There is something refreshing and liberating about pulling everything out of a closet, sorting items into piles to donate or keep, and placing everything back in the space, well organized and in a container with a beautiful label.

But let’s be honest — most of us do not have the time, space, or energy to rip apart an entire house and put it back together. I also reject the idea of dedicating a spring weekend of beautiful weather to stay inside and clean. Instead, I’ve tried to incorporate small efforts over time, with the help of a few of my favorite Instagram and internet “friends.”

Cleaning

Go Clean Co:  A wonderful Canadian woman named Sarah doles out fantastic cleaning advice. Her magic formula of powdered Tide + bleach + hot water solves almost all your cleaning problems. I’m not someone who enjoys cleaning, but it is incredibly satisfying to run a mop over our floors after a long week and dump out disgustingly brown water after 20 minutes of work. Go Clean Co offers challenges, reviews of various cleaning products, and advice on how to make clean up easier next time. Ever ventured to the top of your cabinets over your stove where all grease finds a permanent home? There’s clean-up and maintenance advice for that!

Organizing

The Folding Lady: My husband found this delightful British woman on Tik Tok. (Yes, my husband is on Tik Tok. We don’t talk about it.) He does 99.9% of the laundry, and one day I found all of our towels beautifully folded as if we were in a hotel! The Folding Lady’s techniques are accessible, easy to follow, and a very fun way to liven up an otherwise boring task.
 
The Home Edit: The Home Edit is known for their rainbow organizing, which, admittedly, is very pleasing to the eye. (Although, while organizing, I have to continually say ROYGBIV out loud over and over.) Their infamous “product” (various plastic and wooden bins to organize to your heart’s content) hails from the Container Store, but they have recently branched out to Walmart, and you can even find non-branded items on Amazon. I recommend spending some time with your stuff before running out to the store — that way, you can figure out what you use the most, what you need to have accessible, and what can be stored away.

Purging

Buy Nothing: To say I’m obsessed with my town’s Buy Nothing Facebook group is an understatement. The epitome of “one person’s trash is another person’s treasure,” this group is a delightful mishmash of “give,” “ask,” and “gratitude,” including but not limited to: furniture, home decor, wrong groceries received in a delivery, plants, meat shares, art supplies, you name it. I’ve received baby toys, a high chair, baby clothes, a cool transit systems poster, and a Lululemon sports bra.

In the short nine months we’ve lived in our town, I’ve given away more random items than I can count. I’ve been sent photos of my plants in their new home and messages of gratitude for the back massager we no longer used but was sorely needed by its new owner.

Buy Nothing Groups are the modern-day neighbor borrowing a cup of sugar. It does take a little bit of work to post photos and coordinate pick-ups, but if you want to feel a stronger connection to your immediate community, this is a great group. To find one in your community, start here. And if you can’t find one, you could always start one!

Sarah Aspinwall
Sarah Aspinwall
Sarah grew up in Connecticut, but Massachusetts has always felt like a second home with extended family across the state. With a master's in public health and a lifelong passion for healthcare, Sarah moved to Boston after graduation. She is a fierce advocate for better access and reducing the complexities of the healthcare system. Sarah met her husband covered in sweat and lifting weights at a local CrossFit gym (talk about first impressions!). They adopted a rescue pup from Mississippi and welcomed their daughter in 2021. After nearly a decade of city living, Sarah and her family headed to the Metro West area to start a new adventure in the suburbs. Sarah has volunteered for Community Consulting Teams of Boston (CCT), offering pro bono management consulting to Boston-area nonprofits, and she served a three-year term on the board. She is an alumna member of the Kappa Delta sorority and has served as an advisor to the Northeastern chapter since 2014.

RELATED ARTICLESMORE FROM AUTHOR