Cleaning Your House: Drawers and Closets

There are several ideas about when and how spring cleaning originated. There is some thought it was a Jewish tradition before Passover celebration in the spring. Other theories come from the Iranian or Chinese culture. Anyway it is the time of year when life starts to bloom again and a good time to get the house in order so we can all enjoy other things in life. Another theory is that we come out of the winter blues and lethargy and start to get ambitious.

My Theory

Whoever invented spring cleaning must have spent a lot of time at home during the winter.Apparently this person kept checking drawers and closets and found them getting messier and messier.This person also kept looking at the floors, the windows and finally said one day "time for a spring cleaning"

I personally do not love to clean but do enjoy a clean, tidy and well organized house. I rarely put things back in place and often am looking for this or that. My house is reasonably clean especially bathrooms and kitchen. The biggest problem with cleaning is that you are creating a temporary situation. It takes a lot less time to mess a room than to clean it.I decided to tackle the spring cleaning different this year and break it up into parts. I am going to talk about drawers and closets in this hub. I like starting from the inside out.

First of all turn on some lively music that you can listen to for a long time. Start this emptying out process one room at a time, or if you feel you can do the entire job in a day do these steps in each room.

• Put a large sheet on the floor in each room as you empty the drawers.
• Empty the contents of all the drawers in different piles.
• Go through the contents and set out three piile -throw outs, give aways and keepers.
• Put the throw aways and give aways in two separate bags.
• Do the same process with your closet in this room

Clean and sanitize all the drawers and closets

• Mix in equal parts water and white vinegar along with 2 tablespoons of baking soda in a spray bottle and shake well.
• Spray all the drawers, shelves and walls of the closets and drawers
• Dry everything with a microfiber rag.
• Mix 5 or 6 drops of essential oil-lemon, orange or lavender with water in a small spray bottle and spray all the drawers and closet and allow to dry. You will love the fresh scent.

Arrange the Drawers

• Put drawer dividers (silverware holders work well for this) in drawers where you have small items.
• Arrange the items according to usage. Always have the things you use most often easily accessible and in front.
• In drawers that you have large items arrange according to needs. For example if you have a hair blow dryer, keep your curling iron, brushes, combs and hair spray in the same drawer.

This simple process will work with most drawers and also keep you organized to find things when you need them.

Arrange the clothes in three piles again.

• Have a bag for give aways and another bag for throw aways
• Set the clothes and items you are keeping in a separate area.
• Spray all the shelves and walls with your white vinegar mixture.
• Dry everything with your microfiber rag.
• Vacuum the floor if it is carpeted or mop the floor.
• Spray the entire closet with the small spray bottle of essential oil and water.Allow to dry.
• Set up your clothes according to items: blouses, skirts, pants, etc.
• Fill in with some new hangers to perk up the closet.
• Arrange any shelves you have in your closet with sweaters, t-shirts and scarves.
• Put shoes you wear infrequently in shoe boxes and label each box.
• Dust off any shoes or boots with the microfiber rag.
• The shoes or boots that you wear frequently set on a shoe rack or keep at one end of the closet.

You will feel proud of yourself when all the drawers and closets are clean, smell fresh and you know where everything is located. This task does not have to be accomplished in one day but worked on as you have the time. I personally think cleaning is a great activity on cold or rainy days. I do occasionally get into the cleaning mood every once in a while. And if the mood never strikes, you will have to dig in a clean anyway.

Having organized and clean drawers is about 3/4 of spring cleaning to me. As I am writing this I am feeling guilty so I better sign off and head for the drawers and closets.