Spring is here and with it comes the desire for me to have my house clean and clutter free. With four kids this can be a chore, but I learned a long time ago how fast clutter can build up when you don’t take the steps to get rid of the old when you bring the new home. Our garage seems to be the catch-all for everything that we don’t “want” but don’t want to get rid of either.
Last summer I couldn’t handle it, we went through and got rid of two truck fulls of stuff (big and small) and took it to a local consignment store and donated it. While that was fast, I feel like we could have sold a lot of that stuff and had a little extra spending money. So after lots of trial and error, here are my 3 spring cleaning tips to de-clutter your living room quickly:
- SELL UNWANTED ITEMS: Go through you stuff (DVD’s, CD’s, toys, games, books, etc) and look for duplicates or items that you no longer use or need. When ever you find something, put it in the “to sell” box. These will be easy to sell if you price them right. I have been able to sell my DVD’s online my posting them on “yard sale” groups/personal page on Facebook on local classified sites (like craigslist) and also just asking friends and family. You will be surprised what you will be able to sell .
- TOY BASKET: If you have toys in your living room, get a basket (with the money you got from selling your stuff 😉 ) and have your kids keep their toys in that basket. Encourage them to keep their toys, books, blankets, etc in their own room so that your living room does not look like a toddlers bed room. This also encourages them to be more responsible for their belongings.
- ORGANIZATION: If you have a lot of books, DVD’s, games, etc, you will want to keep these items organized. If you don’t have one, get a book case or an entertainment center that will fit in your space and not crowd. Use it to organize your books, DVDs games, etc. We were able to find matching bookcases (three shelves on top and cupboard on the bottom with two more shelves inside – on clearance for $15 each! Look at the yard sale sites and at consignment stores – you can get NICE stuff for cheap if you just look.
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