minideclutterchallengeimage4325

10 Mini-decluttering Challenges

by with No Comment Home Organising

Decluttering bursts are important to help us stay on top of clutter. It is important we love our homes and want to live in them, clutter can build up quickly so if we don’t stay on top, we can have a huge mountain of time-consuming clutter to wade through.

Add this simple 10-day declutter challenge into your planner a few times a year and along with my mega January declutter challenge you will stay on top.

I find decluttering my space a great stress buster and super soothing.

Do this challenge whenever it fits in with you and try to dedicate just 10 minutes a day, this way you are keeping it simple and quick.

Good luck!

Day 1: Mugs and Glasses

Really mugs and glasses should be dedicated to just one shelf in your kitchen cupboard, not the whole cupboard. Go through and throw out any that are chipped or cracked, and eliminate what is not being used. Use the two-cup rule for every person living in your home only two glasses/mugs are required. We are a family of 5 so we have 10 and a few spares for guests and tradespeople.

Day 2: Mail

Do you hang on and avoid throwing away mail? Well if that is you, today is the day for a mail sort out. Old bills that you have already paid, expired money off vouchers for the supermarket along with mail from the previous homeowner need to go.

Day 3: Books

I love books and hate giving them away but when you don’t have the room then once read, and you know you will not read again, there is no point in hanging onto them. The best thing about books is they can be easily swapped with a friend, gifted, or donated with ease as everyone loves a good book. Switch to reading digitally as it saves you so much space and eliminates the need for a book declutter.

Day 4: Wardrobe Clear Out

Now, we all know that this one will take you a lot longer than ten minutes, but no one has said you need to do it all at once. Open your wardrobe and just do a section, you could just do dresses today and plan in another ten minutes for another day to tackle trousers and so on. My best advice when tackling clothes is to literally get that whole section out, pop it on the bed and be ruthless. When did you last wear it? Does it still fit? Do you like it?  Is it damaged? Ask yourself a series of questions like this and this will make the process so much easier. Then bag them up and sell, donate or gift them.

Day 5: Baking Cupboard

Back in the kitchen for day 5 and it is time to open that baking cupboard, the one you don’t open much as you hardly have any time for baking. Chuck out those out-of-date bags of shredded coconut that you never got around to using and that bag of flour that has burst and is just making a mess in your cupboard.

Day 6: Make Up

Today we need to toss out those dried-up old lipsticks and the off-smelling foundations that we simply hang onto because they are branded, costs a lot of money but you never actually wore them as the shade wasn’t quite right! Throwing away does feel like a real waste but it will remind you to make a better choice next time and choose a product that you will use and love.

Day 7: Junk Drawer

Let’s be honest we all have one, don’t we? Even I do and I call myself Little Miss Organised! Junk drawers normally consist of a little bit of everything, plasters, batteries, pens, lightbulbs, the list goes on but all these items need a home. 

Day 8: Paperwork

Do you just stuff your papers and important documents into a drawer or unmarked folder? Well, if that is you and the paperwork is building up, today is the day you dedicate ten minutes to getting your paperwork in order. Treat yourself to some colour-coded folders and mark them, then you will have an easy to use system.

Day 9: Medication

For safety reasons, it is important to declutter your medicine cabinet regularly. Medicines are medical compounds and over time they will break down. Check expiry dates and organise into categories.

Day 10: Socks

Do you have lots of odd socks just hanging around without their mates? Than a good first step is to pull them out and try to match them up as and when you do your laundry, if mates don’t appear then it is time to toss them. You need to decide what is a reasonable number of socks to have and stick to that amount. Have a few different types, such as trainer socks and dress socks.

Mini declutter challenge complete!

Recognising the problem areas in your home and starting to chip away at them, one-by-one will make you and your home feel better.

declutter image

Don’t forget to Declutter your digital life

by with No Comment Cleaning Tips

I love a declutter and always make sure I have very little clutter within my home but digital declutter these days can also be a huge issues for many.  Clutter can take up space on devices and slow them down so its important to do a monthly digital declutter. The way you set up your desktop on your home computer, browser can easily be distracting you and slowing down your productivity.
Below are some practical simple tasks that don’t just declutter, but keep you better organised and keep your files safe.

