With the punishing winter weather now blowing out of the way, many folks from St. Louis, Missouri are finally have a chance to get down and dirty for some much-needed spring cleaning. Spring cleaning requires a significant investment in elbow grease, but it can also cost quite a bit in terms of cold hard cash.
An article from the Chicago Tribune reveals, however, that spring cleaning doesn’t have to be expensive. The article lists a few organizing tips that anyone can try and won’t cost a lot of money, either.
When house cleaning in St. Louis this spring, the article advises that savers embrace the fact that they are savers, or that they tend to organize objects less granularly. Instead of trying to be more granular in their approach, savers should instead use products that complement their organizational style.
The article also recommends using the two-year rule. The rule works on the premise that, “if you haven’t used something or worn it in two years, then it’s time to say ‘goodbye’” to it. Additionally, it suggests discarding similar items by putting them next to each other and deciding which one you like best.
For people who find themselves regularly confused by their cables, the article advises against using cable zippers or tubes because these can make it difficult to remove something when you need to. Instead, it suggests using a label-maker to create labels for each wire so that you can easily tell where each one should go.
Finally, it also talks about setting up activity zones and utilizing secret storage. For activity zones, it recommends putting things within easy reach:
“Place the towels near the sink, the knives near the cutting boards in the same area that you actually prep, the pots and pans and stove-top gadgets near the stove, etc.”
For secret storage, on the other hand, it says:
“Even if you think you’ve used up every last inch of storage, there’s probably a little more space that’s just hiding from view … Take, for instance, that gigantic lobster pot that you used three times in the last seven years. … It’s great for stashing one-time items for their annual use like leftover July Fourth, Christmas or Halloween paper goods — and for steaming lobster, of course.”
The Tribune article also builds on the idea that an organized home is easier and faster to clean. Also, for anyone who plans to hire any of the great cleaning companies in St. Louis, like Maid Pro, to take care of their spring cleaning for them, a well-organized home can cost less to clean, since the condition of the home can affect pricing.
(Source: Spring cleaning on the cheap, Chicago Tribune, March 6, 2014)
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