Fear Factor: Gross and Scary Spaces
Halloween conjures up images of ghosts, death and hidden fears. The hidden (or not so hidden) fears of many of our clients is what holds them back from tackling organizing projects.
Over the next couple weeks, we’ll cover the most common fears and how best to banish them…or at least make them manageable!
Fear #1: The “Ick” Factor
Could you offer your attic/basement/garage as a haunted house for Halloween? The dark corners, dangerous obstacles, cobwebs (& spiders!), even foul evidence of other furry critters visits. Let’s face it – not many of us relish the thought of digging through the “ick” necessary to get some storage spaces de-cluttered. Often though, the fear of the ick outweighs the actual reality of what you’ll encounter.
Work in a well-lit space. If the space doesn’t have it’s own good lighting add in some temporary clamp-style work lights or use a simple headlamp so you can actually see into the corners and what you’re dealing with (though that may scare you more).
Come armed with safety and cleaning supplies. The arsenal: disposable plastic gloves or kitchen dish gloves, dust masks, heavy duty garbage bags, broom, dustpan.
Don’t fear the beasts. If rodent droppings are present it’s important to NOT sweep or vacuum them up dry. Inhaling the dust can be dangerous. Spray the area with a light bleach-water solution then wipe them up and throw away. If you’re lucky enough that the creature causing the mess has also chosen to expire in your space, kitchen tongs wrapped in paper towels make a nice way to transfer the body into your heavy duty trash bag. If you don’t find the critter you may need to set traps or call in a professional exterminator.
Be ready to unload. Once you get going, lot’s of scary things are going to be released from your space: hazardous waste, dead compact fluorescent light bulbs and batteries, scrap metal, re-useable hardware and building supplies. Have some dedicated boxes or bags ready and do your research ahead of time to know where to take different kinds of items (your local organizer will know all the spots, just ask!). Make space in your car ahead of time so the boxes don’t sit around for months.
Next up…tackling those scary, complex papers that make the bottom of your stomach drop!
