By Alyssa Sporrer | Guest Writer | Sustainable Organizers
Many people have more free time in the winter. There are fewer festivals, concerts, sports, and impromptu barbecues. Here are four reasons why it makes sense to spend some of that extra time decluttering and organizing your home.
1. You’re inside a lot anyway
People generally spend more time indoors in the winter. As Olaf says in the movie Frozen, “winter’s a good time to stay in and cuddle”. The earlier sunsets and colder weather make it less appealing to venture outside. But, sometimes it can be hard to find productive or even fun things to do when you’re stuck indoors in the winter.
Getting rid of unwanted items, organizing them, and making room for new items can be freeing and sometimes even fun. Plus, you’ll finally be able to cross something off of your ever-growing to-do list.
Decluttering the toy room, for example, could be a fun activity for the family. Children might have forgotten about toys they already had in the piles or bins full of other toys. They may find joy in playing with those long-lost toys or making it easier to find their favorite things in the future.
2. You can get everything ready to go before spring activities begin
Most people get excited about the warmer weather, extra sunlight, and fun activities that come along with spring. Spending time going through things in storage, clothes that are worn out or outgrown, and items that are rarely used probably won’t be your first choice once it’s warm outside again.
If you go through things now and organize what you keep, that’s one less thing you have to do when the weather turns nice. Additionally, when the time for the kids to start baseball or soccer practice comes, you’ll already have their gear organized and easily accessible, so they are ready to go for the spring season.
Wouldn’t it be nice to spend some extra winter hours getting spring items ready, so you don’t have to run around right before activities begin to find out the kids need new cleats by tomorrow? These couple hours spent decluttering and organizing in the winter can help your family prepare for an easy transition into spring.
3. There will be less to clean when spring comes around
Decluttering and organizing in the winter aren’t meant to take the place of spring cleaning. Cleaning includes washing, sweeping, scrubbing, vacuuming, etc.; while decluttering includes getting rid of things you don’t want or use anymore and organizing what is left in a way that is functional for you and your family.
When spring comes around and it’s time to deep clean the blankets, rugs, cabinets, and bathrooms, there won’t be as much clutter in the way. This will make your spring cleaning chores quicker and less stressful. You won’t have to take as much out of the cupboards to clean the shelves or wash as many loads of stored clothes and blankets if you have already decluttered those unused items.
4. The kids are in school
In the winter, kids are busy with school and other activities. They are out of the house, which may not be the case later in the spring or early summer. If you have the house to yourself or with your partner for a couple of hours, you will have fewer interruptions and distractions while going through your items.
A tip we give our clients is to start small. Try going through one small area while the kids are at school, with the intent to have the area decluttered and reorganized by the time the kids return. This can be one to two drawers in your kitchen or sorting through a bathroom cabinet. Starting small will make your organizing goals more attainable and provide you with a sense of accomplishment each day. Once you feel like you have mastered the process of decluttering and organizing, then move on to larger projects.
If you love the idea of decluttering and organizing in the winter, but you’re feeling like you need a little extra push to get started, try asking a trusted friend or a professional organizer to help you out. A friend or an organizer can provide encouragement and an extra set of hands so you can reach your goals more quickly.
If you're interested in some help organizing and decluttering then schedule your free discovery call to chat with us and learn more!
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