My friend Kim was talking today on Facebook how she was doing her spring cleaning, and that gave me the inspiration to tackle two projects today — and both took less than 30 minutes. Tonight it was under the kitchen sink.
Now I keep a neat cabinet there, but I was still amazed at the dirt, gunk and nearly empty products I had when I cleared the cabinet. That was the first step. Next was to spray the cabinet bottom with everyday cleaner and just let it soak for about 10 minutes. Let the product work for you is my motto.

While the cabinet soaked, I consolidated nearly empty Windex with another one, and cleared out some cleaning products that were all gone or no longer useful (I had a bottle of furniture spray under there with no sprayer — what the heck was I thinking?!?)

Fifteen minutes later, the cupboard was sparkling. Before returning the items (in an orderly fashion) I sprayed the back of the cabinet with ant spray ’cause you know those buggers are coming.

A couple tips:

Like I said, I was surprised how dirty it was under there. I had probably cleaned it last about 6 months ago, but there were still rings on the base, as well as miscellaneous items that missed the trash can. But 15 minutes later, it was clean as a whistle — an easy 15 minute spring cleaning task.

To wind up the task (and while the cabinet spray was soaking), I gave the kitchen sink and faucet a good scrubbing, including running an old toothbrush along the edge of the sink and around the faucet to get any old gunk. A quick rinse and it was clean, too. … But, from the photo, I now see I need to touch up the window.

For more spring cleaning tips, just search “spring cleaning” on the Home page.

Sometimes a spring cleaning idea comes out of the blue, and that was the case late this afternoon. My partner Art had used the kitchen sponge to clean the sink after washing a chicken — cut to blood curdling, “Noooo” from me, keeping in mind this post.

It went into the trash (but thankfully, it was time to replace it anyway). I knew I had a new one under the sink, but I knew it was also in the back of the cabinet. So, I figured, “I’ve got to take everything out to get to that sponge, so I might as well clean under the kitchen cabinet at the same time.” Fifteen minutes later, the cupboard was sparkling.

I removed all the items — cleaners, trash can, etc. Wiped down the bottom of the cabinet with an all purpose cleaner (and I was surprised how dirty it was!) I sprayed some Raid at the rear of the cabinet, anticipating ants as the weather grew warmer. Then just replaced all the items.

A couple tips:

Like I said, I was surprised how dirty it was under there. I had probably cleaned it last about 6 months ago, but there were still rings on the base, as well as miscellaneous items that missed the trash can. But 15 minutes later, it was clean as a whistle — an easy 15 minute Spring cleaning task.

Storage is always a challenge in a bathroom, especially when you’re faced with a pedestal sink (and no vanity), as I was with our powder room. Where to store extra toilet paper, magazines, and all the other items you would prefer guests not see?

I happened on this idea at a discount department store. I purchased two decorative hat boxes to store those extra items (and add a touch of glamour to the room). Total cost - $12. I used the same tactic in the master bath “toilet room.” Works great! Hope it may work for you, and here is the strategy in action. Welcome to our powder room! For more storage hints, check out this post.

It’s amazing how 15 minutes will net you a cleaner home. That little bit of extra effort, perhaps once a week, will result in your home being one that your friends and neighbors will covet, but only you will know that it took less than a quarter of an hour.

These 15-minute tasks are ones I categorize as bonus cleaning points, meaning you wouldn’t do ‘em every day, or even every week, but maybe once every month or two in a variety of rooms. The reason they stand out is because most people don’t do them at all, or until it’s a monumental chore.

This post we are in the kitchen, and we’re aiming high — to the top of the fridge. It’s so easy to ignore this vast area, because most people can’t see up there. But everyone sure knows how to use it as a dumping ground, and I’m just as guilty.

But in addition to clutter control, this area is often covered in a thick coat of dust and dirt, because: A) Most people can’t see it; and B) It’s a large flat surface.

So, when you have 15 minutes, let’s tackle this chore! I timed it, and it’s amazing how much I got done in five easy steps:

This really didn’t take 15 minutes — it was actually less. I also had time to clean the front of the fridge, because there’s nothing on it, as I posted about here. You can read more kitchen cleaning tips in these posts.

A side note: People often store cereal and other pantry items on top of the fridge. If it all possible, move them to another area. The heat from the refrigerator is not good for food, and it so adds to a cluttered look to your kitchen.

Let me know when you clean the top of the fridge — you’ll be happy with the results, and I will be happy to hear!

Next to a root canal, people dread cleaning the refrigerator. But it doesn’t have to be a nightmare if you break it into steps.

The thought of taking everything out of the fridge, tossing the science experiments, cleaning, and then putting everything back makes most people say, “No thanks,” but it doesn’t have to be so bad.

