Here we gathered the best tips from Professional Organizers to a better Spring Cleaning. Are you looking for better ways to clean and organize your home? I contacted my friends and fellow Professional Organizers around the country to collaborate and share their best tips with us all.  We are sharing tips to organize your fridge, playroom, bathroom, bedroom and laundry room. We hope you enjoy it!

I don’t know about you, but I am looking forward to warmer weather. By this time I am so tired of the winter that I look for any reason to bring spring into my life. To me, February 15th {the day after Valentine’s’ Day} is the best excuse to change all the decorations to a more pastel palette, bring flowers into the house, and get the house cleaned and organized.

Spring Cleaning with the Pros

Kitchen
(Focusing on the fridge)

While you should regularly wipe down your refrigerator, spring is the perfect time to do a deep-clean of both your refrigerator and freezer. Beginning with your refrigerator, remove everything and place into broad categories (cheese, veggies, fruit, sauces, dairy, snacks, etc.). You’ll need to move through this process quickly or place items into a cooler. Next, check each item’s expiration date and toss anything that has expired. Now it’s time to clean the inside of the refrigerator. Pull out anything is removable, wash, then dry thoroughly. Now, wipe down the inside of the refrigerator, dry it completely, and put back any pieces you removed.

Now that your fridge is clean, it’s time to place the food back into the refrigerator. Think about how you can utilize the space for efficiency and make it easy to grab things. Here are a few tips to help you with this process:
1. Group like items together.
2. Use clear bins and lazy susans to corral like-items and make it easier to access them.
3. Store taller items in the back and shorter items in the front.

Repeat with the freezer using the same process!

Lindsey Klebe
Simplicity Reclaimed
simplicityreclaimed.com

Playroom

By this time your kids are already used to all those new toys they got for Christmas {if you didn’t get some clutter-free gifts} and many of them might be in need of a good cleaning already. You will want to put all the stuff animals to take a “bath” in the laundry, legos can go in a laundry bag and into the washing machine as well. The duplos blocks and plastic cars {not battery operator} can be washed in the dishwasher. Put them all to try in the sun outside.

After all the toys are clean it is time to organize them. If you are overwhelmed by the number of toys you have around the house, consider having just one room where all the toys might live. Toy rotation is also a great idea. Below is a list of steps that will help with the process.

1. Sort all the toys into categories {blocks, cars, dolls, figurines, games, etc}
2. Use bins and boxes like these ones from Ikea to store the toys and make the cleanup time easier, plus you can label them with pictures if your kids don’t know how to read yet.
3. Use clear big containers to implement toy rotation and switch the toys every month or so.

Di Ter Avest
Di is Organized
diisorganized.com

Bathroom
(focus on under the sink)

Under the sink, areas can easily become cluttered throughout the year, especially in the bathroom! Use some of your spring cleaning time to keep the area under the sink controlled and contained.

The first step is to remove everything from the space and sort the items into categories. You’re likely to find an assortment of first aid products, extra beauty supplies, toiletries, cleaning products, travel bags, medication, and bathroom back stock. Throughout this process, be sure to remove products that should be in another space – for example, if you have a space for back stock in a closet, move those items to the appropriate place. Throw out anything that is expired – dispose of medication safely by searching for local drop-offs.

Be realistic about what you really use and only keep those items! Don’t feel the need to stuff the space under the sink – it doesn’t have to be full. Contain the items that you do use in a way that makes the most sense for you.

Useful tips when organizing under the sink
1. Group cleaning supplies into a bin that can easily be moved.
2. Add door storage if you’re lacking counter space or built-in drawers.
3. Be creative! Using shoe drawers under the sink is the perfect stackable solution for small items that may need to be accessed quickly.
4. Add labels to your space to hold yourself & others accountable for putting items back where they go.

Matlin Pessarra
Minimized Closet
www.minimizedcloset.com

Bedroom
(catchall areas)

Give your bedroom some extra TLC by decluttering the areas that tend to become catchall’s – the tops of your nightstand and dresser. To begin the process, grab a laundry basket to collect any items that do not belong in the room. Once these items are gathered, put the basket by the door to address later (this will avoid you from getting distracted from the end goal).

Next, begin sorting through the items that are left – putting like items together. Once items are sorted, put away any items that will not be staying on your nightstand or dresser. If there are items that do not have a home, set them aside to create a home for them after you have completed the project.

Evaluate the remaining items. To determine what items to keep out, think about what you need quick access to daily. For example, the book you read before bed, a charger for your phone or a coaster for your nightly cup of water. Here are some tips for a clutter-free surface:

1. Limit the number of items to 3 on a nightstand and 4-6 items (depending on the size) on a dresser.
2. Use a decorative storage box to corral any small items together and keep them hidden, but pretty.
3. Choose organizers that are not only functional but can double as decorations.
4. Use the drawers to store anything that you do not need daily or quick access to.

For a personal touch add flowers or a special photo. Take time weekly to remove any items that have accumulated on these surfaces to make maintenance a breeze!

Bonus tip – Consider removing any furniture from your room that has become a clutter magnet – such as the chair covered in clothes.

Sharyl Mock
S & S Organizing, LLC
sandsorganizing.com

Laundry Room

7. Admire your laundry room!

Vivien Lee-Mayhue
Certified KonMari Consultant

Tidy Up Los Angeles

www.tidyuplosangeles.com