Get Clever With Spring Cleaning

With Spring comes the inevitable spring cleaning, whether its deep cleaning, throwing stuff out or organizing. If you were to compare an organized home to one where things are strewn about, the organized home typically appears cleaner. Organization can be displayed and used in many different ways.

Clever Container, which started in 2006, is a direct sales company that sells organizational products. Their products vary in price from 5 dollars to a max of 66 dollars, which includes a wide array of uses. Not only do they carry the normal totes and baskets, but also have specialized products for the vehicle, office, kitchen, closet, laundry room, kids room, and even for the pets.

Clever Container consultant, Brielle Larson of Sidney, has been a consultant since April of 2010. After becoming a mom, she wanted a way to stay home with her kids and yet help out the family financially. She started looking for a direct sales company that incorporated something she really enjoyed. Organizing is a passion of hers, so when she found the Clever Container Company it really stuck out.

With a passion for something and access to numerous products, Larson knows of some unique organizing tips and ideas. One of Larson’s favorite and best selling products is the belt hanger, but she doesn’t use it for belts. She states she uses it “because it is great for organizing tank tops and camis. Many of the products are made with a specific use in mind, but with a little imagination could be used for a very different reason. As Larson stated, “another clever use of one of our products is the under shelf cup rack in the laundry room to dry delicates.”

Even with new, interesting organizational products, it can be difficult to motivate yourself to get up and use them. Larson suggests making cleaning fun by playing music, giving yourself a reward, or buying some fun cleaning products. As a mom, Larson suggests that if you have kids, get them involved with the cleaning. She stated, “It is a good way to teach them responsibility and a good way to give to others in need if sorting through old toys and clothes.”

If you don’t have that much time, Larson suggests setting a timer for 15 or 30 minutes and get as much done as you can. To get the most done, do not accept interruptions such as phone calls, emails, text, or visitors.

If you have plenty of time Larson suggests to start with the most used room in the house and work room to room, finishing each room before moving on. Here are some room to room tips she has suggested.

-Kitchen

Do clever clustering. Cluster like items together or all items used for a specific purpose. Use clear bins to store items, so that you can see what you have.

Organize by zones: baking zone, dishes zone near the dishwasher, cooking zone with pots and pans by the stove and prep zone near all the utensils and with a large area to work in.

Divide drawers so that all tools/utensils have their spot.

Categorize food pantry. Use clear bins to store items, so that you can see what you have and you can get rid of those bulky boxes that take up extra space.

De-clutter counters by putting things away that don’t need to be out.

-Living Room

Keep it simple. Don’t clutter up your space. If you have too many decorations, store some away and switch out your decorations throughout the year.

Purchase versatile storage items. Entertainment centers, end tables, cubes, and trunks are good items to have as decoration and also provide storage.

-Bedroom

Your bedroom is your sacred place, so it should be only the things that you love. There should be no clutter or unnecessary items in it.

Drawer dividers or bins for your drawers help keep like items together and helps you get the most out of your space.

-Closet

Start by cleaning out clothes that you do not wear or fit by either donating them or selling them. Flag the clothes that you are unsure of. If you wear those clothes that are flagged, take the flag off. At the end of a season, all the clothes that still have flags on can be taken out of your closet.

Use the same hangers. It gives your closet a neat, organized look and uniform hangers save space.

Organize your clothes by upper body, lower body, whole body and special occasion.

Organize by length and color.

Use vertical space. That is the most wasted space in a closet.

-Bathroom

Clear bins or tubs are a great way to organize all the same type supplies.

Take advantage of the space under your sink. Purchase products that attach to the inside of your under sink cabinet doors.

-Laundry Room

Have bins in your laundry room labeled donate, mending, loose change, etc., so as you are sorting through your clothes you can put them in the correct bin.

-Office

Keep your work space de-cluttered by using an organizational system with different bins and drawer dividers.

Have a filing system in place. Color-code your files so that they are easy to reference. For example, use green files for financial documents, blue files for medical documents, etc.

-Craft Room

Claim a space to work on your crafts. Empty your workspace of everything but the project you’re working on to cut down on distractions.

Label and organize all your materials.

Create a calming, relaxing space.

Have inspiration all around you.

If you would like to learn more about Clever Container or purchase some products, you can visit Larson’s website at: http://www.mycleverbiz.com/brielle or contact her at [email protected].