6 Easy Steps for a Fall Reset
In this edition of Clean Everything, we break down six easy-enough cleaning and organizing tasks to make your fall run smoother.
If this first week or so of September has felt somewhat scrambled adjusting to school, office life, and post-summer blues, taking a moment to do a bit of cleaning or organizing might help. Setting up a few systems to keep everything tidy and in its place means (hopefully) spending less time tangled up in the small stuff — searching for permission slips, keys, and the like.
Below, a few easy-enough tasks to restore order during this hectic season:
- Organize your important documents: If your files, mail, and bills dance between a pile on the kitchen table and an unmarked box in the garage, it’s time to develop a proper filing system. This overhaul might seem overwhelming, but the process starts very simple, we promise: with some sticky-note-labeled stacks.
- Make your old computer feel new again: If you’ve had your computer for more than a few years, it might be starting to show its age — taking a while to boot up or sluggishly running its apps. You might not need to buy a brand-new one just yet, though. Our tech expert’s advice, which includes decluttering your files and refreshing the operating system, may help it run like new. No big purchase needed, after all.
- Slap a label on all your kids’ school stuff: As editorial director Lauren Sullivan puts it: “The parent who labels their kids’ lunch boxes and water bottles is the parent who can change the world — or, at least, their world.” After sticking, washing, and wearing down many options, we found the best printed labels for kids’ stuff … so you’ll (hopefully) increase your chances of their things coming back home with them.
- Clean up your car: Carpool season approacheth. Is your ride ready? A high-quality handheld vacuum gives you the cleaning power and flexibility to eradicate crumbs, fur, and dried-up dirt — and the last sandy remnants of beach season, too.
- Do a seasonal fridge clean-out: Our method for tackling this chore requires no unplugging. Divide your fridge into small sections, and in five-minute intervals, remove food items, wipe out any crusty messes, and disinfect the surface. Be sure to include 30-minute breaks after your timer is up, which keeps your fridge nice and cold and lets you spread the cleaning out over several days. Nice.
- Zhuzh up your entryway: Giving everything in your entryway a proper home makes it easy to grab and go the essentials during busy fall mornings. Need more shoe storage? A wall hook for hanging your keys? A pretty catchall dish for your earbuds? The right storage solutions can encourage organization — and add a pop of personality to the space.
