Home & Garden
5 Ways to Get a Head Start on Your Spring Cleaning
Lift the shades and open the windows, spring is almost here — and I, for one, couldn’t be more excited for longer days, sunnier skies and colorful blooms everywhere. Of course, while I’m eager for warm weather and cool breezes, I’m not so pumped about all the spring cleaning chores on my task list. I have a whole weekend set aside for obligatory organizing, tedious tidying and incessant scrubbing. It’s a daunting job, but the reward at the end of the elbow grease: A super neat, functional and sparkling home to enjoy this season and beyond.
But, before I take out the mop and sponges, I’m getting myself (and my house!) ready with a preliminary plan of attack. A successful spring cleaning sesh starts with a smart strategy and a few key essentials. Are you, too, hopping on the seasonal bandwagon? Read on for some savvy spring cleaning tips and helpful hacks.
Sort Your Stuff: Keep, Donate, Throw Out
Even if you’ve KonMarie’d your belongings somewhat recently, chances are, you’ve continued to accrue more stuff. It’s a never-ending cycle, and it’s easy to collect #allthethings without even realizing it. So, before you get into the nitty gritty of spring cleaning, now is the right time to sort and separate. Whether we’re talking about buckets of toys, mounds of clothes or piles of papers, it’s always good to prioritize needs and pare down belongings. Separate your items into categories: keep, donate and chuck. A few extra-large storage clear bins can help streamline this process.
Organize Your Spaces
Are you guilty of having a junk drawer that houses all kinds of random miscellaneous must-haves? Time to embrace order in all the nooks and crannies. Give every important item a designated space with a nifty drawer organizer. Furthermore, consider implementing other organizational systems throughout your home. Tidy up the kitchen with an over-the-door pantry rack and give your closet a makeover with a complete organizer. Strategically placed benches with drawers and decorative baskets can also give items respective homes, while floating shelves can provide knickknacks a proper place.
Stock Up on Essentials
You probably have the basic tools required for weekly cleanings, but make sure you stock up on everything else you need to effectively deep cleanse your surfaces and spaces. So, what should you add to your cart? This upright Shark vacuum is lightweight and effective at trapping dust, allergens and pet dander. Meanwhile, this nifty mop and bucket system cleans 99 percent of bacteria using water only. Make sure you also have plenty of rags, paper towels and sponges on hand, and, of course, get all your favorite disinfectant scrubs and sprays in advance. No spring cleaning sale? No problem. Shop with Rakuten and earn Cash Back on your purchases.
Create a Spring Cleaning Checklist
Before you blindly start cleaning, create a spring cleaning list for each room. Tackle one project and corner at a time, so you can avoid feeling overwhelmed, overworked or just plain over it. Check off tasks as you complete them — nothing beats that feeling of accomplishment!
Don’t Forget What’s Often Forgotten
We sometimes forget (or purposely neglect) certain parts of the home. Dust and vacuum any curtains and upholstered furniture and lift couch cushions to vacuum out the cracks and crevices; you’ll be amazed by all the treasures you’ll find. Consider taking delicate bedding like duvets and comforters to be laundered by professionals. Dust tall and hard-to-reach shelves and ceiling fans with an extendable reacher, clear out all the shelves and compartments in your refrigerator and scrub them down (or put them through a dishwashing cycle) and, if it’s been a while, run the self-clean setting in your oven.
Be sure to pace (and reward) yourself, and you’ll be loving your clean and organized home in no time.
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