Don’t take everything out of the fridge, just one shelf at a time. Throw out the disgusting items. Pair down the storage of other items (you don’t need to keep the lasagna dish in there; parcel the leftovers into Tupperware). Clean the shelf with window cleaner or whatever (I don’t buy that “soapy water” cleaning tip the fridge manufacturer tells you to use.) Then put the items back. Boom — you are done in less than 10 minutes!

I just looked in our 25-cubic, side-by-side fridge, and there are 13 different areas — from the veggie bin, to the meat drawer, to the shelves on the door, to the main storage area. Can you imagine doing this in one day? No wonder people would rather have a root canal! But by breaking it down to two areas at a time once a week, you will have a super clean fridge in a less than a month-and-a-half!

But when is the best time to start tackling the task?

Again, don’t do the whole fridge in one fell swoop, but easily you will have two nearly empty areas. Much better to do it now, rather than having to move numerous items after you shop.

You can save time in the future, too, with a strategy for the veggie/meat drawers.

Using this hint, if you let a wayward vegetable turn into a science experiment, you just toss out the paper towels and don’t have to scrub the bin clean again.

Now that you have a clean refrigerator, I have one more suggestion.

Toss the extras and clean the container. Better to do it now, than clean the mold later.

Follow these hints, and soon your fridge will be picture perfect! Want to peek inside other people’s refrigerator habits, check out this survey.

Today is our final post in One Week to Cleaner Bathroom. And guess what? I have left the most difficult task till last. There’s no way to sugar-coat this — clearing the vanity is the last (and most brutal) step in de-cluttering your bath.

I think it’s best to break this down into manageable steps — which means a drawer one day, the vanity another. But it will be done, and you’ll net a bathroom that will be easier to maintain. That’s the goal, isn’t it? Don’t kill yourself in doing it all in one day. Just budget 15-30 minutes, and you will easily be able to pound through this arduous task in a matter of 3 days max. Tonight, I did both sides of the master bath vanity (see, I follow what I say) and one drawer in 30 minutes, but ours were pretty organized — but I still threw out a lot.

So let’s prepare. Grab the following:

Pick which part of the vanity or drawer you are going to clean today (remember, it should take no more than 30 minutes). Empty the drawer or vanity completely, and throw away items as you see ‘em. Nothing to trash? I doubt it.

Use this as your guideline: Anything not used in the past year is suspect and (most likely) should be trashed.

Just tonight, I found mousse that I have stored 4 years, pillow cases from 1985, old magazines, and two white towels that are are tattered from 1985 (that I still used this past week!). Those thin towels bring up an important side-note: Just because they are still (somewhat) useful doesn’t mean you have to settle for them. I hated those towels, and I deserve ones that are not unraveling. For $12, I can have new ones, so those are now in the trash. I deserve better, and so do you! Toss these items in the trash bag (or in the sink if you want to go quickly and trash later).

I use one master bath vanity as a linen closet and another (in addition to toiletrie items) to store my stockpile of shampoo, body wash, etc. See what being organized can buy you, in terms of space?

A couple tips:

After you clear all items from the vanity, wipe the bottom down with your all-purpose cleaner and the paper towels. And then place all the items that you wish to keep in the vanity or drawer in an orderly manner.

You will enjoy the change every time you reach in the drawer or under the vanity — I promise.

We’ve all heard that guests like to look in the medicine cabinet. But even if not, today we have a 10-15-minute clutter control/cleaning tips in this staple of the bath as part of our
“One week to a cleaner bathroom” theme.

Let it be know, I preach what I say, and just did ours in the master bath (pictured at left). I hadn’t done it in a year, so it was time — and I’ve got houseguests coming!

This is an easy-peasy task that you can do in 10-15 minutes tops. Grab a grocery bag for trash, roll of paper towels, glass cleaner, and a general purpose cleaner. You’re ready to roll!

Here’s the order to a clean medicine cabinet:

That’s it!

If you’re storing daily toiletrie items here, it’s time to revisit Step 2. Put ‘em in a travel bag. But if that won’t work, at least you have a clean and orderly medicine cabinet.

One more post — the vanity — and we have finished one week to a cleaner bathroom! How are you doing?

Today, we’re going to be in the bathtub together. (Hopefully this will be more pleasant than when I used to take a bath with my little brother and he did his “magic bubbles” trick.)

This is, honestly, a quick 10-15 minute clutter-control in the bathtub/shower.

Clutter? In the bathtub? You bet.

When I stage homes to sell, one of the common instructions is: “Minimize items in the tub/shower.” It’s common to see bottle after bottle of shampoos, conditioners, etc., that are nearly 80 percent empty or seldom used.

