Seven Tips to De-Cleanse Your Home

You want to reorganize or revamp your surroundings. But, as soon as the word "organize" is mentioned, you tune out immediately. So, instead of thinking "organize," think "cleanse." You're cleansing your house and life of things that you don't need or things that cause more work for you.

Think about it, do you want to dust something you haven't used in ages? Do you want to pull out stuff from the closet you haven't worn in years only to put it back in the closet again? And don't you get stressed out looking for something you know you have, but can't find, because of all the other junk in the way?

So, you are going to cleanse your house, and by cleansing your house of the clutter, you're getting rid of stress, too. And the cleansing process can be accomplished in 30 minutes a day. That's it. So, set aside 30 minutes and follow these seven steps to cleanse your surroundings. Psst! If you can't find 30 minutes a day, use 15 minutes.

1. Spend 30 minutes each day on one drawer, shelf, or closet. First, empty the drawer of all of the contents, discard broken and/or useless bits and pieces, wipe clean, then add a new piece of liner if needed.

2. Start with the one area that you always seem to leave for last or the place that overwhelms you the most. Your initial enthusiasm will help make this task easier. By the 15th day of cleansing, your enthusiasm has dwindled and this can cause you to dread those harder areas to come.

3. Collect any small appliance, utensils, or serving pieces that you do not use, but are still in good condition. Have your family and friends do the same with theirs. Invite the group to bring their "do not use" objects and have a housewares swap. This works especially well for that never-used merchandise you bought from a party plan and for the unwanted gifts you've received that will sit in a closet. (P.S. You can have a swap with just about anything from crafts to software programs to toys.)

4. Use one canned food or boxed product from your pantry every day. Incorporate this product into your supper meal. By the end of the month, you should have "Old Mother Hubbard's cupboard," making this area a snap to clean.

5. Have the kids help you with their toys and clothes, but give them an incentive to do so. Before you start tossing their belongings, look for a resale shop that allows you to sell items on a consignment basis. Or store all the "to be sold" things in one place for a garage sale or to take to a flea market. Many churches have flea markets as a fundraiser. The earnings could be divided up among the kids or go toward a designated family trip.

6. Go through the books, computer software and videos. Books, software, and videos can be swapped, or sold at a garage sale or consignment shop. Or for immediate sales, list the goods through Amazon.com Marketplace. When your objects are sold, the money is deposited into the account you specify.

7. Pull out the photos and set up a card table in the family/living room. Include a box of photos (one season at a time), scissors, old greeting cards, stickers, markers, and an album. Cut out shapes or words from the old cards and include these on the album's pages for cheap scrapbooking fun. With a marker, add comments to coincide with the pictures. This is a great way to spend a rainy or snowy evening with the family, yet accomplish a task that can be easily overlooked.

Follow these quick steps and, soon, your surroundings will be cleansed of all that extra stuff making you frantic.

NOTE: Any items you'd like to discard can always be donated to charitable organizations, shelters, and senior centers.

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Mary Jo Rulnick is the author of THE FRANTIC WOMAN'S GUIDE TO FEEDING FAMILY AND FRIENDS (Warner Books, 2006), which has been featured in BETTER HOMES AND GARDEN and QUICK AND SIMPLE MAGAZINE. Rulnick is an award-winning writer for Parenting Publications of America. Rulnick, a former events manager for a national non-profit organization, turned her do-it-yourself expertise into a writing career. Her articles have been published in magazines throughout the United States and Canada and she specializes in home, family and life issues. She is a frequent radio and television guest and a regular speaker at corporate and non-profit organizations. Her web site is http://maryjorulnick.com and you can reach her at mjrwrites@aol.com.

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