Don’t let spring cleaning weigh you down: Here’s how to spring forward

Spring is the time to shed your winter layers, dust off the cobwebs, open the windows and embrace the beginning of a new season. Aside from spending more time outdoors, the sunshine and warm weather often energize us to do the things we put off during the cold winter months, such as cleaning and organizing.

Spring cleaning doesn’t need to be a daunting task. The key is to take small steps and designate time to complete them – don’t try to do it all in one fell swoop. Linda Rothschild, organizational expert working with Bank of America, provides tips for conquering spring cleaning:

• Reorganize – It’s easy to get caught up in cleaning all the nooks and crannies of your house, but, it’s equally important to tackle organizing! Whether it’s arranging your DVDs in alphabetical order or digitizing that box of photos that’s been sitting in the attic, a little rearranging can make a big difference! Your belongings are meant to be enjoyed, not collect dust!
• De-clutter – Smartphones and computers help us be productive, efficient and stay on top of hectic schedules. Download an organizational app to manage your to-dos or a maintenance app to dump junk files and defragment your drives. Cleaning up your computer desktop and archiving emails will allow you to find things with ease. Having an organized device will allow you to take full advantage of these great tools!
• Go Digital – Keeping finances organized throughout the year will make doing taxes more bearable. Scan documents onto your computer to save space and avoid overwhelming amounts of paper. With Bank of America’s Mobile Check Deposit, paper checks won’t clutter your desk. Instead, you can deposit your tax refund using the camera on your mobile phone or tablet.
• Repurpose – Don’t blow your budget on pretty boxes and labels. Shoeboxes make great storage containers for miscellaneous items such as TV remotes, cords, letters and cards, and other items. You can disguise the shoebox with wrapping paper or ribbon. Think about what other items in your home can be used for alternative purposes and save a few dollars by getting crafty.
• Donate – Closets can very easily become packed to the brim with items you don’t wear or even know you have! Take everything out of your closet and go through it with a critical eye – if you haven’t worn something in the past year, it’s time to get rid of it. Donating clothing to organizations such as Goodwill isn’t only a noble act; it’s a tax deduction as well!

Start with something easy

To get motivated to clean out the gutters or dust the baseboards, start with conquering something simple. Once you experience how great it feels, you’ll be more apt to knock out spring cleaning tasks. A great place to start is organizing your finances.

There are many easy ways to keep on top of your finances. Bank of America’s Mobile App allows you to check recent transactions, monitor your balance and transfer money between your accounts instantaneously, all with the click of a button.

Tools such as BankAmeriDeals allow you to keep tabs on cash-back deals. Simply choose the cash back deals you want and shop as you normally would with your Bank of America debit or credit card. It’s about time you earn some cash back for all those spring cleaning supplies!

Want to de-clutter your desk by getting rid of all the sticky notes and reminders? With Email and Mobile transfers, there’s no need to keep up with I.O.U.s. You can transfer money to a family member or friend, using only their mobile phone number or email address.

Follow these tips to conquer spring cleaning!

For more information, visit www.bankofamerica.com.

— (BPT)