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How you can tackle spring cleaning like a pro

Taryn McLean, CEO of Help You Dwell in Knoxville, has some tips for getting started, organizing your space and keeping it clean.

KNOXVILLE, Tenn. — Spring weather means spring cleaning and it can feel like a big job, but there's no reason to be overwhelmed if you take it one step at a time.

Taryn McLean, CEO of Help You Dwell in Knoxville, has some tips for getting started, organizing your space and keeping it clean.

How can you get started?

Start somewhere that you know you can finish. You don't have to set out to organize your entire house. Pick some areas that are contained, do the hard work and then shut the door when it's finished.

Where's a good place to start?

Taryn recommends starting with your refrigerator and freezer. She said It's not the most satisfying to do because the doors are closed all the time, but it's a great space to create a clean palette and make room for seasonal produce.

She also suggests your linen closest as another starting point. Pull out and clean old towels and sheets that you're not using all the time to keep them from creating a musty smell. She said you can always donate old linens to animal shelters

How can you organize your closet?

Taryn said she usually tells people to ask themselves, "Did I wear it last season?" and get rid of it if the answer is no. However, since many wardrobes changed because of the COVID-19 pandemic, she said there's a little more grace to hold on to those items.

She suggests asking yourself some key questions as you try on clothes and decide what to keep. 

  • Does it still fit?
  • Do you like the color?
  • Does it have holes?
  • Is it what you want for this year?

She also suggests categorizing or color-coding your closet for a clean look.

What are some spaces we might forget to clean?

Taryn said it's important to tackle those hidden spaces like the attic, a storage room, a guest room or a guestroom closet where items tend to pile up.

How can you keep it clean?

"When I have items out that I love, I want to protect them and care for them much more and so that allows me to keep things more clean as opposed to like, if areas are junked up or just have extra things, I will just ignore them," Taryn said.

She said it's all about arranging and organizing your space in a way that you love to motivate yourself to keep it that way.

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