With the shift of seasons, we’re spending the next month focusing on organizing your home space by space using micro tasks. Meet the Spring Refresh Challenge! In 30 days, you will discover that small changes add up. We love organizing for clients and know the value that can come from tackling small jobs – step by step. There’s incredible peace that can come from decluttering, decanting and organizing. From a “junk drawer” finding a purpose to a coffee station for early mornings, this challenge will provide 30 tasks and guide you every step of the way.
Keep reading for the first week’s checklist!
Day 1: Purge expired food.
Everyone has different levels of tolerance for when they feel food isn’t good to eat anymore! Personally, if it’s a canned good – I’m much more lenient on dates than if it is a more perishable item or a spice. Spices lose their efficacy so quickly that we recommend replacing these much more quickly than other foods but things like pasta and boxed soups can hold on way past expirations dates! Once you figure out where you stand – it makes it a lot easier to clear out the old stuff. Tip: most food pantries will accept unopened foods that are not too much past expiration dates – especially canned goods.
Day 2: Think through seasonal access and storage.
Nothing says go through your winter stuff like when spring arrives! Don’t pack things away without really evaluating whether you want to keep them or not – and whether you’re storing winter linens and coats, duvets or blankets, make sure to clean items prior to storing and place items on shelves that are further out of reach (tops of closets are great for this.) We recommend clear plastic containers with labels to keep things clean and easy to access when needed. Tight on closet space? Consider large under the bed storage bins or Space Bags instead.
Day 3: Change air filters.
With springtime, comes heightened allergens and pollen within the air. Make sure to change out your air filters if discolored or if they haven’t been replaced for 3 months. Your nose will thank you!
Day 4: Clean out under the bed.
Under the bed can quickly become a dumping zone for items when you need a quick stash and dash. Every space in your home where you store items should be deliberate and honestly, it’s not great Feng shui to store things under the bed – especially those that are not purposeful. Pull it all out and find true homes for everything – or use clear labeled bins or bags that hold specific items you will remember are there.
Day 5: Reclaim the junk drawer.
Running short on time? This is one of our favorite projects to accomplish in just a small bit of time. Begin by taking everything out of the drawer. First, group like items with like. Ask yourself what needs to stay, what needs to be relocated to other areas of the house, and what needs to go to the trash. Next, create logical groups like note pads & pens, chargers, lip balms, and the like. Then layout your drawer with our fave bamboo drawer organizers or if you’re looking for something that’s a bit more modern, a combination of these acrylic containers will do the trick.
Day 6: Toss old mascara and eyeliner.
Eyeliner and mascara expire after 3 months and you don’t want to take chances with your eyeballs. Clean them out and replace with fresh – your optometrist will thank you!
Day 7: Swap out 1 toxic product in your home for an eco-friendly option.
With a few simple swaps, you can make eco-friendly choices and reduce the toxins in your home. I always recommend starting with one product at a time. For laundry detergent, I love using Dropps pods. Plant based ingredients and packaged in cardboard, they’re great for family members with sensitive skin and good for the environment. Or consider a subscription to Grove Collaborative where you can find a variety of eco-friendly options.
Join the Challenge:
As you complete the checklist, tag us in photos using @afreshspace and show off your before and afters.
A FEW OF OUR FAVORITE PRODUCTS:
Under the Bed Storage Bins| Acrylic Containers| Bamboo Drawer Containers | Dropps Laundry Pods
Completed the tasks above? Check out Week 2’s post.
