Basement

Just like any other room in your home, your basement needs to be kept organized and free of clutter if you want to cultivate a life that is peaceful and hassle-free.

As the repository for all manner of obsolete, unwanted, to-sort things in your home, the basement may require the largest investment of your time during your March Makeover project. You may have your work cut out for you as you sort through your things to determine what to keep, what to give away, what to trash or recycle, and what to store for later. But this stage is essential if you want a de-cluttered basement. Ask yourself questions like: Do I need this? Do I want this? Do I love this? And you’ll soon determine what’s important and what needs to go.

Thinning out your possessions is the biggest challenge of a Long Island basement cleaning, but once you’ve accomplished it, you can move on to employing some of our top tips for a clean, well-organized basement:

• Mind moisture: Basements can have moisture problems which can lead to dangerous mold and ruin your belongings. To avoid problems like these, avoid storing items directly on the floor by using shelving units, pallets, and cabinets to raise boxes and bins off the floor by a few inches.
• Use durable flooring: Concrete basements can be difficult to clean, especially if you have moisture problems. If your budget allows, look into installing durable, easy-to-clean flooring that will withstand moisture over time.
• Define usable areas: Perhaps you’re looking for a space to work out or you need an area to do crafts with the kids. Delineate various areas in the basement for the activities you’d like to see happen in the basement. Who knows, with efficient use of space you may discover ways to expand your living area that you never thought of before! You can then separate those spaces using screens, cabinets, furniture, or curtains.
• Increase storage capacity: Whether you need hangers for your winter coats, bins for old toys, or hooks for sporting goods, adding organizational systems to your basement will make it easier for you to keep things neat and tidy. Use durable rubber bins with lids for storing all manner of things and label them for quick reference. These can be stacked, won’t rust or allow moisture to creep in, and come in a variety of sizes. You may also want to hang shelves or cabinets, add dressers or hanging racks, or install hook boards for hanging various tools and sportswear. Choosing storage units that are movable and flexible will allow you to change the configuration of your basement if need be.
• Adequate lighting: One of the reasons basements become so untidy is the lack of lighting. Shedding light on the various zones in your basement that need extra brightening up by using battery-powered track lighting, floor lamps, and other light fixtures will help you to spot clutter as it happens so that you can prevent it from getting out of hand. It also helps you to find the circuit panel if the power should go out.  Make sure to switch your bulbs to the energy efficient CFL type.

Putting everything in its place in your basement will be important if you want to have quick and easy access to it in the future. Place like items together (all of the Christmas decorations in one shelving unit and all of the old sporting equipment on another, for instance) and leave enough room around storage areas so that you can move around freely.

©2010 Teresa’s Family Cleaning

Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).

Teresa Ward, President of Teresa’s Family Cleaning and New York State’s Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year is often considered Long Island’s foremost authority on cleaning homes and businesses to create a cleaner and healthier environment for all. Our highly sought after, award winning weekly newsletter provides timely cleaning tips and other important Long Island information and charitable events for homeowners, businesses and not-for-profits. Visit us at http://www.TeresasFamilyCleaning.com to sign up and receive your copy today!

The potential for your attic to relieve your storage woes is huge, but even if you’re the most organized person in the world, getting it right in the attic can be a challenge. This is especially true if access to your attic is somewhat cumbersome or difficult (those little step ladders are often steep and hard to climb!). We throw unmarked boxes into the attic thinking we’ll deal with them eventually, but over time, the number of unidentified containers mounts to the point where we no longer have any clue what’s up there!

STEP ONE: Sorry to say, but the first big step in organizing your attic, is to remove EVERYTHING so that you can start the sorting out process and easily get to the next steps which are cleaning/prepping.

STEP TWO:
Cleaning your attic may be as simple as vacuuming and dusting to remove cobwebs, dust bunnies, and debris. You should also wipe down the rafters, clean out ducts and vents and remove any mold that’s gathered because of excess moisture. You may want to consider hiring a contractor or mold remediation expert to find out what is causing the excess moisture/mold, which could potentially become a health hazard.

