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Spring Cleaning Tips: Time to Declutter Your Home

March 27, 2017 by Box&Co

Clearing your clutter can be a very difficult task. You’ll spend hours putting things in trash bags, listing them on eBay/Amazon, deciding what items you do or don’t need to keep. Organization can also be a big issue when throwing away items or even taking out items you need for the spring. Here is a list of spring cleaning tips and new organization ideas for your home/apartment to make this season’s cleaning a little less excruciating!

Let’s Start with the Kitchen

Time to clean out the fridge! Your first task is to dispose of all expired fruits, vegetables, dairy products, or other foods. Once you’ve cleared out the old products, the best way to actually clean your refrigerator is by using a combination of salt and soda water. The bubbling action of the soda water combined with the abrasive texture of the salt makes a great cleaner!

Steer clear of using soaps and detergents, which leaves odors that food could absorb. If you can’t seem to get rid of an odor, scatter coffee grounds on a tray, and leave it in the fridge until the odor disappears.

Cleaning Stainless Steel

Stainless steel is known to be prone to stains from heat and water. To remove them, apply white vinegar with a soft cloth and rub. Always dry thoroughly after washing to prevent a film from forming.

Freshen up kitchen cabinets

You can easily clean kitchen cabinets with hot water and paper towel mixture.

Removing grease stains on kitchen appliances

Take one tablespoon of baking soda, 1/2 tablespoon of dish soap, and a 1/2 tablespoon of water and add the mixture to grease stain and clean thoroughly.

Now Off to the Bedroom

Clean Out That Closet

After the brutal winter months, it is time to clean out that closet of all the extra clothes, personal items, games, and accessories that you do not need. Here are some guidelines to clearing your clutter with ease.

Extra items in your closet to dispose of NOW:

soggy board games (they were fun while it lasted)
miscellaneous (cables, wires, mouses, iPhone 3 chargers)
old receipts
that air mattress that leaks (you know you have it)
books you never read
expired makeup, skin care products, sunscreen
old tattered shoes
clothes that don’t fit anymore

Make a Schedule

Set aside an hour a day or a few hours on the weekend to clean it out. Make a list of the type of items you would want to go through each day. For example, Day A is shoe day and Day B is accessories.

Second opinion while cleaning out clothes

If you’re playing head games because you feel attached, it’s always good to have someone to tell you to snap out of it or even make the decision for you!

Share items on Social Media/ Sell online

Something fun you can do with old items is to share them via social media or on a blog. For instance, maybe you came across some vintage clothing you had from years ago or an old Atari console. Tweet about it, post a picture on your Facebook page, or pin it on Pinterest. Your friends might get a kick out of it. If that is not successful, trying selling on eBay/Amazon.

If you blog, make a post about some of your odd finds, or write a post about the nostalgia you got from some of the things you found in your closet.

Donate

All those items that you think are outdated or don’t fit can easily be donated. So many people out there are in need of extra clothes and personal items. It is a great feeling knowing that you can perform a random act of kindness by giving to someone in need. Some charities to donate to are American Red Cross, Goodwill and The Salvation Army.

Re-Gift (one man’s trash could be another’s treasure)

When it comes to re-gifting, try to use some discretion and follow re-gifting etiquette. Don’t give someone an old CD that is open and nobody would want, and never re-gift something to the person that originally gave you the gift. Stick to new items that haven’t been used.

Some popular items that you can re-gift are:

Baby clothes
Electronics
Movies
Giftcards
Books
Wine and alcohol
Candles
Picture Frames

Run out of space for extra items you want to hold onto? Store them with Box&Co today, starting at $3.50 per container/month!

Why choose Box&Co.? We will pick up, store, and return your items on demand, all for a low price. Give us a call today at 516-986-9578 or email us @ info@boxnco.com for more information.

Tips on Living Together (In Small Spaces)

February 13, 2017 by Box&Co

Moving in together is a big step for any couple. Before you even begin learning the ins and outs of each other’s home behavior you have to figure out how to merge all of your belongings in one place! It’s not even just merging both your items together, it’s really about trying to fit everything into that tiny studio apartment. If you’re about to take this big step and move in with your significant other, here are some tips for merging two separate apartments into one joint one.

Decide on what you will keep, toss, and donate together. Resist Doubling Up on Items

When it comes to the things you each own beds, sofas, dressers, etc., you’ll more than likely have to decide which to keep and which goes on for resale, recycling or donation. If you can both agree on which to keep, great! If not, here’s how to make the cut without causing a huge argument.

