Spring Cleaning that Lasts All Year

The key to successful spring cleaning is to make it personal and beautiful.

An organizational system that works in the long term needs to fit you, your family and the spaces in your home as well as make the space inviting to spend time in. The best way to get started is choosing a single space to organize and decorate. Ideally, I like starting in the kitchen since that is typically the most utilized room in the home. Getting that space organized, decluttered and beautiful will improve the experience of cooking, eating and gathering for everyone!

Before you get started, think about how you use the kitchen. Do you cook daily? Only on the weekends? Does your family like to use the kitchen for game nights or other activities? Do you host often? All of these questions will help you understand how you use the kitchen. When you are decluttering, here are a few rules to guide you:

1. If an item is in the kitchen, it should be used in the kitchen. Otherwise store it elsewhere to free up space.
2. Categorize and store items together. Keep all your baking supplies close so that when you are ready to bake, everything is fast and easy to access.
3. Wipe down all surfaces inside drawers and cabinets.
4. Choose organizers that are antimicrobial to keep kitchen utensils and silverware sanitary.
5. Keep flow in mind. Lay things out how they work best for your family. There is no right or wrong way to organize - it just has to work for you!

In my kitchen, we cook a few times during the week, lots on the weekend, do homework, play board games, bake and host often. In the morning my kids eat breakfast while I do their hair and it is the go-to location for chapstick, gum, charge cords and everything in between. It is the center of activity in our home! We set up our kitchen to accommodate each of these activities and store the items needed. Our junk drawer has hair brushes, bands and gel for the morning routine, we have a baking center, hosting area and a drawer for our favorite blender. I love spring cleaning and the chance to refresh our spaces, clean out any unwanted items and make everything shine.

For me the real magic is knowing that what’s on the inside is just as beautiful as what’s on the outside.

Once the inside of my drawers and cabinets are clean, decluttered and organized, I like to do the same for my countertops and shelves. For me the real magic is knowing that what’s on the inside is just as beautiful as what’s on the outside! So, now it’s time to make sure the outside gets the same refresh as what I did for the drawers.

Inevitably, countertops collect clutter. It is so easy to let things build up and drop things that never find a permanent home. With counters and shelves, I take a photo of the before, then take everything off for a deep clean. More often than not, I will start from scratch and move things around on the shelf until I like it. I filter through and get rid of anything outdated or that I don’t use or need. Then I add back a single item at a time. I love white space - that beautiful, breathable area around objects. Everytime I have less, I like it more. A great way to keep things tidy with plenty of white space is to choose a couple of containers to contain loose items. This preserves the look while still providing great storage.

PRO TIP: Keep it Simple. Less is more.

Choose organizers and storage containers specific to the items you want to store.

The reason we struggle to stay organized is we don’t have the right tools to help us be successful. It’s important to make sure you get the best storage containers for the items you want to store inside and also ones that maximize your storage spaces. I love simplicity and white space in decorating and you can have that even when organizing and storing the items you need. Here are my suggestions to consider when purchasing storage containers:

1. Think vertical! This is the space most often overlooked in cabinets, drawers and on shelves. Choose containers that maximize vertical storage so you don’t lose out on space you already have. Salt custom organizers are built to fit the entire space in your drawer!
   
2. Opaque versus clear. In a drawer, I always go clear so I can see exactly what I have stored inside and to keep things looking clean. In a closet you may want to mix in some opaque containers to tuck things away.
   
3. Color and texture. I’m a neutral girl. I always lean this way so things are more timeless and work in the long term. But, within neutrals, you can add some great textures and warmth! My favorite is our Brisbane and Gold Coast baskets.
   
4. Size matters. Bigger is not always better. A great mini basket is perfect for keys and phones and keeps clutter contained. Save the bigger storage containers for oversized items.
   

PRO TIP: If you use an opaque container for storage, make sure to have a label on it so you know what is stored inside.

Wishing you success in your spring cleaning refresh! Remember, make it personal, make it beautiful and then don’t forget to enjoy it.

Happy Spring!