Do you realize that in just a little more than two months, summer begins? For many people, the start of summer break brings a new kind of busy and a new kind of upkeep for your home. Take a look around a home with kids and you’ll likely find left over school supplies, unused winter items, outdoor warm weather toys, and endless summer entertainment projects and toys in the house. All that “stuff” can get overwhelming fast, and with vacations planned and guests coming, your home and your stress levels could use a good refresh and de-cluttering. Don’t worry, we’ll walk you through how to tackle those messes and prep your home for summer so that those sunny days will feel good in and out of your home.
Focus
Many people stick with the “spring cleaning” concept and clear out everything when the temperatures first begin to rise. However, it wouldn’t hurt to revisit that concept once more toward the end of spring. When you take the time to declutter your house with smaller, more frequent cleaning, it tends to make the entire process a lot more manageable. Try to tackle one room of your house each weekend. This allows you to stay focused on that specific area and really get down to the nitty-gritty.
Sort
Throw out all of the extras and non-essentials that you know you will not need today, tomorrow, next year, or, let’s face it, any time in the foreseeable future. If you find yourself having to pause when throwing something out because it’s in good condition, but you know you just don’t need it, sell it at a yard sale or donate it to a charity of your choice!
Children
As we mentioned previously, the end of a school year means loads of papers coming home with your kids. We all have been there before. How do you throw away papers and artwork that your little ones worked so hard to complete? Try to purge all the daily work as it comes home and just keep an eye out for the special projects and extra special art pieces. Designate a specific storage bin to each child, and fill it with those special works of art. This way you won’t have piles upon piles of papers in every corner of your house as you try to decide what to hang onto.
Speaking of kids, the idea of decluttering alone can be a difficult for children to get into. They love things – all things. Even as the toys break, or the puzzle pieces turn up missing, many children are not ready to part with their possessions. We suggest involving them in the process. Many kids love the idea of a yard sale, even if it means they make only a few dollars. If you ask them what toys they would like to sell in the “kids section” of the yard sale and get their input, they’ll be more likely to jump on board.
Once they clean out the toys they would like to pass on to others, you can sort through any in poor condition and explain why these need to be thrown in the trash instead of making their way to the kid’s “storefront” at the upcoming sale.
Winter Items
Living here in the valley of the sun, we often find ourselves with two separate wardrobes that just cannot cross over to different seasons. There is no need for sweaters, jackets and boots when temperatures are in the 100s. Or what about those down comforters and extra couch throws? Why not pack up these items and move them out of the way during the summer months? Vacuum-sealed bags are a great way to store these items in a way that takes up as little space as possible.
Declutter Phase Complete!
Now that you have made your way through the house and have decided what can be thrown out, what can be donated, and what can be placed in appropriate storage containers, you now have to find a place to store all the things you’re keeping, but not currently using. Not everything of course is going to be able to go in the closet, spare room or garage. The lack of space and abundance of stuff in your home is what you were trying to solve in the first place. That’s where Gilbert Self Storage comes to the rescue…
Once you have filled the designated bins with little Johnny’s 3rd grade art, and Sally’s freshman year mementos bin is full to the brim, it’s time to consider your storage options. There will always be keepsakes that you don’t want to let go, but there is no need for those items to crowd your everyday space and home life. Whether you are looking to store some items for the season, or would like a more long-term storage and organization options, remember that Gilbert Self Storage has a variety of storage solutions. Find out how we can help you keep your special items safe by giving us a call at 480-899-3224.
