THINGS WE LOVE ABOUT SPRING CLEANING

We are sharing these handy tips and tricks to make your spring cleaning achievable and dare we say it – more fun ! 

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be chore as it is the perfect opportunity for you to start fresh. If you’re ready to get an early start on your yearly clean-out, you’re in luck. We’ve gathered our five top tips to help you tackle your spring cleaning head on.

Declutter first

Before you even think about tackling a deep clean, get rid of the clutter that’s piled up over the long winter. Doing so helps you focus on what needs to be done for your spring cleaning.

If you’re overwhelmed by this task, try the “two-pile” method. Filter the items you intend to toss out into two separate piles: “Donate pile” - for items still in good condition and can be used by another family, and “Throw away pile” for tired worn-out items that should never see the light of day again.

Remember show no mercy! If you’re in a dilemma whether to keep / donate / throw and item, ask yourself if you’ve used it in the last year (or in my case are you likely to use it in the next 6 months). If so, it can stay. If not, it may have outlived its usefulness to you. Additionally, do your best to complete your decluttering in one day, including dropping off your donations. That way, you’re not tempted to continually put off the final step.

By being this ruthless and once you have decluttered a room, we guarantee you will have a sense of freedom and weight being lifted from your shoulders.  The area will instantly feel larger and more light will naturally flow into the room, as there is not all your crap filling up every nook and cranny.

Cleaning products - Are they accessible?

Most of us have a bad habit of leaving our cleaning supplies all over the house – I know I do!  While it may be handy to keep a few go-to products in certain places for day-to-day use, when it comes to spring cleaning, this method may cost you valuable time spent running all over the house looking for your tools.

For projects like this, we suggest making up an on-the-go cleaning kit. Take an inexpensive shower caddy and fill it with products like mult-purpose cleaners, sponges, and rags. This enables you to move easily from room to room, without stopping to worry about which products you have on hand.

Goals – Are they achievable and clear

Spring cleaning your entire home can feel overwhelming and in some cases cause anxiety. The easiest way to keep from getting bogged down is to set clear goals before you start. That way, even if you decide to only do a portion of the job at a time, you’ll have a plan in place to help you stay focused.

Specificity is the key to successful goal setting. Ideally, you’ll want to create a step-by-step plan to follow. Start by deciding which rooms you intend to clean. Then, give yourself an order in which to do so and if you’re a real procrastinator time line for completion. Some professional cleaners suggest cleaning each room in a circle, while others suggest going top to bottom or inside to out. Either way, the key is to easily be able to move from task to task without too much hesitation.

Don’t forget about the hard-to-reach areas either.  This is the perfect opportunity to go above and beyond your usual cleaning regimen, taking care of all the hard-to-reach, rarely thought-of areas that normally don’t receive much attention.  Some of these areas include:

·             Between refrigerator coils

·             Over ceiling fan blades

·             Inside the washing machine

·             Around your HV/AC vents

·             Inside light fixtures

·             On and around the windows

·             Around door frames and crown molding

·             Inside light fixtures and track lighting

·             Behind the toilet

 Make it fun!

Last but not least, make this task as enjoyable for yourself as possible. Yes, spring cleaning can be exhausting, but there’s no reason why you can’t make it fun. If you’re tackling the task by yourself, consider playing some upbeat music to elevate your mood, or treat yourself to something rewarding when you’ve finished.

If you’re cleaning with your family, try getting them involved. Set the kids up with age-appropriate assignments, and turn it into a game to see who can finish their chore the fastest. With a few more hands in the mix, even a little help can go a long way towards whittling down your to-do list.

What do you think of these spring cleaning tips? Do you have any of your own to add? Share them with us in the comments below.