Welcome to The Spring Cleaning Guide

One of my favorite scenes from Sex and the City

It's March, and as promised, this month I'm doing a series called The Spring Cleaning Guide, to declutter, organize and, of course, spring clean the home for the coming warm weather months. The goal this month is to simplify as much as possible (you know I always love working on that), and in the course of getting rid of the stuff we're not using, clear out all the dust bunnies, scrub away built-up grunge and freshen up the stale atmosphere that may have settled in over the winter. Unlike the 31-Day Fresh Start Series from January, I won't be posting challenges or tips daily, but 2-3 times a week to give you (and me!) a few days to tackle each area. Let's get started!

Challenge 1: Grab a laundry basket or box and, over the next few days, go from room to room, collecting items that don't belong in each room and redistributing them to their proper locations. The main goal here is to get everything back in the rooms they're used in so rooms can be decluttered, organized and cleaned most effectively. Carry a garbage bag with you as well to quickly gather any trash that needs to be disposed of and get it out of the way.

Tip: In the garage, basement, guest room or other out-of-the-way spot, set up some empty bins for purging items as you work your way through the house. Mark at least one bin as "charity," and if you like to sell unwanted items, mark another box as "to sell." This gives you a space to place items immediately when you decide to get rid of something. As the bins get full, drop items off at your favorite local charity or make time to post sellables to Craigslist, eBay or other sale options. Take trash and recycling out daily to get it out of the house!

“Spring cleaning is all about personal satisfaction. It is the time of year that triggers homeowners to revive their home and renew their lives.” ~Peter Walsh