Are you ready for spring? Get ready for spring cleaning with this checklist and some really amazing tips! Don’t know where to start? You’re in the right place then! In this article, we’re not only going to tell you what to do during spring cleaning, but we’ll also explain its importance and how to best organize yourself.
The Importance of Spring Cleaning
As we’ve already mentioned, spring is the perfect time to reset everything in your home. It will have a positive effect not only on your physical health but also on your mind and overall well-being.
Besides, by doing it at least once a year, you can prevent bigger issues, such as mold. This is especially important for renters because, if it turns out that such a problem occurred during your stay, your landlord might take a part of your deposit to cover the costs of fixing it. In some cases, although not that often, the landlord might decide to terminate the lease earlier than stated in the contract.
How to Start Spring Cleaning
Setting your mind on spring cleaning is a great first step, but it’s not enough – after all, you actually need to do it. Once you have decided that you are 100% committed to this cleaning project, tell someone, be that person your spouse, housemate, parents, friends on social media, or others. Announcing it will make you accountable: since you have already told someone you would do it, you now have a stronger feeling that you have to!
Next, you need to make a plan. It doesn’t have to be detailed, but you should have a rough idea about what you are going to do. Ideally, you should create a checklist, either with what needs to be done in each room or a whole-house task list. It will help you stay organized, and you’ll avoid making an even bigger mess.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Here are some of the tasks you should include in your spring cleaning session. Although this is not a complete list, it is a good starting point:
- Bedding
You probably wash your sheets, pillowcases, and duvet covers regularly, but your pillows or comforters also need a refresher every once in a while.
- Mattress
Sprinkle your mattress with baking soda, let it sit for a few minutes, and vacuum the mattress slowly with the brush attachment. Use the crevice tool to vacuum around the mattress’s top and bottom seams. Last but not least, flip your mattress; make sure you can do it, though, as some types shouldn’t be flipped.
- Curtains
Curtains are great dust collectors. Remove them from the rods and either wash them at home or take them to be professionally cleaned. If you don’t want to remove them altogether, you should consider vacuuming them while they are hanging.
- Blinds/shades
These also collect a significant amount of dust. If you don’t dust your blinds regularly, then spring cleaning is the perfect time to take care of them — just grab a damp dust rag so that you can remove any grime. Shades, on the other hand, can be cleaned with a lint roller, vacuum cleaner, or a slightly damp microfiber cloth.
- Ceiling fan
Once the temperatures start rising, you are bound to turn on your ceiling fan. However, before that happens, you should stave off an avalanche of dust. You can try cleaning it with an extendable duster.
- Cabinets
Even though the cabinets are one of those places that rarely get cleaned, they definitely need it, with the number of hands that touch them frequently. Start with the kitchen cabinets, and make your way throughout the rest of the house. Make sure to use a cleaning solution that cuts through grease.
- Windows
The best time to clean your windows is during a cloudy day, as your windows won’t be left with spots or streaks. Start by cleaning the dirtiest parts first (sills and tracks), and then proceed with the screens, if you have them. Finish with washing the windowpanes.
- Baseboards
The visible baseboards probably get dusted every once in a while. However, what about those behind your bed or a living room console? Spring cleaning is a perfect opportunity to take care of all of them.
- Patio furniture
Soon, it will be warm enough to spend more time outside, so why not use this opportunity and get the outdoor furniture ready? All you need to wipe it down is a simple water solution with a squint of dish soap. If the furniture is dirtier than you thought, you can always rent out a power washer.
- Closet
Spring is the perfect time to reorganize your wardrobe. Take a look at your clothes and you are bound to find some things that you don’t wear anymore. Put them aside and donate or sell them. Once you’re left with only the things you want to keep, sort them by type, length, or color. This will not only make your closet more visually pleasing, but it will also be easier for you to find stuff.
- Carpets
The first thing you should do when it comes to cleaning the carpets is vacuuming every inch of them, including the areas under the furniture. Once you’re done, remove the rug and vacuum the rug pad, as well as the floor underneath it. If the carpets are dirtier than you initially thought, schedule an appointment with a professional carpet cleaning service.
How to Organize Your Spring Cleaning
Now, a lot depends on how many tasks you are actually planning on completing during your spring cleaning session. Obviously, if you are thinking about performing a really deep clean, chances are you won’t be able to do it in one day. That’s why you must divide the tasks across a few days. How do you choose which ones to perform first? Here are a few tips:
- Choose whole-house cleaning tasks
Look through your checklist and pick those tasks that involve more than one room or item, e.g., washing the bedding or cleaning the windows.
- Select the chores you keep putting off
By doing things that you don’t like first, you’ll not only have a clean house, but you can also relieve yourself from the guilt you might be feeling from not completing them sooner. Although those tasks will differ from person to person, some of the most commonly procrastinated ones include deep cleaning the shower or the oven.
- Base your choices on time
Some of the tasks might be slightly more time-consuming than others, such as washing the bedding. Although collecting the bedding itself doesn’t take a lot of time, you need to remember how long it will take for it to wash and dry. The good news is that, while you wait, you can complete other chores that don’t take as much time.
- Put labor-intensive tasks at the top of your list
If you don’t know which tasks you should get over with first, then you should try starting with those that require the most energy.
The Bottom Line
Spring is the perfect time to finally take care of all the cleaning tasks you have been procrastinating for the last couple of weeks, if not months. Since it’s time to think about new beginnings, why not give your home a fresh start too?
We hope you now have a better idea about how to start spring cleaning, what tasks should make your checklist, and how to pick the ones you should complete first. You’ll see that, once you finish cleaning the house, you’ll feel a lot better, not only physically but also mentally. Good luck!
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