Revive and Thrive: Stuff We Overlook During Spring Cleaning, and Tips to Get Them Done!
Is Spring here yet? After the unusually cold and wet winter in San Diego, we are ready for the warmth and beauty that Spring brings. Spring cleaning is the perfect way to freshen up our living spaces. One of the biggest mistakes people make is not decluttering before they clean. This is crucial because less stuff = less cleaning! In this post, I’ll address some of the categories that are often overlooked during spring cleaning, and share some tips to organize them effectively.
Make-up, Skincare, & Toiletries
Evaluate product quality: Over time, makeup, skincare, and toiletries can deteriorate in quality, leading to changes in texture, consistency, or color. If you notice any signs of deterioration, it's time to replace those products. Using expired or poor-quality products can result in uneven application, poor coverage, or skin reactions. Go through your products and check the expiration dates. Write out the expiration dates on your backstock so that when you’re in a rush, it is clear which piece you should use next. Recycle any items that are past the “use by” date, or that are no longer safe to use. Terracycle offers free recycling for several product categories, from toiletries to dog food. Additionally, get rid of duplicates and products that you won’t use. I love to pass on products via my local Buy Nothing group.
Categorize products by frequency of use: Daily, Weekly, or Monthly? This will help prioritize what goes on the bathroom counter (daily use) or in the cabinets (weekly and monthly usage).
Clean brushes and sponges: Makeup products can accumulate dirt, oils, and bacteria over time, especially those that come in contact with your skin or eyes. Dirty brushes and sponges can lead to breakouts, infections, or other skin issues. Wash your makeup brushes and sponges with mild soap and water, and allow them to air dry. Wipe down the surfaces of your makeup palettes, compacts, and containers with alcohol or a gentle cleanser. All of this will help ensure that your makeup products are clean and safe.
Review your travel-sized products and samples: Ensure they are all still usable. Recycle what you can’t or won’t use. Store your travel-size products in your travel kit so that you can find them easily when you pack.
Books
Books are a challenging category for me to declutter, mainly because it is a “want” versus a “need” category. Any book lover will tell you they want to keep 98 percent of all their books. Nevertheless, reviewing your books during this time will help create space for new books!
Browse through your book collection and be honest with yourself about which books you really need or enjoy. If there are books that are special to you but that you know you won’t read again, consider gifting them to a friend or family member. Start a pile to donate or sell the books that no longer speak to you. Your local library local libraries, schools, or charities will be thrilled with your donations. You can also consider selling them online.
Make a reading list of books that you plan to read again in the near future and keep them on a separate shelf. This is a good way of finding your next book to read. If you don’t get to the books over the next six to eight months, return them to the proper category on your other shelves.
People organize differently, so you should do what works best for you. You can organize by genre, author, or theme. If the books are going to be stored on shelves in a central living space, I like to use the one-third rule where you fill a third of the shelf with books, add a photo frame or other display other collectibles, and leave the final third free.
Electronic cords and cables
We all have that drawer or cupboard that has a tangle of wires. We change devices frequently, but this drawer probably still has a Blackberry charger!
Figure out which chargers and cables are essential for your current devices and keep the ones in good shape. If you have duplicates, consider whether you can use them in different spaces (office, outdoor, travel, etc.). Recycle any damaged cables. Please note that you cannot toss these items in the trash in most places. Visit Earth 911 to find a recycling site near you.
Categorize the cables and wires based on their purpose, such as charging cables, audio/video cables, data cables, etc. Sorting them will make it easier to organize.
Use labels or tags to identify each cable or wire. This will make it easier to locate them when needed. Bundle the cables and wires together using Velcro straps, cable ties, or zip ties to keep them neat and prevent them from tangling. I like to use these cable tags to label and store wires neatly. For cables you are currently using, I use organizers to keep them in place and reduce clutter.
Spices
During spring cleaning, we often go through our canned goods and pantries, but we ignore the spices we have.
Start by taking inventory of your spice collection and evaluating each for freshness and quality. Discard expired or stale spices, as they can lose their flavor and potency over time. You may have to use all your senses to determine whether something is fresh. According to the experts at the food network, “ Ground spices lose their freshness the quickest and typically don't last past six months. The best freshness test for ground spices is to give them a whiff — if they smell like nothing, then it's time to say goodbye. Whole spices can last for up to five years.”
Keep spices in airtight containers to maintain the freshness and flavor of your spices and dried herbs. I prefer glass containers to plastic because plastic is porous and does allow small quantities of air to filter into the container.
Label your spices clearly to make it easy to identify them. Categorize your spices based on their usage or culinary purpose, such as baking spices, cooking spices, or ethnic spices. This will make it convenient to locate and access the spices you need.
Choose a storage solution that works for your kitchen layout but also for maintaining the spices. Store spices in a cool, dry place that is not exposed to light, heat, or humidity. I keep my spices in the drawer closest to my stove only because I’ve checked that the heat does not come through to the spice drawer. Avoid drawers next to the dishwasher and countertops (if there is a lot of natural light). Arrange the spices you use most frequently within easy reach, either in the front row of your spice drawer or shelf. This will save you time and effort.
Ensure that your spices remain fresh and flavorful, use the "first in, first out" principle. Write the “ best by” date and the date you opened the spice on the back of the container. You can use a stick-on label or a marker that works on glass and can wipe off. When adding new spices to your collection, place them behind the older ones so that you use the older spices first and prevent them from becoming stale.
Cleaning supplies
While thinking about decluttering cleaning supplies, I remembered an article I read in Good Housekeeping last year, that captured everything i could think of. You can check out the link, and the summary is below
Like with the other categories, go through all your cleaning supplies and make sure it is still safe to use. If not, follow the manufacturer's instructions for safe disposal. In San Diego, you can make an appointment with the hazardous waste center at Miramar landfill to safely dispose of your cleaners. If it is safe to use, you can also use your Buy Nothing group to pass it to others who may need it.
Sort your products by type - bathroom cleaners, furniture polish etc. Put cleaners you use on a daily or weekly basis in a caddy so that you can easily move them from one room to another.
Clean your mop heads, cleaning rags and dusters. Most of these can be put into the washing machine on a hot cycle, and can then air dry in the sun.
I hope these tips encourage you to include these categories in your spring cleaning. Again, decluttering before you clean will save you time, make space, and will help you create a sustainable organizational system. Happy Spring!
