Spring Cleaning

Spring is synonymous with fresh starts. Everything seems more exciting when the weather starts to warms up, though Mother Nature doesn’t appear to have gotten the memo that SPRING is here! A good spring cleaning is also part of the start to a new year, and while it doesn’t always rank high on the list of fun things to do, you know you’ll feel fantastic once you can check that off your list.

Let Fashion Cleaners help you with your Spring Cleaning journey with our FREE temperature controlled seasonal storage! Bring those items in you won’t need until the seasons change, and we will clean them and store them at no cost, ready to be picked up when the weather gets cold again.

Here are some fun tips to help make the process as painless as possible!

Set the mood.

It may sound silly, but it helps! —It’s important to create an environment that’s as stress-free as possible. Open your curtains or blinds and let in as much light as you can! Put on your favorite play list of fun, upbeat music. Also, make sure you’re dressed in comfy clothes. Cleaning is an active sport —consider it a workout alternative. You’ll burn calories, and feel accomplished – win, win!

Divide and conquer.

It’s easy to get overwhelmed, so think about your cleaning as a collection of smaller tasks. Make a list of the areas you want to cover—your closet, your dresser, your bathroom cabinet—and prioritize them. Splitting up the work into manageable chunks will help. This is especially important because its not likely you can devote an entire day to sorting through your stuff.

Embrace the pile method.

While piling isn’t a “technical” term, it can be extremely helpful. Once you’ve decided on an area, jump right in and start placing things in piles for “yes,” “no,” and “maybe.” Only put things you wear or use regularly in the yes pile, and don’t be afraid to put things in the “No” pile!. Getting rid of clothes, old beauty products, and other things lying around collecting dust is the whole point of spring cleaning! Once everything is separated out, go back through the maybe pile and try to make yes and no decisions – go with your gut, don’t spend too much time thinking about that one occasion that might come up where you might want to wear something. If you still have items in limbo, move on to another area and revisit the maybes after the next round of piling. If you know you are going to have a tough time getting rid of things, enlist a tough love friend to help you truly purge those items.

Ask yourself the tough questions.

Are you ever going to wear that too-tight dress you’ve been hanging onto since high school? Or that bag that the lining is torn and the strap is frayed, but you loved it 4 years ago? Or those shoes that give you a blister every time you wear them? No, no, and no. A good rule of thumb is to get rid of anything you wouldn’t wear right in that moment, if weather weren’t a factor. With beauty products, expiration dates vary, but you should throw out anything that’s changed colors, developed an odor, or that you haven’t used in the last year.

Get organized.

You’ve got your piles… so now what?  Now its time to fold your clothes and organize your space logically. This means putting winter coats at the back of your closet and hanging up clothes by type (tops, bottoms, dresses), color, or even by outfit. If your room is in need of a lot of help, think about purchasing shoe racks, drawer dividers, and other organizational tools.

Say buh-bye to your stuff.

Items that are badly worn out should be thrown away, as should things like half-used bottles of old moisturizer or that firming cream you tried twice and never touched again. Clothing and accessories that are in good shape can either be donated to places such as the Good Will, a local area shelter, or sold at consignment shops or online. An option for the ladies is to do a group spring cleaning and then get together for a clothes swap. This is a great way to switch up your wardrobe for no cost, and have a fun night with friends!

Treat yourself.

Yes!  You deserve it! An emptier and more organized space also means you have room for some new items. Now that you have a fresh perspective on what you are working with, you can make some educated purchases to enhance what you already have. Having a treat for yourself in sight can give you that extra bit of motivation you need to get the job done. Now spring into action and get cleaning!