The Missing Step in Spring Cleaning

You know the feeling you get as spring approaches? The giddiness you feel as the sun comes out a little more, the buds on the trees begin growing, and little bits of color start popping up as flowers begin to bloom. California poppies are on full display. And birds are chirping – like they’re saying, “it’s time to get going!”

It comes every year, yet spring always feels fresh and new when it rolls around. Everywhere you look online, in magazines, or newspapers, everyone’s talking about spring cleaning.

But one major part that’s often overlooked is decluttering. Before you can dive into the deep cleaning, you need to make space first!

Decluttering isn’t just about organizing physical spaces — it’s about creating mental clarity and emotional well-being. Here are a few reasons why decluttering should be the first step when you begin spring cleaning.

Easier to Clean
Simply put? When there’s less stuff in the way, it’s easier to clean.

Increased Clarity and Focus

Our physical space impacts our mental clarity and ability to focus. Clutter has been proven to lead to overwhelm, stress, and anxiety. A tidy environment promotes a sense of peace and clarity, allowing us to approach tasks with a renewed sense of purpose. And spring is all about renewal!

Letting Go

That feeling of renewal makes spring the perfect time to let go of the things that no longer serve us. 

Whether it’s clothing we haven’t worn in years, knick-knacks collecting dust on shelves, or kitchen utensils shoved in the back of drawers, letting go of belongings fits right in with the spring feeling of out with the old, in with the new! The difference? Let’s pause when buying things and make conscious decisions about the new things we bring into our homes. That way, there’s less clutter to clean around!

Increased Productivity

Clutter slows us down. It physically gets in the way of spring cleaning, but it also makes it easy to get distracted and lose focus. By decluttering, we eliminate distractions and create an environment that fosters productivity and creativity.

The Missing Step to Spring Cleaning

While all that information is important, sometimes you just need to get things done! When it comes to spring cleaning, you just need to get some of the obvious clutter out of the way so you can scrub the floors, dust the shelves, and get to all the spaces the sun is now shining on.


That’s why I recommend a quick session of speed decluttering. So, how does it work?

Speed Decluttering

A full declutter is essential when it comes to getting your entire home organized and we’ll go deeper into that process another time. 

For the sake of making space for spring cleaning, I suggest starting with a quick declutter because it will help you build momentum. Speed decluttering is like speed dating — you’re just getting a sample of it first to see how it goes! Then you’ll do a deeper dive later.

Here’s how it works:

  • Grab a garbage bag and a box.
  • Walk around every room in your house and look for garbage or items you can donate. You’re looking for items that are a quick decision right now.
    • Trash the kids left out? Toss it. Old headphones no one uses? Gone. Dog toy that’s ripped to shreds? Garbage. (But don’t let Scruffy see you!)
    • Want to get the kids involved and make it a little more fun? Set a timer for 10 minutes and a goal of 25 items. See what they come up with!

Come Back Later

After your speed decluttering, it’s easier to get your spring cleaning done. And after that, set aside some time to come back and do more detailed decluttering and organizing. I’ll be here, ready for you!

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~Tami

Portable Linen Bankers Box – Good for Evacuation

Since we never know when we’ll need to evacuate from our homes due to floods, fires, earthquakes, etc., it’s a good idea to have all our important documents and a stash of cash ready to go in minutes.

Here’s what we recommend – a portable file box. It’s foldable and has a linen-look. It also folds flat and can live next to where all your official documents are stored (if you have a metal file cabinet or safe you store them in at home). This way, when you need to evacuate, it takes less than a minute to assemble, has built-in handles, and a sturdy lid. Boom!

These are not expensive. You can order these online, purchase them from office supply stores, or big box stores. They come in a variety of colors, so can easily match your décor.

File Folders

Are piles of papers cluttering your desk or kitchen table? Can’t find bills you need to pay?

Maybe it’s time to create an easy-to-use system. Nothing fancy, just buy some manila envelopes (or get colored ones for extra pop) and a wire rack. I recommend a rack that holds folders upright so you can see the tabs.

First folder, label it “bills to be paid”. Next one, “receipts/orders”. Credit card receipts and online orders you’ve printed receipts for, go in this folder. Last one, mark “pending”, for anything long term that is still pending and doesn’t make sense to put in the bills or receipts folders.

Now you can start filing. When you’re finished, put the folders in the rack and set it on your desk. Some people put the rack behind a cabinet/pantry door. I recommend that you put it close to where you process your mail. Then it’s a quick file after you know you need to act on it. Other papers (think junk mail), directly in to recycle bin! Congrats, you’re done!

Mail – the old-fashioned kind

When you get your mail, do you toss it onto your kitchen table? Your counter? You’re not alone.

Hack – take 2 minutes to go through it…YEP…before you toss it down. Be ruthless and intent on tossing junk mail. Separate flyers from sealed envelopes. Quick-toss junk mail to recycle bin. Put bills where you’ll pay them (maybe a folder?) – DONE!

What’s your current system? Does it work? What drives you nuts about snail mail? Let me know on the contact page