Winter is the ideal time to organize and clean your home. An organized home leads to less stress later in the year when warm weather means you are on the go. Take advantage of the cold Colorado winter with these winter cleaning and organization tips. 

Make a Plan

Reduce the stress of the project by making a plan before you begin cleaning and organizing.

• Create a priority list to address the worst rooms first.
• Gather cleaning supplies.
• Gather organizing supplies including containers, hangers, and a label maker. If you do not have a label maker masking tape and a permanent marker work.
• Block off time when you know the weather is bad to complete the project. Depending on the size of your home, make it a multi-day project to avoid burnout or injury.

Use the Three Pile System

As you clean each room, take the time to organize every aspect of the room. When you go through closets or other storage of clothing and accessories use the three pile system:

• Keep. Only keep the items you know you are going to wear or use in the near future. This helps create space for future items.
• Toss. Use this pile for the garbage.
• Donate. As you put things in this pile, create a list of the items for next year's tax deduction. Winter right after the holidays is the perfect time to downsize closets, accessories, and toys. Pass them on to those who can use them.

Get the Family Involved

Cleaning and organizing your home is not a one person job. Get your family involved in the project.

• Teach children to keep their space clean and organized.
• Involve children in donating toys.
• Ask your spouse or significant other to divide the cleaning duties. If they are taller, ask them to take care of ceiling fans and other high areas.

Address Paperwork and Your Computer

Winter time is also tax time. Use the cold weather as a chance to go through files.

• Shred statements and receipts.
• File and organize important documents for quick access.
• Clean off your desk so that you have room to work from home or do bills.
• Organize your hard drive. Move pictures and special files to an external storage device.

Don't Forget the Pantry

The last item to address in the cleaning and organizing process is your pantry. 

• Look for items you can donate to your local food pantry.
• Throw away expired items.
• Organize canned goods where the ones that are closest to their expiration are up front.

Remember as you clean your home, if you have a chimney, it is important to clean that on a regular basis. This eliminates potentially harmful and flammable buildup and reduces the risk of fire. For more information on organizing and cleaning your home, please contact us today. We look forward to answering any questions you have.