34 | APRIL 4 • 2024 
J
N

A

lthough not 
necessary for 
Passover, many 
people choose to do their 
spring cleaning at the same 
time. Here are some tips for 
cleaning out those closets.

START FROM SCRATCH
Empty your closet 
completely and sort through 
your items. Say goodbye to 
anything outdated, damaged 
or no longer loved. Donation 
is a wonderful next step for 
items that no longer serve 
you.
An empty closet presents 
a great opportunity to wipe 
down the shelves, clean the 
baseboards and vacuum 
up the dirt from the floors.
You’ll be surprised by 

home much dust and dirt 
accumulates in this space. 

EMBRACE THE 80/20 
RULE 
Considering most of us 
only wear about 20 percent 
of our clothes, it’s time to 
streamline. If you haven’t 
worn an item of clothing in 
the past year, it’s probably 
time to let it go. 

DONATION DIRECTION
A simple trick to identify 
unworn items is the hanger 
flip method. If after six 
months, some items remain 
untouched, it might be time 
for them to find a new home. 
For those who find parting 
hard, temporarily store these 
items out of sight. If you 

don’t miss them after six 
months, you can donate 
them with confidence.

ONE IN, ONE OUT
Maintain your newly 
organized space by 
adopting a one-in, one-out 
policy. This ensures your 
closet stays decluttered 
and manageable. Feeling 
ambitious? Try one in, two 
out!

DEDICATE SPACE WISELY
Ensure your closet is solely 
for your wardrobe. Relocate 
misplaced items like tax 
records or old gift bags to 
more appropriate storage 
areas.

ADDITIONAL 
CONSIDERATIONS
There’s growing awareness 
about the environmental 
impact of disposing of items 
during spring cleaning. Many 
people now look for ways 
to recycle or donate items 
rather than sending them to 
landfills.
Spring cleaning is also 
recognized for its health 
benefits. There is also 
evidence that donating things 
we no longer need secretes 
“feel good” chemicals in our 
brains, such as serotonin, 
dopamine and oxytocin. 

Spring Closet 
Cleanout Checklist

HOME&GARDEN

Benefi
 ts of 
Decluttering 

• Reduces Anxiety and 
Depression — Research reveals 
clutter produces high levels of 
the stress hormone cortisol, 
and in turn causes anxiety and 
depression. 
• Contributes to Better 
Sleep — The clutter in your 
home, especially in the 
bedroom, can interrupt your 
sleeping patterns because it 
can fill your mind with uneasy 
thoughts. Research finds that 
cluttered bedrooms result in poor 
sleep due to depression and stress.
• Burns Calories — Decluttering 
entails a lot of moving around, 
as you dispose of items, pack 
boxes and carry things from 
place to place. While it can be 
a tiring activity, the good news 
is that you have transformed 
cleaning into a form of exercise 
without even knowing it. 

Source: Closets by Design, 
Farmington Hills

A newly organized 
closet by Closets 
by Design

CLOSETS BY DESIGN FACEBOOK