Condition:

Place two of the same items side by side. Whichever one is in worse condition, it’s out.
Size:

Consider which option is best to fit in your small apartment. Bigger is not always better.
Quality:

Is one of the options of a much higher quality than the other, and expected to last longer? Pick the better knife kit or the comfier chair.

Create Individual Spaces

If you’re living in a studio or a tiny apartment, it’s easy to feel like you’re living on top of each other. The lack of private space will often instigate arguments that are silly and could otherwise be avoided. If you work different hours, this may not be a problem at all. If you both work 9-5, or one or both of you works from home even some of the time, you’ll have to find other ways to create individual space. A designated personal space doesn’t have to be large – if all you have is a studio or small one bedroom, it can be a corner of the room, or even just your side of the bed. What it really becomes, regardless of size, is a place where you can relax and be yourself. I find a small private space can be great for doodling, writing, and meditation.

Create a Decision Box

If you feel like you’re sharing your apartment with your significant other AND all of their junk, there is a big issue. One of the keys to inhabiting a small space is to downsize on your possessions so that they don’t overwhelm you, and both partners should agree when bringing new items into a home. If you’re looking to pare down what you already have, one trick is to create a “decision box”. Put a box in a closet or a corner of your home and throw in anything that you’re not sure if you want to keep or throw out. Then leave the box there for 6 months. You’ll probably visit the box to take out items as you need them. After 6 months, donate the box and anything that may still be left inside as you know you can do without the remaining items.

Tall Narrow Shelves

Instead of adding more horizontal shelves for their books—or cramming them into the ones between the window, add a vertical shelf to save more room where you can put more furniture and other items. It could also leave room for graphic accents such as an old American flag or sports memorabilia.

Hire a Professional

If you or your partner doesn’t have the time or patience to organize your items and downsize effectively, hire a professional organizer to come into your home and create the perfect living space. Wendy Silberstein, owner of The Aesthetic Organizer is a pro when it comes to couples merging their stuff from separate apartments into one joint space. Check out her services at www.theaestheticorganizer.com .

Why choose Box&Co. for your on demand storage needs? We will pick up, store, and return your items on demand, all for a low price. Give us a call today at 516-986-9578 or email us @ info@boxnco.com for more information.

National Organize Your Home Day: Organization Tips for Your Winter Items

January 23, 2017 by Box&Co

There is nothing more frustrating when your missing matching hat and left glove while walking to work in twenty-degree weather. Yes we realize that it can be a hassle trying to find your winter items every time you walk out the door during the winter season. There are solutions though, to make the frigid months of January and February go by more quickly. Here are some tips on how to keep all your winter items stored neat and tidy during the cold season.

1.) Store all your winter items in one closet

The single best way to organize and store all of your winter items during the season is to put them in a closet closest to your front door. Having all your jackets and gloves in separate areas of the house can lead to extreme disorganization and stress.

2.) 3M Command Hooks

Tired of your roommates or children just throwing their coats like it’s nobody’s problem? Invest in some 3M Command Hooks to hang those wet coats from the floor in a nice orderly fashion.

3.) Over the Door Sock/Glove/Hat Organizer

Everyday winter items such as gloves, shoes, hats, socks, etc. can be easily misplaced. An over the door sock/glove/hat 0rganizer is key for keeping to those items organized for the vigorous walks in the snow!

4.) Bins

Have too many gloves for the over the door organizer? Instead, stuff all your hats, scarfs, and gloves into one pile. Invest in some extra bins and separate all your items into a hat bin, glove bin, scarf bins, etc.

5.) Boot Rack

Tired of those messy boots bringing dirt and sand all around the floor. A boot rack is the perfect accessory to keep all your boots neat and tidy!

6.) Donate

Make the time to go through your winter items and ask yourself two things: Do I like it or do I need them? If you don’t need them, there are many people out there that would love to have a nice warm fuzzy coat. Plus, it’s more room in your closet.

7.) Store seasonal items with Box&Co

Need more room storing your seasonal items? Come store them with Box&Co!

Happy National Organize Your Home Day

Box&Co

If you need more help organizing your home, give the experts at Box&Co. a call. We will pick up, store, and return your items on demand, all for a low price. Give us a call today at 516-986-9578 or email us @ info@boxnco.com for more information.