May 4th, 2008 Spring Cleaning the Clutter

Ah, spring is here! Honestly, spring is just around the corner and that puts me in a mindset to clear the clutter. Yes, this is the time of year to get rid of all the excess in your home. I’m sure you are familiar with this ritual. It’s called “Spring Cleaning”. Getting rid of the junk I’m not using anymore and tidying things up leaves me feeling calm and soothed. A clean, organized home is a much nicer place to be. Fortunately, the Thunder Bay Public Library has a great selection of books to help you get motivated. Why not try one of these:

Consumer Reports How to Clean and Care for Practically Anything by Consumer Reports Books Editors

Whether you're tackling the entire garage or basement or have just five minutes for a quick pickup, this guide describes for readers the best products, methods and strategies for getting things clean and keeping them in tiptop shape.



Real Simple Cleaning by Kathleen Squires
With room-by-room strategies and tips, this edition guides readers through what to do and when to do it, culminating in one cleaning calendar. With this resource, the dirty work, truly, can be done.




Greening Your Cleaning by Deirdre Imus
We all grew up thinking chemical smells like bleach and ammonia signaled "clean." But as Deirdre Imus reveals, some of the chemicals we use to maintain our homes are doing us and our families much more harm than good. In Greening Your Cleaning, the first in her Green This! series, Deirdre shows how cleaning house the environmentally responsible way can be as effective and often cheaper than the more traditional, toxic, means. This volume includes: Simple, efficient cleaning methods for every room of the house, Spotlights on everyday products (all purpose cleaner, glass/window cleaner, laundry detergent) and the toxic ingredients you should be wary of, Summaries of the latest research on the toxic effects of ordinary chemicals, Resource lists of widely available "green cleaning" products and retailers. Filled with tips and testimonials, Greening Your Cleaning will show you how to streamline your cleaning products and practices, and how easy it is to make "living green" your way of life.



Christopher Lowell’s Seven Layers of Organization: Unclutter your Home, Unclutter your Life by Christopher Lowell

If Your Closets are Bulging and your drawers are about to explode, you're not alone. The fact is, seven out of ten Americans live in cluttered homes. Our nesting instinct has allowed the stuff to take over. Emmy Award-winning host and design guru Christopher Lowell provides the perfect solution in Seven Layers of Organization. While other books simply show containers and gizmos to get organized, Christopher gets to the bottom of why we just can't seem to let go-and shows us how we can.
As in his smash hit book Christopher Lowell's Seven Layers of Design, Lowell takes you through the organizing process step by step, breaking down each layer into simple tasks that anyone can make time to do. He shows how to plan ahead for better, faster, longer-lasting results; how to decide what to keep and what to toss; and how to store or show off your possessions. You'll also see how each layer works in twelve fabulous room makeovers, from a ship-to-shore nautical bedroom to a Hollywood glam hallway to an inviting his-and-hers office space.



The Clutter Busting Handbook: Clean It Up, Clear It Out, and Keep Your Life Clutter Free by Rita Emmett

Are you tired of being surrounded by so much stuff that you don't know what you have, can't put everything away or find things when you want them? Does your clutter cause you to feel stressed, anxious, or embarrassed? Rita Emmett-a reformed clutterer herself-can help you take control of your possessions. The Clutter-Busting Handbook is a concise, energizing guide that gives you insight and direction as well as proven tips, methods, and strategies to tame your clutter. Emmett reveals: The Four Primary Causes of Clutter, That Cluttering is a Habit even Lifelong Clutterers Can Break, The Powerful Connection Between Clutter and Procrastination, How to Help a Pack Rat Part with Unneeded Objects, How to Prevent Clutter from Returning, Forever. As entertaining as she is helpful, Emmett offers practical advice on deciding what to keep and what to recycle, discard, or donate. Her combination of experience and good humor-based on her hundreds of seminars and advice shared by people all over the country-will turn even the most reluctant converts into clutter busters.

So, let’s get started. Apply soap and water, disinfectant, furniture polish, scouring power, and plenty of elbow grease and you will have results in a matter of hours. You’ll be surprised how much better you will feel and how much easier it is to live in your home when you give it room to breathe, with results lasting at least till the family gets home. Happy cleaning everyone!

Helen Cimone is a Public Services Assistant at the Mary J.L. Black Library