As the weather the begins to warm, it always seems a good idea to clean out any clutter that may have built up over the holidays and through all of our winter hibernating.  It’s best to tackle Spring-cleaning one room at a time.  For some people, starting with the easiest or smallest room first helps build motivation and momentum for the remainder of their home.  For others, tackling the largest and most daunting task first makes finishing the rest a piece of cake.  Either way, most of us don’t have several days in a row that we can devote to cleaning out and organizing our homes.  So, break it down into do-able tasks and plan to spend a few hours, or even just a few minutes, at a time on it. Here is an easy four-step plan that you can apply to every room in your apartment to make Spring-cleaning quick and easy using bathroom organizing as an example.

1.    Sort

The bathroom is often the easiest place to start because it is generally the smallest room with the least amount of stuff packed in it.  In a small space, I like to empty the whole thing out and start from scratch.  Empty out your medicine cabinet and under sink cabinet and sort items into four stacks: keep, toss, recycle, give-away. You may need to add a “repair” stack for anything that needs mending such as clothes that need to go to the tailor, shoes with heels that need to be repaired, or any other item that you plan to fix so that you can use it.  Using large kitchen trash bags to sort things is a great way to keep your stacks separated and contained.
Cosmetics, toiletries, first aid supplies, and any medications should be checked once a year for expiration dates and anything that’s expired should be discarded.  Prescription medications generally expire within one year of the fill date unless otherwise noted on the packaging.  Most over the counter medications have an expiration date listed on the packaging.  If not, stick to the one-year rule.  It’s not safe to discard medications in the trash or by flushing them down the toilet, so put them all in a plastic bag and take them to you local pharmacy and ask that they dispose of them properly.
Different cosmetics have different shelf lives as well.  As a general rule of thumb, creams and lotions can be kept for two years, sunscreens that have not been kept in a car’s hot glove box last one year, toothbrushes should be replaced at a minimum every three months, makeup typically lasts for one year and mascara should not be used for more than three months.  Anything that has separated, changed colors, or has anything other than its intended odor should be tossed, and if you can’t remember when you bought it, it’s time to trash it.  Get rid of duplicates and put in your giveaway stack anything that you bought to try but aren’t going to use and let your friends pick out anything they might try and toss the rest.  Using any products that have expired, particularly medications, can be dangerous, even fatal, so just toss it!

2.    Put it back together

After sorting, take your keep stack, and start putting things back into the bathroom where they belong.  If you have limited counter space, invest in a small plastic basket or even get an empty shoebox and put all of the items you need on a daily basis into that box.  Pull it out when you need it in the mornings or evenings, and put it away under the sink when you’re done.  This will go miles toward keeping your bathroom clean and organized!

3.    Get it out quickly

After you’re finished, make time to take your recyclables, give-a-ways, repairs, and trash to the appropriate places.  If you don’t take these things away quickly, they can easily stay exactly where you left them and take on a life of their own cluttering up your place.

4.    Evaluate and Refine

Over the next few days, evaluate your new system and the locations you chose for things.  If something you need frequently isn’t within easy reach, consider a new location for it.  If you’re constantly knocking over bottles to get to things behind them, it’s time to re-think your design.  Keep things simple so you can keep it organized!

Apply these same steps to every room in your apartment for a fresh start at home in 2008!