In times like these, it can feel good to take control of the things you can. Using this downtime to face areas of your home that stress you out can make you feel better. Here are a few areas to consider with tips for making improvements:

Paperwork

• Gather extraneous mail and papers lying around, extract the to-dos, purge the trash, and file the keepers.
• Pick 5 folders from your filing system and pull out expired or unneeded documents.
• Gather your 2019 tax documents.

Kid Stuff

• Grab a grocery bag or spare box and fill it with outgrown toys and kid books.
• Go through all the art supplies and toss anything used up or broken.
• Have kids try on clothes and gather outgrown items for donation.

Dining Room Table/Counters

• Do a rough sort of all the things that land here that really should belong somewhere else. Use temporary containers (shoeboxes, Tupperware) to sort things by type.
• Anything that represents an action item (things to repair or return) could go in one container and make a list of the actions instead.
• Return the sorted items to their rightful homes. Anything leftover need to be addressed – either create a home for them or let them go.

If you can’t get out to do drop-offs, clearly group and label things; e-waste, donation, shredding, sell. You can just tape a piece of paper to each pile/bag. Put them somewhere you’ll follow through when things are opened up again.

The hope is that you come out on the other side with a more organized home. And, in the process, transfer organizing skills to your family.

Do you have an area of the home you’d like some virtual advice on cleaning up? Let us know!