Doing an occasional deep clean of your space, or helping your loved one do the same, is a powerful way to improve your life. Research says we’re happier in clean, attractive spaces.
If you or a loved one is older, a little decluttering can even be more healthy than living in a messy home. Excess clutter can create possibilities for trips and falls, which can be dangerous for older adults.
Unfortunately, because physical ability changes as you grow older, you or your loved one may need help clearing and cleaning your space. Follow these tips to get clutter under control and do a serious deep clean of your home – or help your loved one do the same.
Sorting Your Items
When you’re cleaning your home, your first step is to start busting clutter. It’s difficult to clean without getting rid of extra items that are in the way.
The vast majority of people have objects they could stand to part with. These may range from just a few to quite a lot! In situations where clutter is truly overwhelming, it may be worthwhile to hire a professional decluttering crew. But most people can simply take an afternoon or two to sort through their items.
Many decluttering experts recommend setting things into three piles. The first is for things you plan to keep. Perhaps you use them regularly. Maybe you might have real and concrete plans for putting them into use. Alternately, they might be part of a short list of sentimental items you plan to hold onto.
Culling Your Items
The remaining two piles are for items you’re getting rid of. The first of these piles is straightforward: it’s for items you’re recycling or sending to the landfill. These may be items that are broken, or too dirty to give away.
The second pile is for items someone could use again. Many people fail to declutter, because throwing away their old items seems wasteful. Giving some of their clutter away – whether to thrift stores, or as gifts to people they know could genuinely use them – sweetens the deal, and helps them to willingly offload some of the items they might otherwise hold on to.
Just remember to give the items away promptly! Don’t delay in giving them away too long, or they could wander back into your home again.
Cleaning Up
Once you’ve effectively decluttered, it’s time for a deep clean of your home. This goes beyond ordinary chores, but with a lot of your clutter out of the way, it should be easier to get things tidy.
A proper deep clean can take several days on top of the time you spent cluttering. It can be hard to know where to start deep-cleaning your home. After all, these are tasks you usually ignore. But here’s an overview of tasks you could tackle:
- dusting light fixtures
- washing windows
- clearing and cleaning drains
- cleaning or replacing shower curtains and bathmats
- sweeping cobwebs from corners
- vacuuming refrigerator coils
- moving and cleaning underneath heavy appliances (like fridges and freezers)
- flipping mattresses
- washing mattress pads
- getting rid of socks without partners
As you might imagine, this list could be very long. Some items almost anyone can tackle. For tasks that involve moving heavy objects or climbing up high, it’s good to leave these for a strong friend or hire someone to help.
The good news is, as you tackle these tasks, you and your loved one will see more work that needs doing. You’ll take a fresh look at your space, and find yourself addressing messes that you’ve long been ignoring.
Decluttering your home is a big project, but it’s of crucial importance — especially as you or your loved one get older. By decluttering and embarking on a multi-day deep clean, you or your loved one will notice a serious improvement in your quality of life and your mental health.
If you would like to explore the possibilities of a fresh start by living as part of our community at Someren Glen, give us a call at 300-900-5016 or contact us by filling out the form on our Contact page. We’ll be in touch to share the exciting ways your life can change by moving to Someren Glen.
