Spring Cleanup

Check out these smart cleaning and decluttering solutions from Motherboard Moms.

Contain the Junk

I'm the minimalist in my family, and my husband and children are the opposite. They like to save every scrap of paper, toy, and so on. We have compromised by allowing each family member to fill up six pages in a scrapbook each year and keep a few sentimental items in a bin in the basement.

--Lisa Franklyn-Zaidi, Morganville, New Jersey

Grab a Buddy

Find a friend who likes to reorganize -- sometimes a second pair of eyes (that doesn't look at your stuff every day) can see an organizing solution you haven't thought of.

--Denise Brown, Northwood, New Hampshire

Do It in Spurts

Setting aside time really helps. Last year my goal was to declutter one area of my home for at least 30 minutes each day. I set the alarm on my cell phone and didn't stop working until it went off.

--Kathy Ruiz, Luling, Texas

Be Brutally Honest

Ask yourself: "Have I used this in the last year?" If you haven't worn it, used it, or looked at it in the past 12 months, chances are you won't miss it if it's gone.

--Kelli Williams, Evans, West Virginia

Sort Kids' Clothes

I have a foolproof system for storing my children's clothes: Each season and size gets its own large plastic container. For instance, all of my son's 6T summer clothes are in one box, ready for the next child who will be that age in that season.

--Andrea McKenzie, Ledyard, Connecticut

Record Your Progress

To stay motivated, I start out by taking a picture of the area that I'm going to clean. Then I take an after photo. It is highly satisfying to see the results.

--Nancy Klein, Tarpon Springs, Florida

Sell Stuff

I just had a yard sale with junk I never unpacked from our move a year ago, and I made $200! That is getting me excited to really clear out everything we don't use this spring and sell it to make even more.

--Georgia Lee, North Hills, California

Start Small

This spring when I did my big cleanup, I started in the kitchen and organized one drawer or cabinet a day. It took some time to do the entire room, but I didn't feel overwhelmed.

--Lori Arias, Deptford, New Jersey

Color-Code It

To store my holiday decorations, I buy color-coded bins: orange and black for Halloween, red and green for Christmas. I'm on the lookout for pink and purple bins right now for my Easter decorations.

--Katrina Burkhard, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania

Tell Us What You Think

Storage Secrets!

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