Organizing & Purging the House

Are things just piling up around the house? When was the last time you did a true cleanse? When I was a kid we moved around 25 times before I left home for college, this gave me the tools to know how to purge, and also how to rearrange furniture. I have now lived in my home that my husband and I have owned for 6 1/2 years, the longest I have lived anywhere. Even though we don't have any plans on moving, I still feel the need to go through my belongings every 6 months to make sure we aren't keeping anything we don't need or have to move - just in case. I also rearrange my furniture every 3 months because I feel the need for change. I understand those that don't like change and don't feel the need to move things around, and appreciate that, but it certainly is a great way to put some excitement in the everyday routine, it allows you to get a new perspective in your house, and the perfect start to the spring clean.

• Step 1:  Turn off the TV and turn up the music, get movtivated!
• Step 2: Pick a room. Have a goal of just getting that room done in one day - it is possible. If you get it done and feel motivated, move on to the next room.
• 3: Pick a corner of the room or maybe a closet, start pulling stuff out (I have to make a mess to get organized). Get a garbage can, a garbage bag and start making piles. Whatever you can't recycle, reuse, give away, or keep goes in the garbage can. Make a pile for recycling - you know old receipts, boxes, papers, plastic, etc. Anything that can be donated to a local school, church, or donation center goes in the garbage bag (when it is full immediately put it in the back of your car and drop off the next time you go anywhere - make it a point so it doesn't stay in your house or your car - and it feels good when you drop it off, and it is tax deductible - get a receipt!). The rest of the piles are things you have still use for and have decided to keep. Organize according to where you want them to go, kitchen items go in a pile, bathroom items go in a pile (if you are like me lotion, combs, hair bands, etc always end up all over the house - I save $ every 3 months by collecting all the hair ties around the house and putting them back in the bathroom instead of buying a new packet thinking they have all been lost), etc.
• 4: Once you have pulled out and separated everything, pull out the vacuum and get the carpet, corners, floors, inside drawers. Wipe down any hard surfaces with a damp cloth to remove dust or particles.
• 5: Place back everything in its spot, wipe down anything that is dirty or dusty before placing it back (perfume bottles some times get dusty, lotion bottles, etc, but if you have not used them in a long time, consider getting rid of them so it isn't taking up space - PURGE!)
• 6: Take out trash & recycling
• 7: Sit back, drink some tea (or whatever you like), and bask in the beauty of the cleanse. Good job!