One way to keep clutter at bay and prevent a huge clean-out
every five years is to put together a simple organizing maintenance schedule
for your home. If you follow a few rules and a rough routine you can eliminate a lot of time going through
years of accumulated items and clutter.
- Above all else, establish a one in, one out rule. If you bring a new item into your home you must choose an item to donate or throw away. This strategy works great for toys, clothes, tools, movies etc.
- Do not exceed the parameters of storage you have set for a certain category. For example, if you have chosen to store garden tools in a shed, do not let them spill over into the garage so you can keep collecting more. Choose what to pare down until everything fits back in the shed.
- Establish a yearly maintenance routine. Here is a rough example:
a.
Winter/Spring
i. Go through clothes
ii. Go through papers
iii. Go through main living areas
b.
Summer/Fall
i. Go through attic, garage and basement
ii. Go through bedrooms
iii. Go through toys (right before
holidays)
Consistency is key to a good routine. If you adhere to your guidelines and make a
commitment to address every room in your home at least annually you will find
yourself staying better organized and maintaining a better understanding of
what is in your home.
