By: Wanda Campbell
We have been waiting so long for spring weather to get here, I was not sure it would ever come. Spring has finally sprung and we can see flowers, trees, and bushes blooming up a storm of pollen in the wind.
The Almanac says that planting in our area is between March 15 and April 15. I hope you have gotten to your pruning and planting. If not, it is a good time to do that.
This is also a good time to declutter, throw open the doors, and let the wind (and pollen) change the air in your house. Winter is always so stuffy and the first day I can open windows is always a great day. I know I will regret the pollen that comes in, but the air in the house is different and fresh.
I also like to declutter in the spring in preparation for our New Haven Community Yard Sale in the fall. It will probably take me six months to get that done. Comedian George Carlin once said “a house is just a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get more stuff.”
Here are some tips that you can use for your spring-cleaning that I got from the website – www.simplemost.com. If you would like to read the whole article – “35 Things You Can Get Rid Of Today For a More Organized Home” – it is at https://www.simplemost.com/get-ride-clutter-have-organized-home/.
The number one clutter listed in the article is the plastic utensils and sauce packets that come with take-out. Unless you use them quickly, they are just taking up space. Last week I threw out a big basket of utensils and a butter dish of sauce packets that I have no idea how long I have had them.
Number two on the list was cords. The modern American family has so many electronic devices in their homes. If you are like me, I have replaced devices and hung on to the cords. This applies to keys at our house too. The goal, in this situation, is to match the cords with devices (and keys to locks).Then get rid of the excess cords and keys. You can list the cords on Craigslist or Facebook Marketplace free and get a little money back.
Broken items was number five on the list. I have a stack of clothes that need buttons, hems, or seams stitched. Not too long ago, I found a dress that I made for my daughter that needed hemming. The dress was a child size three – my daughter is in her forties now. I think I might take that to Goodwill and let someone else hem it.
Old magazines was number eight on the list. I have a stack of magazines that have recipes I have never cooked and decorating ideas I have never used. Jennifer Snyder, owner of Neat as a Pin Organizing Experts in Waco, Texas, says unless the article is about you or written by you, don’t keep those magazines.
Gifts you never liked, wire hangers, plastic promotion cups, shopping bags, exercise equipment you are not using, craft supplies, and so much more are on the list too. It looks like my spring AND SUMMER will be spent clearing the clutter in my house.
By: Wanda Campbell
Center for Lifelong Learning – 121 South Marion Street, Athens, AL 35611 – 256-233-8262