Here is your first task:

I don’t mean to be wasteful, but learn the habit that if a product goes in the shower, another same product goes out (and should be empty or nearly empty). Coupon shopping makes this task even easier to swallow — I don’t spend more than $1 for name brand shampoos, for instance. But for now, be brutal, and throw our the nearly empty items.

The next story I have illustrates another point. When I cleaned houses for a living, I had a client who had saved every, teeny, small hotel bottle of shampoo, conditioner, etc., and had lined her soaking tub with the items. I hated cleaning this tub, because I had to move every, teeny, small hotel bottle of shampoo, conditioner, etc., before I could even clean the soaking tub.

So here is your next task in the tub/shower:

Be brutal, again, put all these items in a grocery bag, and put in the closet for now. We’ll deal with ‘em later. This clutter makes your life more difficult anytime you clean the bathtub/shower.

So now you should have been left with the basics — the items you need every day, or at least once a week. Cleaning the tub/shower is starting to look more manageable, isn’t it?

But wait, there’s one more tip:

One costs about $10 at a discount store, and it makes cleaning the bath/shower so much easier. Oh sure, you have space around the tub, but anything here makes it take longer to clean the tub/shower, so make ‘em airborne.

So, with these moves, you will be able to clean the tub or shower in less than 5 minutes. I promise. Just stock a cleaning drawer or basket, and you are on your way to a simple bath to clean.

By the way, all the above photos are from our bathroom — the one we use every day. So I practice what I preach. Honestly, follow these hints and it will make your life so much easier.

Nothing nets a messier kitchen faster than a cluttered kitchen. When I list a home for sale, one of the first tasks I assign them is to remove everything from the front of the fridge.

Why? Because it’s the biggest visual item in this room, next to the counters. Clear its front of all items, and your kitchen will automatically look cleaner. It’s not a bulletin board, it’s a fridge. (Me dodging bullets, but it’s the truth!)

You don’t need to keep every magnet you’ve received. Check the coupons, how many are expired? The kids don’t expect you to save every picture. I’ll say it again — It’s a fridge, not a bulletin board. The photos, magnets, pictures don’t add character to the room, they add clutter.

Now, confession time, I still have a few items on the side of the fridge (a doctor’s appointment Post-It, a kitchen conversion chart magnet, a notation on my weight, held up by a magnet), but the front is clear. Boom! Automatically a less-cluttered kitchen!

Just accomplish this simple task this week, and you will see how much of a different it makes in the appearance of your kitchen. I promise. It’s hard, I know, but you will enjoy a cleaner kitchen in one fell swoop.

Who doesn’t need more kitchen cabinet space? This is prime real estate! But so many clients and friends of mine are being “mugged” every day of this precious space.

I think you know where I am going with this — the cupboard that is packed with every coffee mug you have purchased or been given for the past 20 years. Go open the cabinet now and just look at how much cabinet — or even counter — space is taken up with coffee mugs. Now count how many coffee drinkers are in your house — one? two? And, how many mugs do you have? And, let’s face it — you have a favorite mug, don’t you … you know, the one you use every day? And I’ll ask it again — how many mugs are taking up space in your cupboard?

Just look at this photo! I counted 16 mugs — not mentioning what’s behind the first layer. Now, count the number of cabinet shelves … three. And you know there are only two coffee drinkers in this home. Unless they don’t wash dishes for a week, 14 of these mugs sit every day in the cabinet, taking up precious space.

Now I can hear the “buts” starting — your co-workers gave you this one, this one is from that trip to Texas, this has sentimental value, this one commemorates your root canal. Yeah, yeah, I know. Here is my “but” — But you need more kitchen cabinet space and how many did you use this past week? Two, four? OK, you got it (at least I hope).

Just imagine the extra space you will have in your cabinets if you narrowed “mugland” to those that you use.

Now, you may need to ease yourself — and anyone else in your home — to the new clutter-free (and more shelf space) you. So I recommend taking every extraneous mug and put it in a box, a bag, or whatever it takes to get it out of your kitchen. Put the bag/box into a closet or a garage. Now claim that cabinet space! Add your glasses, make a mini-pantry, put small appliances there, whatever you want!

A week later, if no one asks where their “I Love Oklahoma” mug disappeared to, put the bag/box in the trash. (Let me tell you, no one wants your old mugs, so don’t bother saving it for the thrift store. If you doubt me, would you want any of the mugs in the photo?)

Clutter control is not pretty — and a job best done by yourself, but the rewards are great. If you need an extra push, ask youself this: If I were being charged by the pound to move, would I pay for this to go to my new home? If not, it’s taking up valuable space. And let me know how you used this extra cabinet space!