If you’re like many homeowners in the Greater Raleigh area, you are determined to organize your home in 2017 (since you weren’t able to get around to it last year). The secret to keeping any New Year’s resolution is making sure your goal is “smart” — specific, measurable, action-oriented, realistic, and time-based. That’s why it’s almost impossible to tackle a whole-home organization project without a deadline or specific list of steps.
At Linda Craft & Team, REALTORS®, we want to help you accomplish your New Year’s real estate goals so you can focus on the things that matter. Follow this 3-week organization calendar and you’ll have your whole home completely organized by February 1.
Tackle Those Projects You’ve Been Meaning to Do
There’s always a certain room or space that seems to be a catch-all for laundry, unorganized files, or miscellaneous household items. Here’s how you can conquer the mess in just a week.
- Day 1: Identify problem areas in each room of your home, including the garage and attic. Set aside boxes for items you intend to donate and trash bags for stuff you need to toss.
- Day 2: Add drawers, coat hooks, and a designated container for shoes by your front door.
- Day 3: Organize pet supplies or children’s toys.
- Day 4: Designate specific spaces in your kitchen for utensils, spices, pots and pans, etc.
- Day 5: Fill space-saving containers with dry goods from your pantry.
- Day 6: Replace bulky clothes hangers with thinner, non-slip hangers. Donate any clothes you no longer wear.
- Day 7: Give your accessories (scarves, winter hats, gloves, etc.) a special bin in your closet. Donate any items you no longer use.
Donate or Discard What You No Longer Need
Fill a box with household items, clothes, and books that you no longer use, and plan to donate it to a local charity or thrift store at the end of the week.
- Day 8: Throw out any expired food that has been sitting in your fridge or pantry.
- Day 9: Sort through your coffee mugs. For every one you keep, put one in the “donate” box.
- Day 10: Donate any kitchen gadget that you haven’t used in more than a year.
- Day 11: Pick through your storage containers and Tupperware. Toss any that don’t have a lid.
- Day 12: Go through all of your books, movies, and games and donate any you haven’t opened in a year.
- Day 13: Sort through items you keep in under-bed storage containers.
- Day 14: Take everything out from under your bathroom and kitchen sinks. Put back only the items that you’re going to use.
Focus on Your Office Space
It’s easy for paperclips, rubber bands, paperwork, and old files to pile up in your home office. You can tackle this entire room in less than a week by focusing on these 30-minute tasks.
- Day 15: Declutter your desk of piles of paper, office supplies, and miscellaneous knickknacks.
- Day 16: Shred your old tax records and documents now, or wait for our free shredding event in the spring.
- Day 17: Label your files and place them in a filing cabinet.
Tackle Your Garage or Attic
If your home has a garage or attic, chances are that they’re the trickiest spaces to organize. Follow these quick tips for freeing up your storage space.
- Day 18: Hang up wall shelving to keep items off the floor but within easy reach.
- Day 19: Put all your tools in an easy-to-find spot, such as a pegboard on the wall.
- Day 20: Use a shoe organizer to store rope, extension cords, nails, etc.
- Day 21: Store all your holiday decorations in one section of your garage or attic.
Congratulations! You’ve tackled your home organization project in less than a month. You can keep the clutter at bay by sticking to a regular cleaning schedule.
Buying or Selling a Home This Year?
We hope you have had a productive start to 2017! If you’re planning to buy a new home or sell your current home in the Greater Raleigh area this year, we have the tools you need to get started right now. Set yourself a deadline, identify your goals for buying or selling a home, and contact us at 919-235-0007 to schedule a consultation.