Dealing with sweltering temperatures and unbearable humidity can quickly exacerbate how you already feel surrounded by piles of stuff throughout your home, along the side of your house and strewn about the backyard. If you were already feeling stressed, it’s understandable if this brutal heat wave has you feeling more anxious ever – especially if you don’t have central air conditioning, or worse, can’t get to your fan to turn it on.
To help you get through hotter-than-Hades days while dealing with hellish clutter, the Clutterfly team has some cool tips:
Job number one
Have a supply of cold beverages on hand. Whether I’m working alone, with my team or a client, I love to fill a pitcher with cold water then slices of cucumber with fresh mint to keep in the fridge. In a glass filled with plenty of ice, it’s a refreshing break from the daunting tasks at hand.
Keep Cool
Head downstairs! Now is the perfect time to deal with clutter in the basement. Most likely the coolest room in your home – hot air rises – it’s smart to work where the temperature is most comfortable – or at least bearable. If you don’t already have a dehumidifier in your basement, now may be a smart time to invest in one. They work wonders for removing humidity from the air, keeping paperback books from going musty, even keeping clothing and furniture from going moldy. Be sure it’s turned on and check it regularly, if not daily, to empty the water reservoir. For more on the benefits of dehumidifiers, click here.
Avoid any room that might be even hotter than it is outside, such as the attic and garage. These are spaces to tackle when cooler weather returns.
Whatever room you end up working in, pull the blinds down to keep the room as cool as possible. If you are fortunate enough to have air conditioning, ensure the air vent is clear, so the cool air can circulate through the room you are working in. For ceiling fans, if you can’t remember the last time you dusted them off, they likely need a quick wipe.
If you’re cleaning in the kitchen, go ahead and load up the dishwasher, but don’t turn it on until nighttime. Same for laundry. Sort clothes into various loads to wash, but don’t wash or dry until it starts to cool off at night. The bonus? You’ll be saving money on your hydro bill by using electricity during off-peak hours.
Don’t over-exert yourself. Take a look at your To Do list and do the things that involve the least amount of physical activity. Decluttering in a heat wave is not the time to be concerned about burning calories or getting a workout. Focus on making progress with less taxing tasks, such as going through and shredding old bills, scanning photographs and tax documents or tossing outdated magazines and old newspapers in the Blue Recycling Bin.
Stuff starting to pile up outside?
Whether it’s your front porch or backyard, work in these areas only when protected by shade. And while you’re outside, be sure to protect yourself from sunstroke and sunburn by drinking plenty of water, wearing a hat and slathering on sunscreen. As soon as you feel faint or tired, stop!
If the heat is starting to feel unbearable, but you’re on a roll, tackle a few cooler tasks. Declutter all the products in your bathroom, having a nice shower when you’re done. Or clean out your freezer, getting rid of expired food and organizing it to make room for ice cream and popsicles!
Reward Yourself
Set a plan of attack for what you’d like to get accomplished and then reward yourself with something that gives you pleasure: work in your garden, meet a friend for a cold drink on a patio or, my personal favourite at this time of year, watch a summer blockbuster movie in an air conditioned theatre.
Ask For Help
Too much stuff to handle never pairs well with a heat wave. Clutterfly can help, no sweat. Simply give us a call at 416-892-5919 or email info@clutterflyinc.com