Clean Up: Your Spring Cleaning Plan

Boston may have only seen its first dose of snow in the middle of January, but alas, spring is fast approaching. With spring comes along spring cleaning, and that means a lot of people are going to be going through each room in their home, getting rid of old clothes and organizing everything else that seems to get strewn about during the winter months. By incorporating a few easy things into your routine, you may find yourself looking forward to your annual clean more so than usual. Here are a few things that you can do this spring that will keep your home in working order year round.

1. Bins, bins and more bins
One of the easiest ways to get organized—and stay organized year—is to purchase bins. Fill them with related items. Label them. Store them in your basement, attic or closet. Bins can be used for holding cards or other mementos that you receive throughout the year. Each time you want to save a movie ticket or a birthday card, place it directly into this bin to avoid having random piles of papers and other memories all over your home. You could even get a decorative bin or box for this and put it on a bookshelf as a display.

2. Paperwork
Having a place to keep all of your important papers (like tax forms and auto-loan information) is essential to keeping your home organized. While many people don't have a home office, and don't want a clunky metal file cabinet in their spare bedroom, there are other options. There are several furniture stores in Boston where you can purchase a wooden file cabinet that doubles as a piece of handsome furniture. They often come in a variety of sizes and you should be able to find one that fits your space and your budget.

3. Shelving
Your local hardware store should have enough materials for you to build your own shelving. Adding a couple of shelves in a home office or even in your living room can help alleviate clutter. Many places carry wire shelving units that are easy to put together and can really make organizing your home a snap.

Here are some local businesses to help you get started:

Boston Interiors
31 Boylston St.
Brookline, MA 02445
(617) 731-6038
BostonInteriors.com

Hours: Mon to Fri - 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., Sat - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., Sun - 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Boston Interiors has some great wooden file cabinets that will jazz up your space and provide a safe house for the papers that you need to keep, but don't have a place for. You can visit one of the seven locations just outside of the city. The prices are reasonable and you should be able to get what you need.

Back Bay Hardware 
233 Newbury St.
Boston, MA 02116
(617) 536-0913
BackBayHardware.com

Hours: Mon to Fri - 7:30 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sat - 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., Sun - 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

If you're in the city and need something to help you while you're getting your home in order, drop into Back Bay Hardware. It has everything from tools to light bulbs and the friendly service is appreciated by all consumers.

City Living / Economy Hardware
219 Massachusetts Ave.
Cambridge, MA 02139
(617) 536-4280
CityLivingStores.com

Hours: Mon to Sat - 7:30 a.m to 9 p.m., Sun - 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.

For everything from storage bins to shelving, City Living makes it easy to shop in one stop. Whether you're cleaning your apartment with your roommates, or your children's bedrooms, you may find just the thing you need at Economy Hardware. City Living offers a wide range of home organization items that will help keep you organized year round.

Related: Kitchen Cleaning 101

Boston-based writer Effie Orfanides keeps up with interior design trends. Effie draws on her Greek/Italian heritage for inspiration and shows a keen eye for little things that make a house a home. Her work can be found at Examiner.com.