With deep roots in history and religion, the practice of Spring Cleaning has become an American staple. Spring Cleaning is the practice of thoroughly cleaning the house. Many times this involves getting rid of unwanted objects and reorganizing the home.
HAVEN, a Greenwich-based organization company, developed a three-step approach to decluttering your home. Edit your possessions, organize your belongings, and style your space. Seems simple right? But of course, it’s always easier said than done. Maison Haven founders Corrie Jackson and Jennifer Bakker are sharing their spring cleaning tips with you!
Fate brought these high school besties from the U.K. to Greenwich. After multiples moves for each of them they settled in Greenwich and realized the importance of treating a home like a haven. They decided to start HAVEN to help families transform their homes.
GL: How did you two meet?
We’ve been best friends since high school back in the UK!
GL: What inspired you to start HAVEN?
We honed our nerdy organizational skills in a variety of living spaces, and numerous international moves taught us the value of a streamlined home. The stars aligned when we both moved to Greenwich and launched our luxury home organizing company at the end of last year.
GL: What is the mission of your brand?
We want to redefine the way you organize. We believe everyone deserves a place to recharge, retreat and relax. One of our best-kept secrets? A home that looks beautiful is more likely to stay that way. Which is why we developed a three-step approach to decluttering: edit, organize, style. Our personalized systems are so effective we joke HAVEN is your home’s juice cleanse, 12-hour sleep and reset button rolled into one!
GL: What are your top 3 tips for spring cleaning?
1. Change the language. Living an organized life is 100% achievable with the right system in place. The key is to identify your organizing style and build a system around it. Break it down into manageable goals. Rather than ‘I want to organize my house’, which feels vague and unwieldy, switch it to: ‘I will create a system that makes my pantry work’. Or ‘I will create the space my entryway needs to function’.
2. Prioritize your entryway. The way you enter your home sets the tone for the rest of the house. If your entryway is a car-crash of coats, shoes, bags and other paraphernalia, then shoot this zone to the top of your to-do list. Short on space? Your system could be as simple as a standalone coat rack or hooks behind a door. Got drawers? Invest in some dividers. Finally, adopt our ‘60-second rule’. When you arrive home, spend 60 seconds putting things in their place. Not only does it clear your head but it makes it easier to leave the house, too.
3. Master the small stuff. Stray objects (aka the declutterer’s nemeses): pens, phone chargers, bills, hairbands etc. Find a spot for everything. If it doesn’t have a designated place, it doesn’t stay (ruthless? Us?)
