spring cleaning covid 19

Coronavirus has made things crazy and scary, like weren’t already crazy and scary enough before! It’s getting real out there – the anxiety is at an all-time high. Face masks are sold out, hand sanitizers are sold out. We might as well have to sell off a few jewelry to buy some hand sanitizers that are now being sold at exorbitant prices.

 

While the government has locked down school, colleges, offices and banned public gatherings, we are kind of stuck at home (for good, for our own safety!). Staying at home, for most of us, might be something new, and the question that arises is what exactly are we going to do at home all the time?

 

Well, we are going to one of the best things to calm ourselves down and that is organizing! Yes, because we might not be able to control what’s going on in the outside world but we can definitely control things in our own house.

 

If you’re new to organizing, you would want to start small and be overwhelmed. The things we are going to tell you might help with long-term organizational success.

 

Before you get down to do the main business, here are few important points you need to keep in mind when addressing any project – be it weekend decluttering or the big Diwali deep cleaning.

 

  • - Take everything (and we each & every item) out of the space you’re going to organize.
  • - Place like items together and create groups and label them.
  • - Get rid of anything that you don’t use or don’t like it anymore. In Marie Kondo’s words, “hold onto those items that spark joy”.

If you do these steps properly, you can assess your space and figure out all the items it can accommodate. If you decide to skip the process, you will only be moving the clutter back and forth in to the space.

 

So here are a few things to get you started (not necessarily in the same order):

 

1. Check your pantry

 

Because if you’re going to spend more time at home, you’re going to want to cook and snack every now and then, right? Having said that, refrain yourself from over-stocking your pantry at all costs (now read that again). When doing your pantry, you don’t have to take everything out of the cupboards, just check the expiry date of all items including spices, sauces, oils, etc.


2. Do the drawers

 colourful stationery in drawer

Pick any drawer – tackling one drawer a day would totally work. Start with the one that you use most often. It could be a drawer that has your stationery or the one with under garments.  Use individual inserts to make sections within a drawer and categorize items in such manner.


3. Get first-aid ready


medicine cabinet

Honestly, there’s no better time than now to spring-clean your medicine cabinet. Make an inventory of what you have and what you might need in the upcoming weeks. Then, just like what you did in pantry, toss anything that has gone past its expiry date. Keep the medicines in transparent storage boxes labeling them according to the symptoms or whether they are for kids or adults. You’ll have a de-cluttered medicine cabinet and it’s always good to know that you’re well-covered in case of an emergency.


4. Maximize your closet space


spring clean the closet

This can be a bit overwhelming and we won’t ask you to tackle the entire closet at once. Instead, work on one category at a time – you could categorize them into jeans, dresses, t-shirts, trousers, shoes, etc. you could donate the pieces you no longer wear or haven’t worn it for over a year or those that don’t fit well. Once you’ve done this, you can put the remaining clothes on hangers and organizers that are easily available and make your closet look clean. Now, to maintain this maximized space, it’s important to let go of certain pieces whenever you bring in something new to avoid the hoarding situation in the closet.


5. Streamline your beauty routine


organize your makeup

This, again, goes out without saying – take out every item and categorize them. Go ahead and toss out anything that has gone past it’s expiry date. Have anything that you bought impulsively and the shade doesn’t go with your skin tone? Give it off to a friend. Makeup products are best stored in acrylic transparent storage boxes or a in a drawers separated using separators.


6. Rainbow your bookshelf


rainbow your bookshelf

That’s right – arranging books by colors is not only a good décor idea but it can be very calming too. If you usually organize your books alphabetically or by genre, then this probably isn’t for you. But for the rest of you, the process of organizing books in such manner can be a fun activity. You’ll be faster to find what you’re looking for and you’ll know where to put it away. It can especially be inspiring for the kids.


7. Create a drop station


entryway decor

There are certain items that go in and out of the house on a regular basis. This may include umbrellas, backpacks, outdoor shoes, sports equipment, etc. These items can be stored in a well-organized storage in the entryway. You could use storage boxes tucked under a console table or use a storage bench that could double up as a seating space. This ensures that the you or the kids can access these items easily and clutter stays at the door.


8. Give yourself a pat on the back

 

Because you deserve it. These are crazy times, and some of us may still be finding it hard to cope. Now, with these few steps, you not only organize your home for the days you’re going to be quarantined, but prepare yourself for bigger projects whenever need arises.