Even for those of us who revel in a clean house, large cleaning projects can be incredibly intimidating. We've all been there - sometimes there's so much to do, we do nothing at all, putting that project on the back burner for an anticipated empty Saturday or Sunday that never seems to roll around. If you've fallen victim to a decluttering mission that's almost insurmountable, we've got a tactic for you: the 15-minutes-a-day plan.
It's just as easy at it sounds - you'll spend a maximum of 15 minutes per day organizing your garage, allowing you to finish the full project in just a week or two. This means you won't have to clear out your entire day to get the job done, and the intimidation of it all will be completely obliterated (not to mention all the clutter in your garage storage system). Not sure where to start? We've got you covered.
Enlist the troops
When you break it down, cleaning is a volume game. The more hands you have on deck, the faster it will get done, so why not sign up the whole family? To avoid the rolling eyes of teenagers, the whines of tweens and the grumbling of your spouse, just let them know they'll only have to spend 15 minutes doing it - today, that is.
Time yourself
To keep yourself and your family accountable to this window, set a timer. Not only will it make sure you actually stop when you're supposed to (we can't be the only ones who have gotten sucked into decluttering), it will make you work faster. Nothing is more motivating than a race against the clock.
Work in zones
Let's face it - even when we've limited ourselves to timed, 15-minute increments, cleaning the entire garage can be a little overwhelming. That's why it's best to work in zones. The whole family can attack the workbench one day, for example, or you can assign each person his or her own space to work on throughout the course of the week. You can even make it a competition - the person with the most organized, clean space at the end of the project gets to pick where you go for dinner on Friday night.
Create a purge pile
To keep everyone working quickly and efficiently, it's a good idea to create a junk pile. It'll let everyone discard unused, unwanted items quickly without worrying about disposal while you're going through the sorting process. When all is said and done, go through your purge pile and decide what to throw out, what to donate and what to sell.
While decluttering regularly can seem like a pain, it's an important part of staying organized and pulled together. It's amazing how stressed clutter can make us feel, but with a little elbow grease, patience and garage wall storage, you'll feel on top of it in no time.
