Looking for inspiration to help you get started with spring cleaning? Below are excellent tips for cleaning, decluttering, and organizing your home this spring!
Make a Plan
A spring cleaning schedule is a great way to maximize your time and ensure you don’t get overwhelmed by the tasks at hand. Plan for what you can take on today, identify tasks for this week, designate projects for the month, and set overarching cleaning goals for the season. Creating a well-crafted plan will help you prioritize what surfaces need scrubbing, which rooms could benefit from decluttering, and where new home organization systems should be put into place.
Try Eco-Friendly Fixes
Living an environmentally-friendly life isn’t just a trend! Embracing green cleaning fixes can lower cleaning costs, cut down on plastic waste, and reduce the amount of harsh chemicals in your home. An awesome spring cleaning hack is to cut up old t-shirts, towels, or socks to use as rags or dusters.
Clean Your Cleaning Supplies
If you really want to deep clean your home, start with your everyday cleaning tools. Change the filter in your vacuum, wash out your broom and scrub brushes, and replace your toilet wand. A new season is the perfect opportunity to reset and stop old supplies from spreading dust, dirt, and grime around your home.
In addition to keeping your family safe from harsh chemicals and allergens in your home, use this as a time to test and replace the batteries in carbon monoxide and smoke detectors.
Throw Out Old Papers
A great decluttering hack is to start by recycling or filing papers around your home. Whether there’s gas and grocery receipts scattered throughout your apartment or too many magazines littering the coffee table, say goodbye to stacks of paper and instantly cut down on the chaos.
Declutter First
Before you can dust, vacuum, or clean surfaces, get rid of excess that could slow you down. If you’re not sure how to declutter your home, our decluttering guide can help! Is the new season calling for even more change? Give the art of living with less a try with these minimalist home organizing tips!
Open the Windows
Wondering how to deep clean your house? Begin by inviting the fresh spring air in! Not only does this release static air particles, but it also ensures no fumes from cleaning bother you. This is also the perfect time to wipe down the insides of windows, clean around the sills, and wash window screens.
Be sure the air in your home stays fresh by swapping out your furnace and air conditioner filters. Doing both at once means your AC filter can get a fresh start before it starts working hard, and changing your furnace filter while you’re at it means you won’t have to worry about it when things cool off again.
Wash the Walls & Baseboards
Cleaning the walls, ceilings, and baseboards are tasks you’ll find on any deep cleaning checklist. Many renters and homeowners go for long periods of time—or their whole lives—without doing this chore. But if you really want a sparkling clean home, warm soapy water can be used on most paint to wipe away grime and dust.
Scrub Tile & Grout
Even if you clean your shower regularly, when was the last time you really put your back into it? Whether you use a toothbrush or have a special cleaning brush, make sure scrubbing tile and grout is on your bathroom spring cleaning checklist. Don’t forget the tile and backsplash in your kitchen!
Soak Faucets in Vinegar
Whether it’s your shower head, kitchen sink, or bathroom faucet, anywhere there’s running water, calcium buildup can become a problem. A simple spring cleaning hack is to soak these spouts in white vinegar for a few hours or overnight to help break down any buildup before scrubbing away at water spots and stains.
Dust Everywhere
Dusting might seem like a basic spring cleaning tip, but have you thought about all of those typically forgotten cracks and crevices? Ceiling fans, air vents, window blinds, picture frames, bookshelves, light fixtures, mirrors, and baseboards should all be on your list! If your dusting is typically a quick once over, use this time to move trinkets and clear clutter out of the way. One pro tip is to use different vacuum attachments to reach hard-to-dust spaces.
Deep Clean Carpets & Rugs…
After vacuuming, shampoo carpets and rugs! Whether you have a machine at home, need to rent one from the grocery store, or want to hire a professional, now is the time to get dust, pet hair, allergens, and bacteria out of your carpet!
…And Upholstery, Too
If you’re already hiring a professional to clean your carpets, check if they have any deals so you can get your upholstery steam cleaned as well! More of a DIY home cleaner? Use the specialty tools on your vacuum to refresh curtains, mattresses, and fabric couches. Most fabric upholstery can be scrubbed down with gentle soap, water, and vinegar, while leather upholstery can be treated with specialty products or olive oil and vinegar.
