The weather is getting warmer, the birds are singing and your apartment is probably cluttered from hibernation. It’s time for spring cleaning! Timbercreek Communities has some great tips for how to declutter your apartment this spring.

A Place For Everything

If you don’t have a place for all of your things, it’s possible that you don’t need to hang on to all those things. Life is more simple and less stressful when things are out of the way and organized. It’s also great when you know where everything is and where everything goes. If you can’t find a place for it in your home, perhaps it doesn’t need a place in your heart.

Don’t Take on Too Much

Most of us don’t have the time, energy or focus to spend an entire day cleaning and organizing. You need to organize your efforts. Break the job down, room by room or task by task, it’s up to you. Be efficient and plan to spend 2 or 3 hours per room or task. Be sure to take a well deserved break if you need it.

Use it or Lose It

How many times have you gone through your closets and cupboards and decided to hold onto something because you may need it one day? If you haven’t used that ice cream maker you got for a wedding gift years ago, you probably won’t and that’s okay. Let it go. Sell some things, donate some things, recycle some things and yes, throw away some things that are unusable.

Routine Maintenance

Congratulations! You’ve cleaned-out, decluttered and re-organized. The next step is to realize that you are not done. If you think it’s over, you may feel bad about yourself when you have to clean it up again in month or two. Staying organized requires routine maintenance and regular upkeep. The good news is that your new organizing system will be easier to maintain, with less clutter, than before.

Being organized can be easy! We hope that with a little time and effort, these tips for how to declutter your apartment this spring will help you will feel lighter and less stressed!

To learn more about Timbercreek Communities across a Canada, please visit our website.

Stainless steel is beautiful, but it smudges easily. It can even, strangely, become stained. Don’t despair! It’s easy and inexpensive to keep your steel stainless and smudge-free. Timbercreek Communities has some great tips for how to keep your stainless steel clean.

Vinegar and Oil

Vinegar and oil is not only great for salad dressing, it also leaves your stainless steel gleaming! Don’t mix them together though, you need to apply the two ingredients separately. You can use mineral oil, olive oil or other vegetable oil. The first step is to determine to determine the direction of the grain, it will either be vertical or horizontal. Go with the grain.  Pour a small amount of oil on a microfiber cloth and polish in the direction of the grain. Next, pour a small amount of white vinegar on the other side of the cloth (or use a new cloth) and wipe off any remaining smudges, again, in the direction of the grain. You’ll be left with shiny steel!

Dish Soap and Baby Oil

For this 2 step process you’ll need a couple of soft, non-abrasive cloths, and a little dish soap and baby oil. Dampen your first cloth and apply a little dish soap. Clean the steel along the direction of the grains. Going against the grain will not damage the steel, but you won’t get the clean, gleaming shine that you’re looking for. When you’re done cleaning the steel, wipe up any water streaks before polishing (with the grain) with a couple of drops of baby or mineral oil on a cloth.

Club Soda

Is there anything club soda can’t clean? Put a little club soda in a spray bottle and spray directly onto the steel, then wipe it away with a cloth in the direction of the grain. This will remove fingerprints and residue, and give your stainless steel a nice shine.

Glass Cleaner

A big complaint with stainless steel is all the fingerprints. You can quickly remove them by using glass cleaner, such as Windex. It’s not recommended that you spray it directly onto the appliance, as you may end up with drip marks and residue. Spray a small amount onto a cloth and apply it in a circular motion. Rinse thoroughly with water and another cloth and dry with a clean towel.

Your stainless steel just wants to shine! Timbercreek Communities hopes these tips help you keep your stainless steel clean and bright.

To learn more about Timbercreek Rental Communities across Canada, please visit our website.