Give Your Home a Spring Spruce-Up
The darkness of winter has passed, and it’s time to bring in spring’s light. Giving your home a deep clean is a sure signal that a fresh new season has begun. Spring is a great time of year to reset. A clean slate is much easier to maintain over the spring and summer months when you’d much rather be outside enjoying the beautiful weather. Nobody wants to miss a day at the beach because they’re stuck inside cleaning.
Won’t it feel good to get rid of all the dust and dirt that has accumulated over the winter months? Just one rainy day would be enough time to get through most, if not everything, on your list.
Organize
One of the first things to do is make sure that clutter doesn’t get in the way of your cleaning efforts. Packing away winter is a good place to begin. Store all the heavy coats, gloves, hats, scarves, and other clothing for the next six months or so. If you have them, put lighter quilts and blankets on the beds and clean the heavy bedding before putting it away. Fold them into storage bags and bins tucked away out of sight so you’ll have easy access to them in the fall.
Give other rooms a once-over. Is there one that functions as the catch-all for miscellaneous items and the things you don’t know what to do with? Try to make some decisions to toss, donate, sell, or save. The same goes for other areas of your home. If you have young children who have outgrown their clothing or toys, make piles and take all the unwanted items out of the bedrooms and play spaces. Clear your kitchen of small appliances you no longer use. Make sure that your surfaces are as clear as they can be, with mail and other everyday items in a designated place. Swap out the snow shovels and snowblower in the garage for the rakes and lawn mower.
Deep Clean
Now it’s time to get down and dirty. Take stock of your cleaning supplies. An inventory of clean cloths and sponges, scrub brushes, vacuum, and mop are the basics for thoroughly cleaning the whole house. Make sure you use store-bought sprays and solutions for their intended purposes: degreasers are great for kitchens and the grime left behind on a stove; a multi-surface cleaner works well for wiping down countertops and even better if it doubles as a disinfectant.
The purpose of a deep clean is to tackle the areas you might skip during a regular weekly clean. That means dusting ceiling fan blades, baseboards, the tops of picture frames, and window blinds or shades. This also is the time to wash windows. Pull furniture away from the walls and clean the floors under and behind them.
For those who like to follow a checklist, we found one that might be helpful to make sure you cover all the bases.
Refreshing Your Space
Open your windows to let in the fresh air on the dry, sunny days. If you don’t already have house plants, consider placing one or two in common areas or even fresh flowers on a regular basis – it’s amazing how even an under-$10 bouquet from the grocery store can brighten your space. Replacing couch pillows and table decor with light spring colors is an easy way to give your rooms a new look without the expense of a complete redecoration.
Reward Yourself for a Job Well Done
All of this might sound intimidating and exhausting. It’s true that spring cleaning takes time and energy, but you can take a few hours during the week or several days throughout the month to check off the chores on your list. Pat yourself on the back for getting it done. The biggest reward will come when you can enjoy your spring and summer with more time to relax and have fun because your weekly cleans are now just maintenance.
Do you have any tricks and hacks to make spring cleaning a breeze? Share them with us on Facebook or Instagram!