Spring is in the air, and do you know what that means? Spring Cleaning…or, in my case, Spring decluttering! I have been in my Camden apartment home for a few years, and my drawers and closets are bursting at the seams. Empty shampoo bottles, clothes that no longer fit and kitchen utensils that I have never used are taking up precious space.

Does this sound like you, too? Here are five tips that will help make this process easier for you!

What do you want to accomplish? Write it down Make a list of everything you want to declutter. Go room by room and list every drawer, cabinet, closet, nook and cranny that you need to cover. Once you have completed a task, cross it off and look back at what you have accomplished. This will make sure you have tackled every part of your apartment. Also, crossing off items on a list just makes you feel good!

Set an attainable time frame This is a big project! You will wear yourself out if you try to tackle everything in 8 hours. Give yourself a longer and attainable goal. Take baby steps and try to do a few drawers or one closet a day. Being a busy working mom, I gave myself two months to accomplish everything on my list. This eliminates the stress and pressure of getting everything done in one weekend.

Photo Courtesy of Camden NoDa in Charlotte, NC

Don’t buy storage containers/organizers right away While I am the first person to run to Target for cute containers/organizers, hold off. You may come across containers that you have cleaned out while decluttering. You can reuse and repurpose those storage items that you already have without spending a dime.

Donate, Sell and Toss Out To help you stay organized throughout the decluttering process, separate the items you wish to:

• Donate - put your donations in your car to drop off the next day. A local animal shelter will love to have any blankets, towels or sheets that you may have. See if you have any local homeless shelters that could use your beautiful clothes.

• Sell - MyCamden is a perfect place to sell items to your neighbors. You can also list your items on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark, eBay or any online retail store.

• Toss out - Take the trash out immediately. Please get rid of it!

Do not let your piles linger in your apartment. Make a decision and get rid of everything!

Photo Courtesy of Camden Westchase Park in Tampa, FL

You did it! Reward Yourself

Once you have crossed everything off of your list, reward yourself! Go to the spa, buy yourself a cute new outfit or get a fun new gadget. As my reward, I can't wait to hire a maid to deep clean my apartment from top to bottom! Decluttering is not a sprint; it is a marathon. Allow yourself time and be patient. Following these tips will help make you successful. Now that you are done decluttering, here are five sustainable cleaning products to make your Camden apartment home shine!