It’s spring cleaning season once again! This time of year brings flowers, allergies, and a renewed motivation for decluttering. But if you feel like you’re constantly cleaning out certain hot spots like your basement and garage, consider setting up the space so it stays clear. Here are some tips for organizing the dump areas and keeping the clutter out.

What Areas Attract Clutter

There are certain spots around your home that tend to accumulate more clutter:

• Entryways often get piles of mail, coats, shoes, and other items that are literally dumped there as soon as you walk in the door.
• Closets get stuffed with clothes and other items, and once you close the door it becomes out of sight, out of mind.
• Attics, sheds, basements, and garages are extra spaces that are often used for seasonal storage and junk you think you may need at some point.

There’s an easy way to maximize these spaces to keep them functional and safe. Simple organizational tools can help you keep these areas clear and less likely to need frequent decluttering sessions every season.

Organizing the Dump Areas of Your Home

When it comes to decluttering, organization is key. But for organization to work, you should start with a clean slate. Here are five steps for successful organization:

1. Clear. Remove all the items—yes, all the mail, clothing, furniture, tools, etc.—from the space. Don’t worry about sorting and organizing yet. Empty the space first.
2. Repair. Another bonus of a clear room is you can properly repair holes in the walls, broken shelves, and other areas without obstacles in the way.
3. Clean. Deep clean the floors, wall, shelving, anything else in the space to have a fully clean, refreshed space.
4. Sort. Now’s the time to categorize the items you removed into what you’re going to trash, recycle, donate, sell, or keep. Of the things you’re keeping, take it a step further and sort things seasonally and functionally.
5. Organize. Once you see how many items are going back in the space, you can assess if you have enough storage. Invest in durable shelving, hooks, boxes, and other systems where you can store seasonal items out of the way and easily access what you need now.

From free-standing shelves to built-in units, here are many storage solutions to help organize any space. It all comes down to the amount of space you have and the type of items you’re storing. Opt for clear plastic containers with lids to keep out mold and pests. Overhead storage works great to fully utilize higher areas, especially for seasonal items you don’t need immediate access to. You can even upcycle old cabinets and containers for eco-friendly storage.

Keeping the Space Organized

When you’re putting items back, consider the following:

1. Will this block access to anything else?
2. Do I need this now or later?
3. Will this item be used or simply sit on the shelf?

Answering yes to any of these questions helps determine placement or if you really need the item in the first place. With the right storage system, everything should have its proper place. If you start running out of space again, this makes it easy to determine what should stay or go to keep the area organized. Being strategic with storage helps reduce the likelihood you’ll have to deal with more clutter in the future.

Decluttering can be both stressful and freeing. Organizing the space helps alleviate some of the stress and sets you up for a less cluttered lifestyle.

What About all the Junk?

Now that you’ve organized everything you’re keeping, what are you going to do with the items in your trash, recycle, donate, and sell pile? Contact JDog Junk Removal & Hauling to handle that. We reuse, recycle, resell, and repurpose your items whenever possible, keeping 60-80% of the items we haul away out of the landfill. Call 844-GET-JDOG to schedule a pickup so you can start enjoying your refreshed space for seasons to come.