Spring Cleaning, the JP&CO Way
April 26, 2012 at 10:22 AM
By Samantha Grose, Designer, JP&CO: A residential construction firm dedicated to delivering a personalized home through a truly enjoyable process, done at a remarkable pace.
When we have clients who decide to move out of their home during their remodel, I like to encourage them to use the transition as an opportunity to inventory their belongings and part with unnecessary stuff. I'm going to give my readers the exact same advice for their spring cleaning this year. Begin to go through your drawers, bins, and closets and organize your things into four piles: Toss, Sell, Donate, and Keep. It may be painful at first, but if you're honest with yourself about what you actually use, the payoff will be big. This process has been one of the best ways to kick start new and exciting remodeling projects, and it just may be a great way for you to kick start your new project this spring, whatever it may be.
So, without further delay, here is my guide to choosing the right pile:
Toss
Anything you haven’t touched for a year belongs in this pile. Don’t let yourself get dragged into the “I’ve been meaning to use that but haven’t gotten to it” excuse! Go through your kitchen cabinets, pantry, drawers, freezer, and refrigerator and toss all expired food. Do the same for expired medication in your bathroom.
Sell
I admit that garage sales can be a pain, but many neighborhood or church groups organize for everyone so that the biggest part of the whole event is simply dropping of your unwanted items. Another option is always the increasingly popular local consignment shop—if you have nice things you may as well make a buck off their resale!
Donate
If you’d rather not face the chore of resale, there are lots of places to donate your goods—and some of these donation centers will even drive to your door, such as the Epilepsy Center. To schedule a donation pickup and learn more, visit their website.Gather your clean clothing, accessories, shoes, old but functioning electronics, toys, books, unused small appliances, exercise equipment, etc. and drop them at your local Goodwill, Salvation Army, or another nonprofit thrift emporium.
Keep
Try to keep this pile simply by limiting it to the things that you use often. Things like your classic wardrobe pieces, family photos, and tax returns should always be kept. If there are a few items that you’re not sure you can part with them, place them in a subsection of this pile and give them a week to get used or get lost.
Grose Samantha
Associate AIA, Allied ASID Designer for JP&CO.