• Deep cleaning: This might be an excellent time to have your ducts and vents cleaned since the attic will be free from clutter. Hire a professional and get it done right to bring fresh air into your entire home.
• Seal leaks, add ventilation:  While your attic is clutter free, also think about stopping leaks in your attic to reduce the chances of moisture building up. You may also want to consider adding an attic fan (solar-powered is best!) to help keep your entire home cool during the summer.
• Free movement:  Ask yourself this question as you configure your attic layout: “How would I organize this space if I were going to walk through it every day?” The answer to this question should guide how you layout the space, ensuring that you leave plenty of room between storage units to move around so that you can locate and retrieve things as needed.
• Augment with shelving:  If possible, attempt to add some shelves or cabinets in your attic to use for storage which will help you maximize the space. Then place all of your possessions into rubber bins with lids, label them clearly, and organize them on the shelves according to season or theme. This will make your job of locating an item in the future quick and simple. Leave some empty storage space and unused bins in place so that you can quickly add things in the future.
• Climate and critter considerations:  Regardless of how well you patch holes, your attic may still have moisture build-up, excessive cold, or blistering heat if not properly insulated. Be sure to take these climate issues into consideration when selecting which items to store in your attic. Linens and clothes may not be ideal in this space as they may make for excellent bedding for rats and mice. Candles and crayons may also not work well if your area becomes overwhelming warm in the summer months.

You don’t want to go through the trouble of organizing your items to be stored in the attic if you put them back and the space is not clean or has leaks or unwanted “guests”.

Teresa’s Family Cleaning FIVE “R’s” organizing categories:

• Remain: These are the item’s that have to remain such as important documents, family heirlooms, decorations for the holidays, and items of extreme importance.
• Recycle: These are items that you consider to be trash but can be recycled like certain plastics, aluminum etc. old computer parts, batteries, and the like. Please consider doing this instead of just throwing it in the trash.
• Renew: Okay now this category means that you are going to take an item that is in great shape, and one you will never ever use, and give it new life by donating it to someone who can “Renew” it’s use. Books, toys, electronic items, etc. Not recommending “re-gifting” here, that’s another topic.
• Reuse: This is an item that was used for one thing, such as a washing basin and now you are going to re-use it as a planter in your garden. Or perhaps those old tee-shirts you can now cut up and re-use as household cleaning rags, or tie together and make a pull toy for your pet. Put on your creative thinking caps!
• REMOVE: This is probably the most difficult of all organizing tasks as this is where you will part permanently from items you have never used, will never use, have no chance whatsoever of letting someone else use it, but for some reason you have to keep it! Well here’s the bottom line. GET RID OF IT! Only keep items that you use, and of extreme importance. It’s just that simple.

This is a time-consuming endeavour but an important one if you want to make your attic free of clutter and disorganization. Using these Long Island cleaning tips to keep this vital area of your home organized and functional is so rewarding and we at Teresa’s Family Cleaning are confident you’ll see positive results if you take the time to do it right.

Washing Bathroom Disorganization down the Drain with these Top Tips

For many of us, the day starts in the bathroom. Having a bathroom space that’s in a state of disarray can cause tension and frustration, which is no way to start out the morning! Creating a calming space in which to prepare for the challenges of day is important for any busy person.

Cleaning out clutter from cabinet and drawers.  The stuff that clutters your cabinets and drawers must be dealt with in order to create an organized and serene bathroom. Overstuffed, unorganized storage areas only create frustration and inefficiencies that can slow you down in the morning.

