Ready for spring cleaning time? Whether you’re looking forward to a deep-clean or just ready for the task to be behind you, it’s the time of the year to literally dust away some winter blues. Check out our spring cleaning tips to make the seasonal transition a lot easier – and less overwhelming.
Rehab & Repair
Items around the house need a bit of fixing? Don’t wait for summer for home projects – start now! Small repair projects like furniture repainting or replacing a fixture will take no time at all, and it will help clear the clutter of non-working items that have been sitting around with no purpose.
Rearrange
Spring cleaning isn’t just about throwing out things that you don’t need – it’s also a great time to find new uses or locations for the items you already own. Don’t have a use for some furniture and décor? If you aren’t ready to part with it, simply store it away for the time being. Tired of the same-old look and feel of your home? Move things around! Try a new furniture layout in the living room, move around shelved items (like photo frames and knick-knacks), and switch out textiles like window treatments, throw rugs and pillows.
Repaint and Refresh
Paint is one of the cheapest ways to transform a room or item! Switch out wall colors, add an accent wall, or spruce up small furniture like end tables or patio furniture with a fresh coat or two. Your house will feel like new, without the added cost!
Tidy Up
Take a page from Marie Kondo’s book and do some organizing by category (or room by room). Follow our two biggest tips for organizing: Throw out (or donate) what you don’t need/use, and make it easy to keep things organized with the right items. So after you’ve cleaned out what you no longer use, take stock of the items you’re going to keep – and figure out the best ways to keep them tidy. This could mean buying new tubs, baskets or containers; adding labels for easy storage; trying new folding techniques and more. And get the whole family involved to make sure things stay organized all year long!
Get to Cleaning
Yes, the ‘cleaning’ in spring cleaning is a step, too! A good deep-clean between seasons clears the clutter and helps you take on a new time of year feeling refreshed.
- Wash all bedding, and vacuum or steam beds to get rid of dirt and grime. And flip your mattress!
- Next, tackle your closets. Store away winter clothes and coats (once the weather stays warm) to make room for warm-weather clothing, and donate items you haven’t worn in a few seasons.
- Clean furniture by vacuuming or steaming, and throw removable textiles (like rugs, curtains, pillow covers and blankets) in the wash.
- Vacuum and shampoo carpets – including the often-forgot areas under furniture.
- Clean and disinfect all counters and surfaces in the bathroom and kitchen – especially things like light switches, doorknobs, drawer/cabinet pulls and handles (like sinks and the fridge/oven).
- In the kitchen, use a degreaser on the front of the cabinets – especially above the microwave. (And speaking of microwaves – clean it out! For stuck-on food items, heat a mug of water in the microwave for ~1 minute to help loosen grime, then wipe with dish soap on a sponge.)
- In the bathroom, scrub out the bath or shower – and use a tile cleaner to clear dirt from grout.
- Then hit the other rooms in your house, like the home office, attic, basement and garage. Go through each room and clean + declutter.
Here’s to warmer weather!