Clean your house in a snap this Christmas

By Tish Ong, CHALK Magazine

Posted at 12/28/2009 11:45 PM | Updated as of 12/28/2009 11:54 PM

MANILA, Philippines - What better way to start your year right than with a fresh, clean room?

When faced with the task of cleaning up and organizing, most people feel overwhelmed. This is why we tend to put it off in the first place.

To avoid getting styuck in the middle, it is best to clean up and organize by area. First, give your room a thorough once-over. Is it a case of too much stuff you don't use or just a need for some serious tidying up?

Are there certain areas that need more attention? An initial evaluation will help you figure out a plan and finish the task sooner. Before diving in, be sure to prepare about 3 old boxes or containers for things you want to move around or remove.

3 ways to dispose of your junk

1. Online selling and auctions. Inspect your belongings closely for items that might still demand a good price. Branded items, gadgets, and accessories sell pretty fast online, especially when offered at a lower price.

If not close to brand new, be sure they are still usable and not broken. Make a list of the items and prices, take pictures, and post them on your blog, auction site, or social networking site.

Don't forget to monitor comments and inquiries to help interested individuals make the decision to buy.

2. Donate. Recent natural disasters have left many struggling survivors and they still need all the help they can get.

Clothes, shoes and toys you no longer use can benefit people who lost their belongings to the floods. If you still have old textbooks, unused notebooks, pens and other school supplies, donate them to schools in affected areas.

3. Recycle. There are countless ways to breathe new life into items that would otherwise gather dust. Used paper, cardboard, tin and aluminum cans, plastic bottles, old electrical appliances, styrofoam and ink cartridges can be dropped off at recycling centers.

Feeling a bit creative? Paint or draw on an old tin or bottle and you have a new decorative vase or coin bank. Use scrap materials for a personal art piece or your next school project.

A big handkerchief to cover your nose with and a couple of rags for dusting should also come in handy. The next steps for cleaning up major areas of your home are as follows:

STUDY AND SHELVES. Your study is probably full of papers, reports or projects that you will never need again. Sort them out first. Gather papers and other recyclable items into a box to be dropped off at a recycling center.

Next, survey your bookshelves. Put books you don't need in a box to resell to others or donate to a library. Remember to rearrange as you go.

CLOSET. It's time to come face to face with whatever lurks in there. Start sorting items that don't really belong, like boxes or shopping bags that may be added to your recycling box.

Next, get another box for your old clothes. There's most likely a shelf or area in your closet where clothes you don't use just gather dust, so start there. A good rule for sorting: if it no longer fits, you don't need it.

DRESSER AND BATHROOM. Check your personal products for their expiration date. Many cosmetics don't have these printed on them, so if you can't remember when you bought it, check the batch code for a date or at least a year of manufacture.

If it was made more than a year or 2 ago, it has to go. As a rule of thumn, if it looks different or smells funny, throw it out.

Also, look out for empty bottles you can add to the recylcables box.

BED. Ideally, the only things you should have on your bed are bed sheets and pillows. If that's rarely the case, it's time to put everything in its rightful place: books on the shelves, laptop and papers on the desk, clothes in the closet, etc.

Make a habit of it, too. If there are stuffed toys from your childhood still on your bed, consider giving them away to young and disadvantaged kids who might enjoy them more.

Be sure to clean it first, though, before giving it to charity.

FINAL WIPE-DOWN. When you're done going through your stuff, the next thing to do is put everything back in order and clean up.

Start by wiping and dusting from top to bottom: from the ceiling to the walls, from furniture surfaces to every nook and cranny, then finish off by sweeping the floor or vacuuming if you have a carpet.

It's best to change bed sheets after you've cleared the dirt and dust. You're almost done!

All that's left now is to get rid of those boxes at your feet so you can start enjoying your pristine personal space again. Report by Tish Ong, CHALK Magazine.

For more information, grab a copy of CHALK Magazine's latest issue with hot hunks Ejay Falcon, Enchong Dee and Xian Lim on the cover! CHALK Magazines are available at all major newsstands and bookstores nationwide.