Clearing The Clutter

by Rick · March 1, 2018

Real Estate In The Parks – By Scott & Sam Hillman

Spring is in the air, creating the perfect opportunity to organize, declutter and spruce up your home. Everyone likes not only the appearance of a well-organized home, but the feeling it creates- knowing that you have sorted and cleaned out your drawers, cabinets, and closets. Additionally, when placing your home on the market, it is a very important step to clean out your closets, cabinets, and drawers in order to better-showcase the space that is available.

A great place to start is your closet; using the rule that if it hasn’t been worn in the past year, donate the item. This goes for clothing, shoes, and accessories such as handbags and scarves. One way you can streamline your closet racks is to place an old pop top on the neck of the hanger, and then you can hang another hanger on that, creating, in essence, a double hanger. This will make your closet less bulky and provide you with more space. Don’t kick your old dresser to the curb just yet; first recycle the drawers to provide under-bed storage for bulky sweaters or shoes. You can even add some wheels to them for easier access.

Spring cleaning is also a great time to involve the kids. Perhaps they got some new clothes and new toys over the holidays; for every new toy they received have them select an old toy that they would be willing to donate to a child in need. You can use the same rule for clothing too. This method not only helps your child to clean out and organize but shows them the importance of giving back to their community.

Entry way and side tables are the perfect landing zone for unwanted clutter. Alleviate this habit by simply placing a plant, framed photo, or a decorative item on the table, making it harder for stacks and pile-ups to occur. Magazine racks overflowing, or piled up in the corner? Spring is the perfect time to recycle them. If you were saving them for an article or recipe, simply tear those pages out and scan them into your computer for access in the future.

The plastic containers cabinet in kitchens are commonly unorganized and usually contain more containers than lids or vice versa. The first step is make sure every lid is matched to the correct container; from there you can choose how to organize the containers. One idea is to take an old compact disc organizer and place one lid in each slot, keeping them organized. Many people also have a junk drawer or two in their kitchens. After cleaning it out, you can take a muffin tin and place it in the drawer, creating the perfect space to sort and organize the various items.

Don’t overlook your garage; hang some towel racks along the side and it becomes a place to hang garden tools and hoses. Recycle old glass jars and use them to house screws, nails, nuts and bolts.

When going through all your spaces, try and be honest with yourself about how useful the item is still to you, think about if it is something you can recycle or donate. Chances are if you haven’t touched or used it within the last year, then it needs to go. Clearing the clutter and spring cleaning is a big job, but if you tackle it a room at a time, then you will be organized in no time.

Scott Hillman is president of Fannie Hillman + Associates, a 37-year-old Winter Park-based real estate company specializing in residential real estate sales. Sam Hillman is a realtor and Market Analyst at Fannie Hillman + Associates. Together, they produce Hillman Homes, a customized biannual publication showcasing local luxury listings, editorial features, and The Hillman Report, a look at residential real estate in Orange and Seminole counties. Read the latest issue on the company’s website (fanniehillman.com) or by calling (407) 644-1234 for a copy.