9 Spring Cleaning Hacks to Help You Get Motivated

Spring Cleaning Season

With Spring now in full force it's time to think about deep cleaning the house, de-cluttering and organising. Now when it comes to cleaning I am a total 'Spring Cleaning Procrastinator', but when I do get into the swing of things I actually feel accomplished and content. So here on the blog today I wanted to share with you some of my cleaning tips and tricks that I use to help me get motivated for the big 'Spring Clean Season'.

1. Set Aside a Weekend
First things first, set aside a weekend to give each room a deep clean as Spring cleaning can often be more time consuming, plus you don't want to rush what you've already started.

2. Create Your Own Cleaning Caddy
Why not create your own cleaning caddy and colour co-ordinate your cleaning essentials as well. That way you feel not only more motivated to clean, but to know you'll have everything in one place that can be easily transported from room to room.

3. Make Your Own DIY Cleaners 
If you're looking for more budget friendly cleaners, then you can always make your own DIY versions. There is plenty of natural and affordable cleaning recipes to choose from and here's some of my firm favourites...

4. Stay Motivated
Just lately I have been obsessed with watching cleaning and organisation channels, as I find these types of videos help motivate me massively. My top three favourites are,
Clean My Space - www.youtube.com/cleanmyspace
Vasseur Beauty - www.youtube.com/vasseurbeauty
At Home with Nikki - www.youtube.com/AtHomeWithNikki

Other ways I find help motivate me also, are podcasts and watching a good old Netflix series while I'm cleaning. (I'm currently watching Gilmore Girls for the 2nd time in a row!)

5. Plan & Measure 
If you decide to re-organise, then I find the best way to do this is to plan, draw and measure up each section. That way it makes it easier to research the right storage solutions for your space.

Copper Basket - Home Sense

6. 3 Step Plan
When de-cluttering be sure to follow the 3 Step Plan I've spoken about before here. This will help you make firm and honest decisions.

I always ask myself these same three question every time I purge and they are,
1. When was the last time you used it or wore it in the last six months?
2. Is it expired or old?
3. Can it be sold, put to good use elsewhere, tossed or given to charity?

7. Devise a Schedule
To stay on top of your cleaning schedule, why not put together a weekly plan that's set out simply and that's easy to stick too. Just remember to always take one step at a time, so that you don't get overwhelmed and you can focus on the areas that need the most attention first.

8. Stay on Top of Things
Sometimes I tend to slack when it comes to staying on top of things, but one system I've found useful is to have a separate pot to store all your dirty make-up brushes in, so they don't get mixed up and spread dirt into your clean ones. Then at the end of the week you can transport the dirty ones to the bathroom to give them either a spot or deep clean.

9. Think Outside the Box
Finally think outside the box and use trays, baskets or even plates to help keep sections organised and clutter free. You can find any of these budget friendly items at Home Sense, Tiger, Muji, Wilko or Homebase, just use your imagination...

How to De-Clutter & Organise Your Wardrobe in 3 Easy Steps

How to Organise Your Wardrobe

Clearing out is defiantly one of my favourite past times and it's also something I love to do especially at the start of a new year, as it helps me feel motivated, satisfied and refreshed. So today I wanted to share with you how I de-clutter and organise my wardrobe in three easy steps and also how I use storage efficiently and effectively in small spaces.

1. DE-CLUTTERING
Ok, so let's start with the all important de-clutter... I would suggest freeing up an afternoon to dedicate to the job, slip into something comfy, make yourself a tea and put on your focusing head!

Now the best way I find to be able to de-clutter and sort out efficiently, is to get everything out on the bed so you can see exactly what you have and plus it's also a great way to re-discover what's been lurking at the back of that wardrobe too!

2. SORTING
Next it's time to get down to the sorting and one method I've used for years now is the keep, not sure and throw approach. This is such a simple but effective way of de-cluttering and being honest with yourself in the process.

All you need to do is get three large pieces of paper and simply write TO KEEP, NOT SURE and TO THROW, then place them on the bed so you can start dividing your clothes into each of the three sections.

Finally re-visit your NOT SURE pile and simply ask yourself two questions...
1. Does it fit anymore?
2. Have I worn it in the last six months?
If the answer is no to either, then it's time to get rid of it and this really is the time where you have to be strong willed and honest with yourself, otherwise you'll end up never getting rid of anything!

I also like to give my clothes to charity if they're in a good condition.

3. ORGANISING
Lastly it's time to get everything back in after you've had a quick wipe down and polish...

Now as I mentioned in the video above, I have very minimal space to store clothes and the closet that I share with my husband is actually located outside of the bedroom in a small slanted cupboard. When we first moved in, this was actually empty, but with the help of my father in law we converted the small area into a proper working wardrobe with plenty of room for hanging clothes, as well as storing shoes and accessories. I also store my current season clothes on a fashion rack too as it's a great way to see exactly what you have and plus it helps make planning out outfits a lot easier.

Storage wise I use the Ikea Skubb Shoe Boxes, Compartment Box and Dividers to neatly tidy away shoes, scarfs, hats and gloves on the floor of the wardrobe and in an Ikea Malm Chest of Draws located in the bedroom.

To hang clothes I love using a mix of flocked velvet and metal hangers that all come from good old, fail safe Primark and for me this just helps make everything look more neat and organised.

Finally I wanted to share one final tip that my mother in law gave me and that is, every time you wear an item of clothing, when you place it back in your wardrobe make sure you turn the hanger the other way, that way you know what you've worn and what you haven't six months down the line.

Happy Organising!