07 Apr Spring Cleaning 101: Breathe New Life into Your Home
After the long cold winter, spring has finally come knocking on our doors once again and we couldn’t be more excited to feel the warm sun on our skin and smell the enchanting scent of flowers in the air. On the other hand, the time has come for some good old spring cleaning, and you may not be as overjoyed to do it as you are at the mere thought of spring.
However, spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a daunting task. It can actually be quite fun and exciting, and you should definitely think of it as an adventure that can freshen up your home and transform it into your own little piece of heaven. If you don’t have a habit of cleaning and decluttering your home come spring, and you think that it is a completely unnecessary task, think again.
Not only can it help you become more organized, but it can actually improve the quality of your life. Therefore, gather all the sponges and dusters, put your gloves on, and prepare to breathe new life into your home with these simple tips that will help you get started.
Decluttering Is the Mother of Cleaning
The first rule of cleaning is to declutter your entire home to make it easier for you to actually clean everything. If there are some things that you never use, you should throw them out and give your home a bit more space. Decide what items you don’t need and think about donating them or giving them to someone that could use them. Having boxes for things that you will keep and things that you will give away will help you organize everything later.
The same rules apply for your winter wardrobe. If you have clothes that you haven’t worn in a year, chances are you won’t be wearing them the following winter either. Therefore, simply get rid of all the stuff that takes up space and make room for your spring and summer clothes. Store the winter wardrobe that you will need and tuck the clothes away in vacuum storage bags, as those are excellent for freeing up a lot of space in your closets.
All of this may seem overwhelming now, but the key is to start with areas that have less clutter, since that will keep you focused. Once you get into the decluttering mode, it will be much easier to tackle the more challenging areas. Depending on the amount of clutter in your home, this activity may take up a few days, but you can get into the groove if you put on some music and dance it away. Try it – it will be so much fun!
Vacuum, Dust, Scrub and Improve Indoor Air Quality
Once you get rid of all the clutter, you can start vacuuming your floors, carpets and upholstery. Make sure you vacuum the undersides of your carpets as well, so that you can effectively remove as much dust and allergens as you can.
I know that this can be a dreaded task, but don’t rush it – the slower you are, the more thorough you will be. You know what they say: “Cleanliness is next to godliness”. What’s important is not to vacuum just around the furniture – move everything and remove literally all the hidden dust that tends to be overlooked.
Doing this on a regular basis will significantly improve your health, so don’t take the chore lightly. Once you’re done vacuuming, you can get into the kitchen and bathroom scrubbing. Get into every tiny crevice (such as behind the toilet) and move your fridge and stove to scrub the floor underneath them.
Speaking of health, you need to improve the air quality in your home. Airing will help you kill millions of dust mites, so make sure you clean and vacuum your mattresses and bed frames. Don’t forget to open your windows wide while cleaning (especially when cleaning your bathroom with all those products containing various dangerous chemicals), so that fresh air can circulate freely. Also, you should consider getting a HEPA air filter, as it can help you considerably improve indoor air quality.
Spring Cleaning Checklist
Spring cleaning doesn’t seem so overwhelming now, does it? Once you get the hang of it, you can really get it done pretty quickly, but also effectively at the same time, which is actually the point. In order to help you get started with your spring cleaning adventure, I have compiled a list of the necessary supplies that you will need, so read on.
- Rubber gloves and microfiber gloves – Since you will do quite a lot of cleaning with your hands, you need proper gloves to protect them from all the chemicals in the solutions that you will use while scrubbing.
- Duster – Every house needs a duster, so that various appliances and other items can be nicely and easily cleaned without having to be moved. A duster will help you clean all those places that you simply cannot reach, such as the back of your fridge and underneath your stove.
- Sponges and a microfiber combi-squeegee scrubber – Sponges are obviously a must, but a microfiber combi-squeegee scrubber is absolutely excellent when it comes to cleaning windows and bathroom floors, so make sure you have one.
- Kitchen, bathroom and windows cleaners – You need various cleaning products to be able to actually clean your home. For the kitchen, you can use an antibacterial kitchen spray, with which you can effectively clean the tiles and all of the appliances. You will also need an antibacterial cleaner for the bathroom, so that you can disinfect every single part of it. As for the windows, you can use an all-purpose cleaner, with which you can also clean the tiles and doors.
- Vacuum cleaner – Do I really need to elaborate on this one? It’s obvious that you need a vacuum cleaner, but make sure you have a really good one that can help you clean all the areas that are hard to reach. Check out the best vacuum cleaners for your high pile carpets and choose the one that will provide your carpets with the utmost care they deserve.
Spring cleaning can be much easier if you simply engage in the aforementioned cleaning chores on a regular basis. That way, it will take less of your time and you will always have an organized home that will be a pleasure to live in. Therefore, instead of letting dust accumulate and clutter take up your living space, apply these tips and turn your home into a clean haven for you and your family.
