April heralds warm weather and the promise of Mother Nature’s beauty and bounty. Showers will bring flowers; blue skies and sunshine will make all of us feel part of this beautiful life before us.
It wouldn’t be my column if I didn’t bring to mind my agenda; cleaning out something or the other! This month, let’s talk about, first of all, changing closets from winter to spring and to summer clothes.

Now that it is getting warmer, the heaviest winter clothes and coats can safely be sent to the cleaners for their long summer’s nap. Please don’t put your clothes away without washing them or cleaning them. Many times, something has spilled on them which doesn’t show. After being closeted for six or so months, the spots change to stains and will never release from the fabric. Either wash or clean your winter clothes and then put them aside in a spare closet or in the basement if you have storage area or at the farthest place in your closet. They will not be needed until next fall. There is no reason to store them anywhere where you will be forced to thumb through them trying to find your spring and summer clothes.

If you haven’t invested in plastic hangers yet, now is a great time to do this for yourself. Go out and buy 100 white plastic hangers. If you’re willing to spend a little more, also buy some extra hangers which hold two piece outfits and some skirt/slack hangers. Buy plenty, save the bills; return what you don’t need. Since I first wrote about this in one of my earlier columns, I can’t tell you how many people have told me they went out and bought plastic hangers for themselves. It just makes such a big difference in the look and maintenance of your closet. Do it for your children too.

As the weather warms, continue taking the heavier clothes out of your closet(s) and getting them to the cleaners or into the laundry. At the same time, you’ll find that you can start using spring/summer clothes on some of the warmer days. I’ll assume the summer clothes were already cleaned from last fall. If they weren’t and you want to wear something from that grouping, you can see the merit of having cleaned or laundered the item last year so that it is ready now, at a moment’s notice. This is just one of those little tips I taught to so many of my clients. Many of these clients had me come back twice a year at spring and fall closet changeover time. After the first experience when I returned and all the clothes were hanging in cleaning bags or freshly laundered in drawers, you can imagine how easy it was to change to the current season. Also, if clothes were taken to the cleaners a few pieces at a time, the cleaning bill wasn’t astronomical. This is a great time to take advantage of the two-for-one sales or penny sales at your local cleaners.

Now for the housecleaning: This is the time, once again, to go through your house and throw away all the accumulated newspapers, magazines and catalogs. Keep in mind that all the new catalogs will now have spring and summer items, so for sure you can pitch the winter catalogs. Remember to use black plastic garbage bags for the trash. That way, you and your family can’t see what has been discarded. There will be no second thoughts (nor should there be.) Everything is now available on the internet and you don’t have to be afraid of losing a wonderful bit of resource material. Just get on your computer and information will spill out before your eyes.

Go into your kitchen and look into each cupboard. Do the shelves look neat orderly and clean? If not, take a few minutes after a breakfast or supper cleanup to clean out one cupboard at a time and repeat the process with other cupboards until all the shelves have been looked over. Wipe up the shelves with a little moistened toweling. Straighten the dishes, throw away anything that is cracked or broken. Separate glasses by sizes or patterns, pitch any overabundance of coffee cups/mugs that have miraculously arrived on your shelves. Clean out any medicines you keep in the kitchen which are out-dated. Make a list of anything which needs to be replaced and next time you’re at the grocery or drug store, replace the items. (The same holds true for medicine cabinet contents that are out-dated.)

Take a look at the linen closet. Have you lost ground since it was first put in order? If so, now is the time to separate ‘the men from the boys’ (the towels and sheets which may be used for the kids for camp) and get the closet in the most efficient shape for your family’s use.

This is a great time of year to set yourself up for a wonderful, gratifying spring and summer with your family and friends. Keep in mind that disorganization in your home, your office, your car and your life will drain you of the energy which can be used for enjoyment of everyday living. Create the tranquility you and your family so deserve. Your home will be your oasis from the pressures of the outside world.

Most importantly, bless the empty spaces. This can be just a quick smile while standing in front of a space you have just cleaned out and saying either out loud or to yourself, “Bless this neat space I have just created.” It will do wonders to uplift your spirits!

Nancy Kalef is the retired owner of Let’s Get Organized! and formerly went to clients’ homes to organize their closets, cupboards and paperwork. NancyKalef@comcast.net.