SPRING CLEANING Day Two: Living Spaces

Today's a big day, because I'm tackling the bulk of my apartment: the living spaces and bedroom.  

If you'd like to follow along, you'll need:

- A notebook & writing utensil

- A digital camera (optional)

- Your "DONATE" and "SELL" boxes

- A vacuum cleaner

- A dust cloth

- Fierce determination

Step One: Vacuum, dust & straighten up.  I know, I know, I said this wasn't about cleaning.  Since these are weekly chores anyway, why not combine them into this task?  Plus, it's nearly impossible to tell what's "extra" until everything is in its right place.  In the process you may realize that you're always irritated about cleaning a particular item, that you simply don't have enough space to vacuum, or that you have no idea where something "goes."  All of these annoyances are strong indicators that you're dealing with too much stuff!

  

Whistle while you work... or wet your whistle while you work?

Extra Credit: 

- Launder curtains (better yet, switch to light weight fabrics for Spring)

- Check the batteries in your smoke detector (safety first)

- Wash windows

- Shake out rugs

- Vacuum couch cushions (find some $$ ?)

- Wash walls and trim

- Clean leaves on houseplants

- Store winter linens

- Move winter clothes, coats, and accessories to the back of the closet (though that could be wishful thinking)

Step Two: If you've got a digital camera, take pictures.  If you don't have a digital camera, focus and take really careful mental snapshots?  Be sure to capture the following:

- The view into each room from every entry

- Every closet

- The view from your bed (the first things you see when you wake up, the last you see when you go to sleep)

- Panoramic shots- stand in the center of the room and make a full turn, taking pictures.

Step Three: TAKE A BREAK.  If you can, leave the house- take a walk, get some fresh air, clear your mind.  Bring your camera (or, uh... your brain) with you.

Step Four: Find a peaceful spot (the park, your favorite coffee house, any place that is not your house), take a deep breath, and review the images of your freshly cleaned rooms.  Now that you've removed yourself from the situation, it's easier to analyze potential problems unemotionally.  Imagine that your rooms are a House Tour on AT- be honest, do they work?  Actually, scratch that.  Be coldly judgmental and snarky.  Pick at the tiniest detail.  Have no mercy.

Step Five: Race back home while your resolution is still strong, and toss all of the offending items into the appropriate receptacles.  Purge your sock drawer (do not try to sell these).  Permanently retire your high school wardrobe.  Cut up old freebie tees and reuse them as rags.  Bid farewell to kitschy gifts and college relics.  Dismiss the surplus table that isn't doing the job.  Break-up with your blah buffet (but don't "toss" this one).  Get your boyfriend into the spirit of giving by putting his Scarface and Bob Marley posters on the pile (fine, ask him first).  DONATE! DONATE! DONATE! SELL! SELL! SELL!

Step Six: Whew.  Get some rest and recover your strength... you'll need it for taking on the kitchen and bathroom tomorrow.

PS: Has anyone read the AT Cure book?  I intended to read along with the Spring Cure, but simply haven't had the energy to devote to such an extensive project.  I am, however, still curious to see if Maxwell's methods overlap with mine...