Organise your photos

On average I must take at least 50 photos a day to make sure I get an Instagram worthy photograph. The pressure of an Instagrammer can be immense. If it’s not for Instagram its of off the kids or an outfit I have seen in the shops which I am debating if I actually need it before I go back and buy it.  These photo’s certainly aren’t all needed.
– Organise your photos’s into folders. Kids, Holidays, Day out, Instagram. Work, etc.
– Delete any photos that are of bad quality or unimportant.
– Set up a drop box or one drive on your computer and store the good ones in here weekly.
– Use photo apps like Chatbooks and create simple photo books for less than £8.00.  I love producing these and we store than in month order so we can look back at memories.

Clear out those Apps

There are so many great free apps out there that is hard not to resist downloading a few every so often and just having a play.  But how often do you actually use that app? Try and keep the ones that you actively use all the time and the ones that help you out in your day-to-day life. Apps can take up so much space so make sure you go through these and delete the ones you haven’t used or have maybe only clicked on twice in a month.

Delete Email accounts

I must have about 6 emails accounts but I only actively use two of these. Delete accounts that aren’t necessary and that you don’t use often.  Or at least remove them of your phones and tablets and keep access via your computer just in case something important may come through.

Unsubscribe to email marketing

Since the new GDPR rule has come in you should have been given the option to opt out of unwanted email marketing material.  If you’re getting lots of these emails a day and they are services you don’t require or maybe once did years a go now is the time to hit the unsubscribe button. Every time and an email with no real relevance to you hits your inbox scroll down to the bottom and hit unsubscribe.
If you haven’t already subscribed to my emailing list then you really are missing out.

Social Media

This may seem harsh but defreind, unfollow and clear out those social media feeds. Do you really need to be in touch with people who when you pass in the supermarket turn their head.  Social media can be a real numbers game and on Facebook in particular its a bit of a popularity contest amongst friends but stop seeing it as this and have the people on their that really matter to you and enjoy the news feed rather than wasting time to see what you want by scrolling through Joe blogs account who you occasionally spoke to as school as she was far too cool to be your friend but these days she’s desperate to see what your up to and see how successful you have become.
Go through your friends list and likes pages and start defriending and unfollowing. This task will also make you feel so satisfied!
Unfollowing people on Twitter gives you just the important updates. You can also mute people on your Twitter feed which I only discovered recently.
With Instagram just have fun with it. The people you have chosen to follow make sure you like their pictures on their feeds don’t follow people to steal ideas or just to watch them if you don’t like their content then press unfollow (so simple). Do not compare yourself on this platform very simply have fun engage and be happy. If you do want to make money using social media read how I do it .

Desktop

I can’t work if my desk isn’t clean and organised, a clean desk helps me focus  and become so much more productive and so will a clean desktop. Clean up your files and folders and get rid of any unnecessary old files.
Create folders to organise
Have a happy engaging wallpaper to keep focus.
Remember to allow yourself 30 minutes or so once a month to declutter your digital and don’t feel overwhelmed during the process.
This book is great read and will give you much more help and guidance into the digital decluttering.  Take charge of your data and organise your digital life.
Happy digital decluttering!
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxox

frontofhouseimage89970

What do I need to do to my property to get it ready to sell?

by with No Comment Cleaning TipsFamily Organising

This is a question that I get asked all the time on social media, so I thought it was about time I did a blog on it. 

Moving house is one of the most stressful things you can do, and a big part of that comes from the process of preparing your property for sale and trying to find a buyer.
Most people will only sell a couple of homes in their lifetime, so it can feel like a minefield knowing where to start with preparing your property for potential buyers to come and view it.
If you’re thinking about moving, or if you’re in the process of trying to find a buyer for your property, my top tips will have your home sale-ready in no time at all!

Start with the simple things

When it comes to preparing your home to put it on the market, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed by the task ahead.  For this reason, when it comes to making a list of the jobs that need to be done, it’s important to break things down into bite-sized pieces and take it one room at a time.

