them to one side so you can easily access these when the time comes for your garage sale.

To haul your junk away and to make sure that you don’t have boxes of stuff sitting on your curb for days, you should contact a junk hauling company. The company to trust with junk removal in Denver is Altitude Hauling. With professionally trained haulers, you can rest assured that your junk will be properly hauled and disposed of without worry.

Aside from junk hauling, we also offer light demolition services along with bulk trash pick and many other junk removal services. To get your stuff properly taken care of, and to find out how we can help, contact us at 720-669-8522 or email us at contact@altitudehauling.com. We will be very happy answer your questions and schedule your junk hauling needs at your convenience.

The post Best Practices to Keep In Mind When Cleaning Your Attic appeared first on Altitude Hauling.