Today is the first day of spring and everyone knows what that brings — cleaning.

According to Madison County’s own get-organized guru, spring is also a great time to get clutter-free.

Pendleton’s Dee Crabtree, author of “A Simply Wonderful Life,” said the first step is deciding whether to tackle a big project — like the garage — or start small, like that pesky catch-all drawer in the kitchen.

“Everybody’s got one,” she said. “Usually I talk to the person and look at their personality and what’s bothering them most.”

Whichever you decide, her advice when it comes to getting organized is to use the “Salami Method.”

“You know, you take one bite at a time, and you can eat a whole salami,” Crabtree said. “Before you start organizing your house, you have to have time to do it.”

If you’re starting with the utility drawer, create piles. Separate the unwanted — the bits of twine, old matchbooks — from the “maybe” pile — batteries, small knickknacks — from the “keep” pile, like loose change and keepsakes.

The hardest room in the house to organize is likely the most used, probably the kitchen for many families, according to Crabtree.

“The kitchen is the biggest one,” she said. “The kitchen is the heart of the home. You cook there. You eat there. The kids do homework there. When you go to a party, where do you end up?”

The cabinets and pantry will be the toughest, but don’t get discouraged. Again, start by deciding what you really need or use regularly, but toss that third spatula. Give that juicer you haven’t used in years to charity.

If you want to de-clutter a room, but don’t want to take on the kitchen, a good option is starting with the bathroom. Getting the bathroom organized can have immediate payoffs.

“The easiest to organize is the bathroom because it’s the smallest,” she said, but it shouldn’t be overlooked by the over-harried. “If the bathroom’s organized, you’re going to save a lot of time in the morning.”

Next comes the garage. The best tip to get the junk out and your Buick back inside is to hang what you can on the walls and ceiling, Crabtree said.

The system doesn’t have to be elaborate. Heavy-duty, durable hooks can usually be substituted for an expensive suspension setup. The goal, after all, is to get use your garage for what it was meant for — especially during the winter.

“That’s why I have a garage,” she said. “I’m not scraping the windows.”