Ahh, spring. Flowers are blooming, spring is in the air - and for many, it’s a time to tidy up the house. Whether it’s a basement, bedroom, bathroom or garage, here are some tips to make the job easier:

• Set Aside A Day - Don’t expect to fully clean a room in a few hours. Set aside a day of the week to clean the room and dedicate it to that task only.
• Turn Off Distractions - If there’s a phone, computer or TV in the same room, shut it off so it doesn’t distract from your cleaning. Put on some music, however, to get you moving.
• Look Online Or In Books For Ideas - Whether a basement or bedroom, check online or in books for organization ideas and how others have tackled similar messes.
• Enlist Help - If it’s not only your mess, have others in your household help, including your spouse and kids. If you don’t work well with others, however, do it by yourself.
• Throw Away Garbage - Make sure to throw away all garbage first; old boxes, papers, broken items and more. You’ll be amazed at how easier the job will look once all the garbage is out. Remember to recycle!
• Get Boxes To Organize - Use boxes to organize things that need to be fixed, things that need to be donated and things that need to be sent to other rooms in a house.
• Break Down Tasks - Don’t tackle everything at once. Split the job, whether by section or by task. For instance, throw out all garbage first, then work on the bookshelves. Or clean the corner of the room, and then move on to the next.
• Make Piles - If you have a disorganized mess, create piles. For instance, if you are cleaning your office, make a pile for pens, a pile for computer supplies and a pile for mail.
• Put Things In Their General Areas - Don’t organize immediately; get things in their general area before tidying up. For instance, collect all the books and pile them by the bookshelf, and when every one is collected, then organize them.
• Take Breaks - You may get frustrated, so if you do, take a 10 minute break before returning to your task. Cleaning is much more effective with a cleared head.

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