Decluttering is one of the tasks that has the biggest impact on the saleability of your property.  A cluttered property is not only aesthetically unattractive to potential buyers, it will also communicate to your viewers that your home to too small for you, which may well then lead to the assumption that it will also be too small for them.

Deep clean

The approach of taking things ‘one room at a time’ should be continued when it comes to deep cleaning your property.

Start by trying to view each room objectively and make a list of the different tasks required.  Areas that are often neglected include carpets, upholstery and bathroom grout.

Don’t underestimate the impact of a fresh coat of paint

Although it can be time consuming when there is a seemingly endless list of tasks to complete, a fresh coat of paint throughout the house will have a big impact on the first impression your potential buyers have when they walk through your front door, and will undoubtedly pay off in the process of trying to sell your house.

Engage as many senses as possible

Choosing a new home is not just a practical decision for many people, it has a lot to do with how someone ‘feels’ when they walk into your property.  Help attract your perfect buyer by making your property viewings a multi-sensory experience.

Sight is, of course, the most obvious sense when it comes to a property viewing, so it’s important to be intentional about how to want to present your property to potential buyers.  Tidy and uncluttered shelves, clean and clear kitchen worktops and fresh flowers will all add to the feeling of a well-loved home.

Sight is not the only important sense when preparing your property for sale, however.  Smell will also play a big in role in your potential buyer’s feelings about your property. Make sure your property is well-aired before any viewings, and consider adding diffusers or candles for a homely, yet subtle fragrance.

 And if all that feels like a little too much work…

Of course, for many people time is of the essence when it comes to selling a property.  So, if you’re in a hurry to find a buyer, you’re worried about how long the house selling process will take and don’t want to miss out on your dream property, or you simply don’t have the time to spare carrying out work to your property before you sell, you may want to consider using a professional home buying company like Quick Move Now.  Because a genuine cash home buyer will purchase your property directly, with their own cash, the purchase is guaranteed, hassle-free and can be completed in as little as seven days!

I really hope this feature works if you are looking at moving I have put together a really simple video too CLICK HERE TO WATCH

Thank you for reading 
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This is a sponsored post with cash home buyers 

Spring,Cleaning,Concept,With,Supplies,On,Wooden,Table

Lets get prepared for the Big Spring Clean

by with One Comment Cleaning Tips

I can’t wait winter will soon be winding down and springtime temperatures will be hopping right into our gardens. And that means it’s time to prepare for spring cleaning. It’s time to give your place a good deep clean.

Spring is right around the corner, and for most of us it’s an exciting time to get our homes in order. From the interiors of your home to the exterior, getting your home ready for spring will ensure you’ll be ready to enjoy the warmer weather once it comes. Before you get started you probably have some re-organising to do. Spring cleaning usually involves getting rid of old clothing, furnishings, and odds and ends.

National Spring Cleaning week here in the UK starts on March 4th. But really spring cleaning can happen at any time of year and in any type of weather. Many of us like to clean while temperatures are mild, the sun is shinning there are fewer bugs, and pollen and other allergens have not become problematic.

Essential items to get ready for your big Spring Clean

Follow a plan

Time

Set aside some time in your diary for Spring Cleaning.  Make sure you book nothing else in on these days and just really go for it.

Plan

Write down a list of what you want to achieve, plan room by room and stick to it.  I have created a Spring Cleaning Checklist which may really help you keep on top and in order.

Create a fun playlist

Create a fun  playlist with your favorite music.  Music is a great way to stay motivated and can make tedious obligations like cleaning fun.  Pretend the mop is a microphone and belt out your favorite fun as you make those bathrooms shine

Declutter

Freshen up your rooms by removing unnecessary objects from tabletops and shelves, store them accordingly or you don’t need them throw away or give to charity Replace them with a single arrangement of fresh flowers. Flowers really can bring a room together and create a sense of happiness. House hold declutter can be a problem for many people and it so easily builds up into a huge mountain but use your spring cleaning time to tackle that mountain.

Go for it

Load up your cleaning caddy and go for it and most of all try to enjoy it.

