H O M E + S T Y L E
Starting Small Get the Organizational Ball Rolling with Small Expiration Date Projects By Renee Ory
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pringtime is always the obvious choice for deep cleaning and reorganizing your home due to its mild temperatures. But that sweet buzz of energy from extra sunshine on lengthening days makes reorganizing every closet, cleaning every blind slat, and washing every window (inside and outside) seem like daunting tasks. It’s much easier to space these projects throughout the year, with more outdoor projects in lieu of “Spring Cleaning” to fully take advantage of those amazing temperatures, because NO ONE wants to spend a Louisiana summer washing windows or re-hanging gutters. One task that can easily be saved for later…and later…and later is removing expired items from your home. This simple task is generally indoors, can be performed while seated, and can be completed at any time your heart desires; a lazy organizer’s dream project. The most common areas to address are the medicine cabinet, spice cabinet, baking supplies, canned goods, freezers, and refrigerators. We find expired items tend to stack up in spaces that are set up inefficiently. When items are stored in multi-functional spaces, it is easy for items to slip away into the abyss known as the Back of the Cabinet. Once there, the items are out of sight and out of mind, often leading to duplicate purchases for items long forgotten. We see this same issue occur when shelves are too deep for items.
CHECK YOUR MEDICINE CABINET FOR ANY EXPIRED PRESCRIPTIONS AND OVER-THE-COUNTER MEDICATIONS Options for disposal include the DEA’s National Prescription Drug Take Back Day in communities nationwide, flushing medicines, and disposing in household trash. When choosing to throw medicine in household trash, remove the drugs from their original containers and mix with an unappealing substance, place into a sealed container like a zip-top bag, and toss into the trash. Be sure to scratch out any personal information on the empty medicine packaging and throw it away. More information can be found on this topic on the FDA’s website. WHEN LOOKING IN YOUR FREEZER, TOSS ANYTHING COVERED WITH FROST Anything that is no longer decipherable as a food substance should go. The refrigerator can be filled with packets of pepperoni from 2019, and condiments older than some children. Throw. Them. AWAY. SOME COMMON HOUSEHOLD ITEMS THAT SURPRISINGLY EXPIRE WITHIN THEIR EXPIRATION PERIODS Pillows – 2-3 years Slippers – 6 months Flour – 6-12 months Mosquito repellents – 2 years Power strips – 1-2 years Fire extinguishers – 15 years. Disinfectants begin to lose their effectiveness after 3 months, but with the pandemic, no one is holding onto disinfectants that long.
ONCE YOU HAVE THROWN OUT ALL THE GNARLY BITS, IT’S TIME TO BRING SOME JOY BACK INTO THOSE SPACES Wipe down all surfaces with a mild detergent before bringing items back to the shelves. When we are working in a home we bring our own supply of non-toxic wipes and use a simple solution of white vinegar and water to wipe down surfaces before replacing items. We love using things like turntables for spices and medications, racks for stacking dishes, labeled boxes for shelvings, and – the mack daddy – custom closet systems *drooling* to maximize storage space.
Don't have time or energy to tackle these things on your own? All these services are provided by Acadiana-based Professional Organizing Company, Amazing Spaces. We are a full-service organization and design company and can meet the needs of both residential and commercial customers. We offer functional closet design and installation as well as move management for clients who are relocating. Our design services include interior design consults, room redesign utilizing your existing items in new and functional ways, and paint selection consultations to help guide customers to their perfect palette.
AMAZING SPACES is an Acadiana-based Professional Organizing Company transforming homes and offices since 2003. Offering a full line of closet and storage systems. Call Renée Ory (337) 296-5506 for appointments and visit the website at AmazingSpaces.org 12
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