As the Winter blues become a distant memory and the sunlight seeps in through our windows it’s time to refresh your surroundings. While a Spring clean is an exciting annual event for some, it can also be a dreaded chore for others. A clean-living environment can improve productivity, stress, and your immune system so whatever your feelings towards it are, a good deep clean is worth the effort for your home and health.
Make a cleaning checklist
It’s a good idea to make a checklist to get the most out of your Spring clean. Giving the entire house a makeover can be daunting so tackling it room by room can make it a much simpler task. A list of all the areas you want to deal with will give you a better idea of whether it’s a day job or something more substantial.
Get stuck in with a deep clean of the bathrooms, then kitchen, followed by bedrooms, living areas, and hallways. If you’re wanting to show your yard a little TLC perhaps plan a second day for a garage clear out and some gardening work.
Don’t forget to take a few breaks to refuel and divide tasks amongst family members.
Show some love to different areas
Although vacuuming is a regular cleaning ritual, we don’t always get stuck into those smaller cavities so a Spring clean is a great opportunity to focus on the forgotten areas of your home.
In living and bedrooms, move your larger furniture to give the floors a proper clean. In the kitchen, empty your pantry of expired items in the back and reorganise the remaining bits and pieces. Clean appliances like extractor fans and ovens and wipe down drawers and cupboards. For the bathrooms, focus on the floors getting rid of any calcium or grout build up, and check walls and the ceiling for mould. Throughout your home, give lights, fans, and air conditioners a good dusting.
Donate and declutter
If a sweater has been sitting unused in your wardrobe for a few years, now is the perfect time to give it to someone who’ll love it. Donating clothes to charities that are unused or don’t fit is a great way to declutter and help those who need it most. Organise your wardrobe into three piles: keep, donate, and throw, and you’ll be amazed by how many things can be donated.
Spend some time going through the many drawers in your home and start decluttering, whether it’s a chipped mug or an old community newsletter, there are plenty of things just collecting dust that, once removed, will make you feel a lot calmer.
Add some organisational helpers
When your Spring clean is underway take some time to consider what is working with your current organisational habits and what isn’t. Maybe the kids room needs a laundry basket, or the clip hangers aren’t suited to the clothes you own and you need to change it up. Taking note of these little things can make next year’s clean out even easier.
Ditch the harsh chemicals
As our society becomes more environmentally friendly, there are plenty of ways you can bring these positive changes into your home cleaning regime. For tough stains like rust and wine, baking soda can be just as effective as a harsh chemical cleaner. If you’re looking to cut through grease or mould, mix lemon juice and white vinegar for a quick and easy clean. If you have some favourite disposable cleaning products that you aren’t quite ready to let go of, see if there are any refillable alternatives. Harsh chemicals can cause issues for yourself, your furniture, and the environment, so switching it up can give you some peace-of-mind.