With the days growing longer and the temperatures beginning to rise, it can only mean that spring is just around the corner. For many of us, that means it is time to begin the annual ritual of decluttering, thoroughly cleaning, and organising your home after the winter months.
It is a task that we approach with different levels of enthusiasm! But, whether you are enthusiastic about the project or a reluctant participant, there are plenty of tips that can help you get your home looking beautiful as we head into summer.
Let’s take a look at how you can make this year’s spring cleaning exercise easy and effective.
1. Create a Plan of Action
Organisation is the key to an effective and efficient spring clean of your home. This means that before you begin, it is a great idea to draw up a plan of action. Included in this plan could be details like:
- The areas of your home and garden that you want to clean.
- Break the job into smaller tasks (e.g. such as cleaning one room per day).
- A list of in what order you are going tackle each task.
Creating a plan will help you get organised and ensure that you don’t overlook anything.
2. Take the Opportunity to Declutter
The problem with clutter is that after a while, it “just becomes part of the furniture.” Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to declutter your home. You will likely be surprised at just how much room this creates and how much brighter your home will look after decluttering.
Go through your belongings and decide what you don’t need. You can sell or donate excess items or simply toss them away.
Tip: For rarely used or sentimental items that are cluttering your home, a self-storage unit offers a secure, clean, and cost-effective way to store your items.
3. Time for Some Deep Cleaning
With all that clutter out of the way, it is time to get down to the fun part of the exercise – Deep cleaning. The following list details some of the main steps in this. Of course, this is made easier if it is included in a spring cleaning plan as described above:
- Dusting: Dust all surfaces and include hard-to-reach items like the inside of lampshades.
- Clean mirrors and windows: Use a window cleaner (vinegar-based cleaners are perfect) and a lint-free cloth to clean all your windows and mirrors.
- Walls and skirting boards: Where wall surfaces are suitable, they can be wiped down with a damp cloth. (Test a small and inconspicuous area first). Remember to clean the skirting boards too!
- Clean floors: Depending on your flooring type, you may need to sweep, vacuum, or mop your floors. Be sure to move furniture and rugs to clean underneath.
- Kitchen and kitchen appliances: Empty your kitchen cupboards and thoroughly clean the shelves and walls. Clean the inside and outside of your fridge, oven, microwave, toaster, and any other appliances you have.
- Bathroom: Clean your shower, bathtub, sink, and toilet. Use a bathroom cleaner and a scrub brush to remove any stains or grime.
- Laundry: Launder all your bed linen towels, blankets, throws, and curtains. This can help to remove dust, allergens, and bacteria.
- Organise: After all that hard work, it makes sense to find a place to put everything without cluttering up your home again. If space is short, a self-storage unit can help you to keep your home organised.
Once this is complete, your home will remain bright and breezy throughout the summer. We can only hope that the weather is bright and breezy too! But spring cleaning shouldn’t just focus on the indoors.
4. Don’t Forget the Outdoors
When spring cleaning your home, it is easy to forget the outdoors. But this is also an ideal opportunity to get your garden looking in a ship shape for the summer ahead.
Here are a few of the garden chores that can be included in a spring cleaning plan:
- Trim bushes and trees if necessary (Spring is also an excellent time to plant many common types of flowers and plants).
- Clean and maintain your garden furniture. Despite being designed for the great outdoors, outdoor furniture can take a beating in the harsh winter months. A little care and attention will be needed to get them ready for the summer. (A self-storage unit can help with seasonal items like this, it can also save you money by prolonging the life of valuable furnishings).
- Sweep patios and other paved areas, then scrub with hot water and a mild detergent (avoid cleaning solutions that may harm your plants).
- Tidy your shed, garage, and/or other outdoor storage solutions.
Once you have completed this, you are almost there and ready to enjoy the summer months with a refreshed home and garden. But there is one more thing to consider before you can relax and enjoy the benefits of all that hard work.
5. Essential Maintenance
Taking the opportunity to perform a little essential maintenance when you are spring cleaning is always a good idea. From re-varnishing, wooden garden furniture to cleaning a whole winter’s worth of gunk from the guttering, loads of little maintenance tasks can be undertaken that will save you money and stress in the long run.
Here are a few more maintenance ideas:
- Test smoke and carbon monoxide detectors – always a good idea!
- Clean chimneys and flues
- Service your heating system
- Check windows and doors for drafts
- Visually expect your roof for signs of damage sustained in winter storms
These are just a few of the simple maintenance tasks that can help keep your home in good condition and can prevent the need for future costly repairs.
…Time to Relax
We hope this guide has helped you to perform a spring clean and get your home in the best condition to enjoy the summer ahead.
At U Store It, we can help you keep your home clean and your seasonal items in tip-top condition. Our units are available in a range of sizes to suit every need, and with no long-term contracts necessary, they are a cost-effective solution to keeping your belongings safe and can simplify your spring cleaning.
