Spring cleaning involves a lot of cleaning services, brushes, buckets and sponges. But it can also involve organizing, recycling, and donating. Here are 12 tips from INTEK and the Huffington Post to help declutter your home. 

Take time to declutter your home

Image by Joe Shlabotnik

Check out our suggestions for local organizations that accept donations such as old parkas, broken umbrellas, worn-out shoes, and decorations.

12 Tips:

1. Donate every time you leave the house

Keep a donation box by your door for one month and place one item in it when you leave the house.

2. Spend 15 minutes with your fridge

Throw out expired, smelly food and take-out containers. Wipe out the fridge with soap and water.

3.Take down decorations

Find five decorative items without sentimental value and donate them.

4. Rule of 1/3

Most people don’t wear what is in the bottom 1/3 of a drawer. Take out those items and donate them.

5. Take a time-out with electronics

Take time to clean out your unused or broken electronics. Sell them or properly dispose of them.

6. Find all your worn-out sneakers

Recycle your sneakers through Nike or Converse. Donated shoes will be recycled and turned into playground surfaces or turf fields!

7. Take 5 things from your hall closet

Take the items that you no longer use (or broken items) and donate or discard them.

8. Play a game

Give everyone in your family a bag and 10 minutes to gather as much as they can to donate from their rooms. The person with the heaviest bag wins.

9. Recycle

Set a timer to one minute and quickly collect old magazines, newspapers, and invitations. Shred or recycle.

10. Empty your sock drawer

Gather all the socks you no longer wear or don’t have a match. Turn them into rags.

11. Short and sweet

Take 2o minutes to organize your most messy file or drawer.

12. Set a timer for 10 minutes

Head to the messiest room and start cleaning before the timer goes off. Make piles, put things away, just start!

Donate and Sell:

For local donation options, check out: Salvation Army, Career Closet, Goodwill, or the Union Gospel Mission.

To sell your things (like electronics and designer clothes) visit: ebay.com/sellforme or Plato’s Closet.

When you are ready, call INTEK and we will finish your cleaning with a deep clean of your carpet, tile, windows, and more. INTEK offers many cleaning services and 24/7 emergency services.

Contact INTEK »