Winter is over, and spring is here! It’s time to open the windows and let the fresh warm breeze blow away the dust and cobwebs in the corners. Spring is a great time to deep clean your home and do all the extra cleaning jobs that you don’t do daily or weekly. Spring is also a popular time to list your home to sell. So whether or not you plan to list your home, it’s always a good idea to do your deep spring cleaning to keep your house looking its best!
How To Prepare For Your Spring Cleaning
Whenever you start a project, it’s best to gather all of your supplies and create a plan to help you stay on course. Spring cleaning is one of those things that you can put off and not complete everything on your to-do list if you get busy. Setting goals around it can help keep you on track and motivated to get to the finish line.
One way to keep yourself on track and not feel overwhelmed is to tackle one room at a time. If your room has a lot of work needed, you can separate the room into sections and go from there. Start cleaning out one cluttered corner. Or clean out your pantry or refrigerator. Try to dedicate some time each day until everything is complete. On days when you don’t have much time available, keep it simple and save the bigger projects for when you have more time. Take a look at your calendar, find blocks of time where you can fit in your spring cleaning, and then put it on your calendar. Scheduling these time blocks in your calendar will also help you put a plan in place to know which days you can tackle the larger rooms. Treat this like you would a work meeting or appointment, and you will be most likely to finish.
Create A Plan And Get Started
If you aren’t sure how to get started, there are printable spring cleaning checklists you can use as a resource. It helps you feel like you've accomplished more when you can see the items on your lists checked off one by one. It also ensures you won’t forget to do something! There are a variety of spring cleaning checklists to choose from. Some are even broken down into rooms for even more detailed to-do lists. You can also get your kids involved with their own spring cleaning checklist! If you like “challenges,” you can join or create a 30-day spring cleaning challenge. Invite your friends to join you in their spring cleaning, and you will have instant accountability partners to share tips with and make it fun.
Once you have your plan in place, gather all of your favorite cleaning supplies to ensure you have everything you need. Nothing is more annoying than realizing you are out of tub and tile cleaner when you are deep into cleaning mode in the bathrooms. If you prefer to use more natural cleaning solutions, you can make DIY homemade cleaners from items you already have at home. White vinegar and baking soda are some of the best ways to create less toxic cleaning solutions. Add essential oils to make your home smell fresh and clean without toxic fumes. Make sure everything you use is child and pet-friendly if you have children and pets living in your home.
Go Beyond Cleaning And Get Organized
Spring cleaning is also a great time to organize your home. In fact, if you have clutter, it will make your cleaning much easier if you declutter the areas first. As you declutter, go through each item and get rid of all the things you no longer need. You can sell gently used items to earn extra cash or donate them to charity. s
The most common areas that are beneficial to organize would be your closets, food pantry, refrigerator, attic, or any other storage spaces. It’s important to keep up with regular cleaning of food storage zones to prevent insects and mold. If you keep your refrigerator and food storage areas cleaned out and organized, it will be much easier to wipe them down and disinfect them regularly.
If you have a small space, try utilizing your walls for storage to help reduce clutter. Mounted wall shelves are a great way to store and display items like books or other collectables. Just make sure to keep them dusted frequently! Hanging hooks and caddies in a hallway are a great catch-all for keys and other loose items. A wall caddy in a small bathroom can add extra storage space so you can keep all of your essentials out of sight.
Safety Essentials
Another very important thing to remember when you are doing your spring cleaning is to do a safety check in your home. Smoke alarms and carbon monoxide detectors should be installed in each bedroom. Replace the batteries at least once per year. Keep fire extinguishers in certain areas of your home such as the kitchen and garage. Make sure you do not store any flammable items near water heaters, stoves, furnaces, fireplaces and clothes dryers. Speaking of your dryer, it’s a good idea to clean all of the lint out of the lint trap. Use a lint trap cleaning tool to remove the lint that goes down deep into the inside of your dryer to prevent fires. Check outside vents to make sure nothing is blocking them, as well. Real Simple’s home safety checklist is a great resource to make sure your home is a safe-haven for you and your family.
Contact your home experts for more cleaning and decluttering tips!