Don’t forget when decluttering have a think about it you could possibly donate or resell the item. Take a look at Ruths guide to making money selling on ebay

If your struggling and a need a little motivation then always feel free to send me a message.

Happy Spring Clean
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxox

Woman,Legs,Out,Of,A,Pile,Of,Clothes,On,The

Stop clutter coming into your home.

by with No Comment Home Organising

Are you fed up with the constant stream of clutter coming into your home? I hate having loose items on the side that really don’t have a home and I am sure you do too. Hopefully you have already read my New Year Declutter feature

Look how messy one of my teenager daughters is? Every Friday I go in her room and have a big declutter what she accumulates in a week is amazing!

I have put together a simple list if ideas to hopefully stop clutter clogging up your home.

Make sure you have plenty of bins so you can put rubbish in them straight away rather than leave lying around. Empty your bag or coat pocket as soon as you come home so the rubbish is dealt with straight away.

When you receive items through the post that come in bog packaging break the boxes up straight away and take straight out to the recycling bin.  You don’t want these lying around taking up room.

Have a recycling box by the back door and empty this daily

Do one extra organising job each day on top of normal cleaning. For example clean out a drawer or cupboard that’s become cluttered this way it doesn’t get so out of control.

Cancel any magazine subscriptions that you no longer need,  stopping the need of unwanted magazines and leaflets coming in

Register with MPS online to stop receiving junk mail. https://www.mpsonline.org.uk. alternatively add a note to your front door alerting people not to put junk mail through.

Only purchase what you need.  Stop buying on impulse and bringing items into the home that you don’t really need.  When you visit the shops list the items you need and stick to it.  Don’t be tempted with offers.

Say NO to useless freebies that you pick up at exhibitions and trade fairs  How many branded pens do you really need.

Ask for receipts via email.  Most shops are offering this service these days and its such a great idea.

Don’t pick up takeaway and restaurant menus as most are available online.

When the children bring in letters from school with important dates on, add into your phone calendar or dairy and disregard the letter.

Avoid going to sales, most of the time you impulse buy for the sake of it.

Buy a good mesh shopping bag that easily fits into your hand bag rather than having a store cupboard full of empty carrier bags.

Reducing filing by scanning and saving copies of warranty documents, important receipts, letters etc. One back up hard drive or flash drive takes up far less space than piles of paper.

Put things away. You quickly see whether you have room or not and if you don’t, something has to go.

Follow this rule. If something comes in, then something goes out.

Dont forget my monthly declutter challenge that encourages you to declutter every day over the space of a month.

Plus my 50 things you need to throw guide.

Lets keep 2018 CLUTTER FREE.
Thanks for reading Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

IMG_4259

5 Top Tips for a Sparkling Clean Christmas

by with No Comment Christmas

I really don’t know where this year has gone, We moved into this house November 2016 and its literally been the quckest year I can remember.  Or maybe I am just getting old and they do say the years start to fly by as you get older.

It’s a really good idea to prepare for Christmas in advance. I find that if you split your house into sections and plan to tackle one section a week this is a good way to start. For example.  The children’s bedrooms can be week one and so on.

Make sure you declutter as you go.  Clear out wardrobes, cupboards,check underneath beds and in drawers.  If you haven’t used it recently and it has no real purpose then it really needs to go. We have just done a big charity shop run and we sorted through all of Jakes toys and everyone’s clothes. We are far from a rich family but we are fortunate enough that we don’t need anything. I always encourage my children to want to give to charity so that another child can benefit from well looked after toys and clothes.

There are 5 things you can do in advance to make sure your home is sparkling clean this christmas.

Clean your carpets

If your fortunate enough to own a Carpet Cleaner give them a really good clean and move as much of the furniture as you can. Carpets really do deal with an awful lot from the moment they are installed.  Don’t panic if you don’t own a carpet cleaner many local Companies will probably be offering a few Christmas cleaning packages for the festive season so look one up or there is also the option off hiring one or borrowing one of a friend.

Clean the Oven

You may be like me and clean the oven pretty much after every usage but if you not and it has a build up of dirt and grim then its time to get your oven clean on. There are some fantastic oven cleaning products on the markets so you can quite easily do its yourself but always take care and use good cleaning gloves.