Wax Hardwood Floors & Furniture
Not only does wax extend the life of hardwood floors and furniture, but it helps prevent scratching, stains, and adds a shine as well. Vacuum and mop first to ensure flooring is clean and remove all furniture and household objects before applying wax with a rag by hand—just remember to wear gloves! When choosing what products to use on your floor, be sure to review the manufacturer’s instructions so you don’t void a warranty or do permanent damage.
Take on Kitchen Appliances
Time to use some elbow grease for spring cleaning the kitchen! Scrub the stovetop and run the clean cycle on your oven. If stains are stubborn, make a water and baking soda paste to leave on overnight before scrubbing away at burnt food. Throw out expired food before wiping down your fridge and freezer—remember to get the coils, too! Cleaning your microwave can be as simple as heating a bowl with water, vinegar, and a lemon slice in it before wiping down the surface. Don’t forget that cleaning your dishwasher or coffee maker can be as painless as running vinegar through each machine.
Clean Out the Pantry
It’s easy to put off pantry organization when day-to-day cleaning is calling, so why not add it to your spring cleaning checklist? Buckets, bins, and tubs can all be labeled and organized by frequency of use to create a pantry that’s as functional as it is visibly appealing.
Tackle Your Cabinets
Creating order in cabinets is an important task for organizing the kitchen! Throw out expired food and donate canned goods or non-perishable items you know you won’t be eating soon. Installing rolling drawers, labeling spices, and investing in tubs to group similar items are great decluttering tips.
Organize All Closets
Some of the best tips for spring cleaning and organizing involve tackling cluttered storage spaces. Because closets tend to get stuffed with items that don’t have a home or things you want to keep out of sight, going through each and every closet in your home is necessary for seasonal tidying up. Learn how to organize everything from bedroom and bathroom closets to hall and laundry room closets in this ultimate guide to closet organization!
Flip Mattresses
To prolong the life of a mattress, add flipping it over to your room cleaning checklist! While you should be flipping or rotating it every season, if you haven’t been sticking to a regular schedule, now is the perfect time to turn it over!
Wash Bedroom Linens
Not sure how to spring clean your room? Give your bedroom a full refresh by washing all linens. While your sheets should be getting thrown in the washer regularly, take the time to wash your comforter, duvet, pillows, and rugs or take them to a dry cleaner.
Clean Your Washing Machine
Whether you have an entire mudroom to organize or a combined washer-dryer in the closet, take a break between loads to cleanse your washing machine. This cleaning tip will ensure your clothes smell fresh and are getting as clean as possible. It’s as simple as adding vinegar or bleach to your machine and running it on the hottest and longest cycle!
Is your basement unfinished? Is it your children’s go-to play area? Regardless of how your basement is used, these basement organization tips can help you get your home in order this spring!
Try New Layouts
Welcome the new season by mixing up the layout of your home! Need ideas for how to get started? These feng shui tips for your bedroom, living room, kitchen, and bathroom can inspire you to create a natural flow in each room and invite in good energy.
Don’t Forget About Outdoor Spaces
Did you move patio furniture into storage for the season? Did it endure the elements outside all winter? Either way, your patio items could use a bath before you start entertaining guests. Once you’ve washed down outdoor tables and chairs, give your backyard a makeover!
Take Care of the Garage
Lawn care season is almost here! Get a jump on shed organization and declutter your garage so you can quickly find tools, yard clippers, and gardening shears when they’re needed. Plus, you’ll be able to make space for cars, motorcycles, and small recreational vehicles again before spring showers hit!
Say goodbye to your winter woes and usher in warmer days with sparkling surfaces and streamlined organization! Whether you’re looking for ways to spring clean your house in a day or planning to spread out the tasks across the entire spring, these tips will help you get your home clean in no time!
Need a place to store items you don’t have room for at home? Extra Space Storage has convenient storage facility locations throughout the U.S., so we can help you declutter and maximize space. Find a storage unit near you!
This content was originally published here.