If it seems like I've been stuck on the issue of organization lately, well, I have because most of us need a swift kick...and a SWIFFER! It's been a long, cold winter and no matter how bad your OCD might be, many of us stop caring about keeping our homes tidy, kind of like the last week your Christmas tree is up and you stop watering it and just sit vigil, waiting for it to die. WELL SNAP OUT OF IT! The sun is shining, the birds are chirping and spring is HERE, so there's no better time to clean and get organized! Tax season tends to be a great opportunity for many of us to clean house. You've dug through closets and drawers looking for receipts from that brunch you had last April, so while you're in there ORGANIZE IT PEOPLE! I like to start small, which usually means at our front door. The winter is not kind to our mudroom, hence the name MUD room. Salty, snowy, wet boots of winter fade into muddy, mucky messes of spring, so I like to stop it all before it walks into our home. Like many problems in life, if you catch it at the beginning and learn how to control it, it's far more manageable. Just before Thanksgiving I like to bring out my less expensive area rugs for the entry and mudroom (I usually grab them off-season at places like Ikea, where I can find a good looking rug for under $20) that way if they get destroyed by the elements, I'm not terribly upset. Spring is a great time to rotate things like rugs, although I usually wait until after the melt/muddy/rainy days of spring to introduce my nicer things, but like to "fluff" the house with new rugs, new throw pillows, new curtains, etc. Once the snow has officially melted and those gloves and scarves that kept us cozy all winter aren't needed, I'll give them a deep clean then put them in plastic bins with dryer sheets so they're all ready for us when the frost returns in the fall. One of my favorite things to put by the back door is a hanging basket with outdoor tools, gardening bits and items for the barbecue ready to go, and the best I've found lately are bicycle baskets (flat on one side, they're perfect for hanging on a wall). So as you prepare to shed that winter coat, work on springing that dark mood into a bright one. Take it from me, making your inside lovely, clean and bright will only welcome more sunshine and happiness. And, um, that pile of junk you have next to your desk...find a place for it NOW. After all, you've gotta make room for summer!
