Organize&
Sanitize
Get your spring clean on. Sunshine, daffodils, warm breezes—Spring is here and while we all want to relish in its beauty there comes a time we all must perform the dreaded spring cleaning duties. Don’t fret! Savvy Kids teamed up with a number of local professionals to get their tips and tricks to spring cleaning and organization.
Organization
Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You might look at your child’s playroom, your kitchen, your closet and think there is so much to do; you’re not sure where to start. Nila Ciesiel, Senior Design Consultant for The Closet Factory in Little Rock says the first step to organizing your home is to go room by room. For example, if you’re looking to get your kitchen organized go drawer by drawer, cabinet by cabinet clearing out items you don’t use. “If you break it down into segments, it’s much easier to manage,” Ciesiel explained. She also explained parents need a lot of storage space. Diapers and wipes, socks and shoes, play clothes and dress clothes—kids have a lot of things that need a place to go. “The key is to use adjustable organization so your shelves and bins can grow with your children,” Ciesiel said. “Once everything has a place, it’s much easier for children to help mom and dad clean up.” Something to consider: hiring a company like The Closet Factory to organize closets may seem pricey on the front end. Adjustable storage systems, manufactured to fit your space, will last you the lifetime of your home and since they are modifiable, you can change and rearrange shelves to fit your needs each year.
Cleaning Services
Let’s face it. Some of us are not going to get on our hands and knees and clean baseboards, or dust behind the refrigerator. When you come to this realization there is only one thing to do: call a cleaning service! Debbie Hoskins, owner of Busy Bees, gave us the dirt on the dirt! When choosing a cleaning service the first thing to do is assess your needs. Make a list of the things you need done. Some services may offer all of the items on your list as a “basic” cleaning package; however, more detailed services are usually available. By using a service such as Busy Bees, house management services are available. House managers can run errands such as picking up dry cleaning, personal shopping, and help you schedule appointments. “This service provides families with more time together,” Hoskins added. Hoskins also said to be sure to get a good estimate before committing to anything. Look for services who offer a free consultation. 10 | savvy kids MARCH 2011
Debbie’s Tip: To know that you’re not being charged too much, most cleaning services charge around $20 per hour.