It’s that wonderful time of the year again! The ground begins to thaw, the sun starts to shine for longer, the birds return and sing their morning songs. We open our windows for the first time to fill our home with warm, crisp air only to find the winter crud on the window sills. Let the spring cleaning begin!
Keeping up with housework all year round can be exhausting. Deep cleans are put off, daily wipe-downs are forgotten about due to over-busy schedules. Too many times at night you may be thinking, “I’ll get it in the morning” only to never really get to it once the new day arrives. Believe me, I’ve been there. Even though I always feel better going to bed and waking up with a clean home there are days I am mentally and physically done.
Oftentimes I’m stuck thinking tasks are never done 100% and I am in a constant state of playing catch up.
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Easy Spring Cleaning
One thing that has helped me better maintain a clean home is sticking to a nightly routine. Currently, that routine is a mild pick-up, wipe-down, and sweep after I put my baby to bed and my toddler is still awake enjoying his nighttime snack and relaxing nearby. Once my toddler is in bed I mop the floors and straighten up any last-minute toys — which is usually a puzzle or two.
This isn’t an absolute everyday routine, because like I said, there are days when you are mentally and physically done with the day. But the nights I am able to successfully stick to this routine, my mornings are always way more relaxing. The stress of dirt and clutter being nonexistent first thing in the morning is ideal for me.
Today I am sharing with you 7 tips to make your spring cleaning a lot easier — for now and the future.
1. Make a schedule
This first step may be obvious, but it’s so important not to overlook it. Before you begin spring cleaning make a schedule of what needs to be done, and by whom — if there’s more than just you doing the cleaning. A schedule can help keep you on track and can ensure you don’t miss any cleaning opportunities.
“We’re supposed to call everything we don’t want to do ‘opportunities’.” – Jim Halpert, The Office.
2. The Best Way To Clean
What’s the best way to clean — room by room, or the same task throughout the entire house (i.e. vacuuming)? After making your cleaning schedule it may look like every single room in your home needs a deep clean. And that’s more than likely the case. If the idea of spring cleaning your entire home seems too daunting, try not to look at the entire picture. You have two options.
- Take it one room at a time each day to help keep you focused on one area of cleaning and organizing. Don’t move on until that room’s checklist is complete.
- or, stick to one cleaning task and tackle every room in the house. For example, vacuum, dust, mop, etc.
Choose the option that best fits you! Not everyone cleans the same, nor does everyone have the same love or hate feelings towards cleaning.
3. Organize and Declutter
Did you know a disorganized and cluttered home can lead to more stress? If you only need one reason to spring clean it should be to improve your mental health. Have you ever watched Sparking Joy on Netflix? It’s one of my favorites to put on as background noise while decluttering. Marie Kondo shares her favorite tips for getting and staying organized.
Try doing the same with your favorite shows, movies, or music to help make organizing and decluttering more enjoyable. And if you don’t know where to start, consider the four-step approach. “Identify problem areas, analyze reasons for the clutter, determine solutions, and implement them” (cite). Take it day by day; you don’t need to organize everything in one sitting.
4. Top to Bottom
Start cleaning from the very top first — literally the ceilings and crown molding, to the tops of door frames, then high shelving, to the top of the refrigerator, etc. You’re inevitably going to push dust down from the highest places, adding more dust and dirt to lower items. Don’t waste your time cleaning those lower items only to make them dusty again.
My current favorite cleaning item for cleaning high-up places is the Spin Mop Bucket, you can see what my toddler and I think of it!
5. Don’t Forget The Little Things
It’s easy to look at a room and see the large items that need cleaning. In your living room, for example, you see the furniture, flooring, walls, rugs, TV, shelving, etc. Don’t overlook the little things — the remote, coasters, pillowcases, picture frames, curtain rod, etc. The little things truly need a deep clean as well.
One overlooked item in the entire house — the HVAC filter. Generally, you should be changing these every 90 days or 3 months. Now is a great time to change it, especially if it has slipped your mind over the winter.
6. 15 Minute Power Cleaning
If you absolutely cannot spend a lot of time cleaning because you don’t have the time or you simply hate to clean, try 15-minute power cleanings. Set a timer each time to ensure you don’t overdo it and lose the motivation to clean (but hey, if you want to go over 15 minutes, more power to ya!).
A quick power clean can be an efficient way to get even the most passive cleaners to put in some real elbow grease of their own. This is a great tip for kids to help clean, too! There’s something about a timer they just love.
7. Establish a New Cleaning Schedule
Spring cleaning can be intimidating especially if your home hasn’t had a deep clean most of the year prior to now. Once you’ve successfully completed your spring cleaning, now is the best time to establish a new cleaning schedule for the year. Create a schedule with daily, weekly, or monthly tasks outlining what works best for you and your home’s maintenance. It can be something as simple as a daily 15-minute power clean. Your home will sparkle this spring and beyond!
“Today is spring cleaning day here at Dunder Mifflin. And yes I know it’s January. I am not an idiot. But, if you do your Spring cleaning in January; guess what you don’t have to do in the spring? Anything. They say a cluttered desk means a cluttered mind. Well, I say that an empty desk means a…” – Michael Scott, The Office.