Clean the Fridge 

Have a really good fridge clean, take all the items out and the shelves. Soak the shelves in warm soapy water and clean all the sides using a good antibacterial fridge cleaner.  Check all sell by dates on the food and wash over jars and bottles so everything you are putting back into the fridge is very clean. Add in a fridge deodoriser to help keep it smelling fresh and make sure you leave enough space for all the extra Christmas food.

Clean the silverware

If you are doing Christmas Day at your house then make sure you have plenty of cutely and its sparking clean. Most of us have a nice set of cutlery or dining set that only makes an appearance on special occasions. So get this prepared.  Just wash in warm soapy water, towel dry and if your silver has become slightly tarnished use a metal cleaner and buff to dry.  You can also try this amazing silver polishing gloves. I have these and use them all the time I must have my silver as shiny as I can get it.

Organise and clean the Christmas Decorations

Christmas decorations spend a long time living in dusty confined spaces until they are brought out again but how many of us actually think about cleaning them.  You would have seen me a few years on Obsessive compulsive Cleaners bleaching my baubles and still to this day I am stopped in the street and asked If I really do this and YES of Course I do.  But you don’t have to be as full on as me. A quick wipe over with a damp cloth will be enough. Make sure you test the lights before you put them on the tree and plan your christmas theme making sure it matches well with the room you are displaying your tree in. If threads on baubles are looking bear and the odd decoration is looking a little tatty then hide at the back or better still don’t hang at all.Over the years my children have made me various tree hanging decorations so we have a special tree on the middle floor for all their bits and pieces and they get to decorate this just the way they wish.

I have designed a christmas cleaning and organising calendar that starts on November 25th it gives you a daily task to do to help keep you organised on the lead up to christmas.  Click here to get yours.

As always thank you for taking the time to read my blog post and i hope this advice has been helpful. Please feel free to comment below with any ideas that you would like to share.

Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo

This post contains affiliate links

White,Room,With,Sofa.3d,Illustration

Decluttering

by with 3 Comments Home Organising

Household clutter can be a problem for many people, clutter can build up and up to stage where you just don’t know where to start.  Clutter can cause people stress which can then lead to weight gain, anxiety and depression.  Which can then head towards to hoarding.  Hoarding a house can create a fire hazard and lead to other health problems with the build up of dust and dirt.

I enjoy to declutter as love to see an open and clean space, my moto is a tidy house equals a tidy mind.  If you are not living in orderly conditions then how can your brain function probably, especially when working and when out and about?

Learning to cut clutter in your home is a process you have to be intentional about until it becomes a set habit.  For some of us it may never come 100% naturally but the good news is that by creating a routine you can keep control over the clutter in your house without a huge time investment. If you tidy up on a regular basis you will find that you clutter is very minimal and can be dealt with quickly but if you have let it get quite bad over a long period of time then you need to follow these simple steps.

Start with a plan and set yourself realistic goals.  Maybe draw a map of your home and work out what needs tackling in each room.

  • Do one room at a time, you don’t need to be super woman and do everything all in one day.
  • Start with the smallest room/area.
  • Set yourself a challenge as to when its going to be complete by.
  • If needs be hire a skip or arrange a day to go to the local dump.
  • Create a sorting system. (ie) Boxes with keep, throw away, Charity, carboot and storage.
  • Categorise the items you are keeping, create spaces for them, box files for paperwork etc.
  • Look realistically at your items, if you haven’t touched it or used it in the last year is it really needed. Clothes, read books, DVD’s, old CD’s etc.
  • If you have a computer scan copies of important documentation and receipts so you have a digital copy and then you can you can shred the originals.
  • Clean out drawers, start by taking everything out and get rid of old bits and pieces and bits you haven’t been using or wearing.
  • When it comes to surfaces and tops of set of drawers clear the top and only leave what needs to be there. (ie) in the kitchen only leave the kettle, toaster, knife block and so on.
wprktop
  • Check expiring dates on cosmetics, shampoos, medication etc and if out of date throw away

Happy Decluttering
Lynsey Queen of Clean xoxo