To get started, gather up some boxes and get ready to start emptying out cabinets and drawers—and don’t forget the things on the countertops, either. As you pull things out of the bathroom, organize things into several piles:

• Expired products: Medicines past their expiry dates are likely less effective and could even be dangerous. But don’t just toss them in the garbage or down the toilet—doing so could land all of those chemicals in your local soil and water supplies which is no good for the planet. Instead, collect all expired medicines and take them to your local pharmacy to be properly disposed of. Check expired cosmetics and personal care products—if they have an off smell, dispose of them, otherwise they’re likely okay.
• Unused prescriptions: Got some old doctor-prescribed drugs that you’re not going to use? Even if these are not expired, take them along with the expired meds to your pharmacy for disposal.
• Duplicates: Having more than one container of the same product will use up space, especially if they’re both only partially full. If these products are close in expiry date, combine them in the same container.  If they have no expiry date and both appear fresh and usable, then combining them should be no problem.
• Utensils: Take your brushes, combs, and other cosmetic and personal care tools and clean them thoroughly using mild soaps and warm water. Let them dry completely before replacing them.
• Missing items: During your Makeover March cleaning spree, you’ll want to prepare to stock up for the coming spring and summer activities. To get ready, be sure to make note of essentials you don’t yet have, including sunscreens and Aloe Vera for burns, insect repellents and bite relief, as well as allergy medications. Make a list so you can pick up these items on your next shopping trip.
• Unwanted products: Perhaps you’re no longer into that particular shade of blue eye shadow or you’re done with the lavender-scented bath salts. Regardless of the reason, take those cosmetics, personal care products, and tools that you no longer want or need and set them aside. You’ll need to go through these and either give them away (if sanitary to do so), recycle them, or throw them out.
• Textile care: Go through your towels and cloths and determine which items are no longer suitable for your bathroom (wash these and use as rags or give to a local charity). If you have a shower curtain, remove it from the rack and clean it thoroughly. For sticky plastic shields, soak them in a solution of vinegar and water to remove soap scum and mold.

Once you’ve emptied every space and surface, give your bathroom a thorough cleaning, using green solutions made of natural ingredients. Green sealed certified products are Teresas’s Family Cleanings choice since they’ll protect your family and the planet from harsh chemicals.

 Prep for organization:  Now that you’ve culled the old products and cleaned and scrubbed every nook and cranny, you’ll need to prepare to replace things where they will be most useful. Start by gathering together containers to use for organizing all those items that are so common in our bathroom spaces—use things like decorative boxes, tea tins, and other washable and stackable containers.

 Here are some top tips for making your morning routine as pain-free as possible:

• Begin arranging your items in drawers, shelves, and cabinets so that the most-used items are easily accessible. Place less-used items in lower drawers or at the back of cabinets, but organized neatly. Stack only those items you use infrequently.
• Group items by task (makeup brushes and sponges in one jar, combs and brushes in another).
• When replacing items in drawers, cabinets, and shelves, be sure to replace them so that the most used items are at the front within easy reach.
• If you have too much in your storage spaces, consider storing duplicates in another location in your home.
• For shallow drawers, buy desk drawer organizers to separate small items that would otherwise slide around loose in the drawer.
• To make better use of cabinets without shelves, use old wicker baskets, stacking cubes, hooks, and hangers to make efficient use of every inch of space. Better yet, install a shelf to maximize the use of those areas.
• Add racks and hooks in your shower or bathtub to hold wash cloths, shampoos, razors, and soaps.
• Use the back of the door by installing hooks for hanging towels, bath robes, and other textiles.
• Space permitting, add additional cabinets on the wall or as floor units for towel or cosmetics storage.

Now that you’ve brought order to your once-messy bathroom, add a little personality with some decorative items. If you want to display some of your products on the countertop or a shelf, make sure they match your bathroom’s style, then arrange them in an organized, fashionable manner. You can even use this technique for your most used hand soaps and lotions. 

© 2010 Teresa’s Family Cleaning — All Rights Reserved.Want to use this article in your newsletter, blog or web site? You have my blessing so long as you include the following complete blurb with it (including links).Teresa Ward, President of Teresa’s Family Cleaning and New York State’s Small Business Entrepreneur of the Year is often considered Long Island’s foremost authority on cleaning homes and businesses to create a cleaner and healthier environment for all. Our highly sought after, award winning newsletter provides timely cleaning tips and other important Long Island information and charitable events for homeowners, businesses and not-for-profits. Visit us at www.TeresasFamilyCleaning.com to sign up and receive your copy of our weekly newsletter today!