Spring is almost upon us, and that usually calls for some deep cleaning and sorting out, getting the spring clean into action. Now’s the perfect time to remove all traces of the winter blues, freshen up our beloved abodes and get prepped ready for the glorious seasons of spring and summer. Where to begin?
Make it a family affair!
It’s never an easy mission to do a full-on spring clean, especially on your own, so why not get the family in on it too? Even those reluctant members can be enticed with a little something to uplift and get the mood going, so pop on some tunes and make it a fun task. Perhaps offer some sort of reward to them, anything to get a few extra hands on board to help make the job a little easier.
Seasonal chores
Some chores are only managed during certain times of the year, and let’s face it, although winter is generally dull, it’s that time of year when we tend to neglect our homes a bit. However, now that the weather is brightening up, it’s time to start doing these tasks.
Windows become noticeable as the sun blasts against them, so we may have to start by sprucing those up first, but other outside jobs like a patio clean and picking up debris get the ball rolling too, plus fresh air does you a world of good, so give it a bash and see what a difference it makes to the appearance and mood of your home.
Cleaning products
Don’t waste time or money on a collection of enticing cleaning products from the isles of your local supermarket, there is no need for most of them, and they only end up clogging your cupboard space. Instead, a couple of multi-purpose cleaners are enough to get the job done, or all jobs done for that matter!
Many people find good old-fashioned home-made cleaners are equally successful at tackling certain chores too, so look online to see what can be made out of your pantry contents, save some cash and protect the environment too, bonus!
Room by Room
Not knowing where to start is the hardest part, and if we delve into everything at once, the job can become overwhelming, so why not start room by room and tackle them day by day if you wish?
Room by room is the most effective method as it usually means we tackle chores more thoroughly rather than doing a quick wipe around. Do a checklist, and “tick them off” if you like, it’s always self-rewarding to see the list getting ticked off, as it offers a sense of self-accomplishment.
Clear out the clutter
One of the biggest motivational reasons for doing a spring clean is the accumulation of clutter. Once things start to pile up, the home feels cluttered and untidy, so now’s the ideal time to start parting with all those unwanted or unneeded bits and to release a sense of freshness into our environments, freeing up some much-needed storage space.
To do this, it’s better to have a strategy in mind, so organise all the process by putting things into specific piles, such as scrap, giveaway and store, and if you find that there is just too much stuff that you are unwilling to part with but still require the extra space at home, then why not book a storage unit instead? It’s a great way to safely store things away for when you need them again.
Now that you’ve accomplished certain chores and found suitable storage solutions for all of those items that were cluttering up your home, but still want to keep, now’s the time to start the big clean, with a lot more room in tow!
- Starting one room at a time, you should start by wiping down all ceiling lighting, lampshades, picture frames, and similar items first in case lots of dust and debris falls, and then tackle the walls, floors, and countertops later.
- When it comes to windows, clean them from right to left first and then once outside, try going in another direction, for instance, top to bottom, as it’ll make it simpler to spot the streaks.
- During a spring clean, it’s a good idea to clean and test out all of your smoke detectors. Replace batteries also, if needed.
- Clear shelves, dust away all cobwebs and dirt and give them a thorough wash.
- If you have a pile of bills and paperwork laying around, start sifting through those and discard or file them away to make some more space on the shelf. Don’t forget to shred anything that holds personal information before you pop them into the bin.
- Pull out those hefty kitchen appliances and see what surprises lurk beneath, probably a few spills, dust and dirt that could do with a good wash down.
- Why not move furniture into storage to tackle jobs such as carpet washing, painting, and decorating so that you are able to keep your items safe and out of the way whilst you get the job done.
- Tackle those mattresses, flip them over and give them a good hovering. Sometimes it’s also a good idea to pop them outside in the sunshine for a couple of hours as this helps to rid of any microscopic creatures looking to make your mattress their new home.
- Steam cleaning is a good way to freshen everything up, from soft furnishings to hard flooring and tiles, you can do it all with a good steam cleaner.
- Sort out your clothing, and store away anything seasonal that you know won’t be needed for a while, again, popping them into self-storage helps to free up some wardrobe space. And don’t hold onto things that you don’t intend to wear again, be realistic and discard or give away items rather than hoarding them.
- Nook and crannies usually offer some unwelcome surprises, but during a good spring clean, it’s good to spot them before they get worse, things such as leaky taps, cracked tiles, broken handles etc. Now’s the time to repair or replace them so that they don’t cause any further problems down the line.
- Remember to tackle those hard-to-reach places such as air vents, window tracks, alcoves, moulding and window frames, patio doors, as well as those corners that the hover never gets to.
- Do not forget about the exterior of your house, too, over time, dirt and grime builds up, and it may require a good jet washing down and removing creepy crawler webs and old discarded nests. Clean garages and doors, including flooring, that may have some oil leaks that could easily be transferred to your home carpets.
- Sort out your outdoor furniture, clean them and place them into self-storage while not in use. Whilst you’re at it, pop all of those seasonal items into storage, too, such as leaf blowers, sledges, snow shovels, etc., as they won’t be needed for quite some time.
- Tackle some early spring gardening chores, ready for summer, such as trimming back bushes and shrubs, aerating the lawn and adding fresh mulch. Bundle tools once you’re done and pop them into storage and out of the way.
One of the good things about doing a spring clean is that it helps to improve our home cleaning methods and establish new ways and habits to make the job easier in the future.
Whether you perform a full house clean every week or only once a year, you may want to consider using a self-storage unit to safely store and protect your seasonal equipment, furniture, tools, and other items and get them out of the way during the cleaning or renovation process.
