Bring on Spring...cleaning?

This has been an exceptionally mild winter across the country, so I am going to go there. I am ready to be done with the gray skies, the early sunsets, seasonal depression... Yes, if it starts snowing the second I hit send for this post, you can blame me. I say we can skip this one. We haven't had to shovel yet, so why now? This Winter has been a bust, so I say we should look ahead.
Even without me willing Winter away, MLB Spring training is rapidly approaching. GO REDS! So, it is time to dust off your baseball hats and maybe also to tend to a less fun task on your list, its time to start preparing your home for Spring- especially if you are planning on putting it on the market! There is one big thing that we can all do that will make you feel better about your home once the sun reappears and Spring officially arrives, de-cluttering.
Do you save every magazine you subscribe to? Do you still have wrapped holiday gifts for family you didn't see in December? Do something about it! If you aren't good at it, enlist a friend or family member who is organized and on top of things. Chances are if they have all of their belongings in order, they would love to help you get yours in order as well. Start small or it could be really overwhelming. If there is a lot to tackle, start with a closet or the garage. The key is to open up the space to make it look clean and bigger.
One place to start is with closets. If your clothes haven't fit in over 3 years, get rid of them. If donating your prom dress or favorite skinny jeans to Goodwill makes your eyes well up with tears, put them in a box. Put it all in boxes! Label these boxes and store them away for safe keeping. Get rid of the wire hangers and and put everything all on hangers of the same color. Stack folded clothes and shoes according to season or color coordinated to give a nice fresh look.

Just remember, if you haven't looked at, worn or used the item in over a year, you don't need it laying out. Put it away and the house will start to look bigger and cleaner than you can imagine. The benefits of organization and de-cluttering will help you no matter if you are thinking of selling your home or if you plan on staying put for years.