5 Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Home

It’s FINALLY Spring!!! I mean don’t get me wrong, I love the holidays & being cozy in the wintertime… but I’m SO ready for the warmer months!! Even if you live somewhere where you don’t have that ‘traditional’ winter weather, spring just feels like a FRESH start and a new opportunity to get after your goals for the year!! One of the things that is always at the TOP of my to-do list when spring hits is to give my house a MAJOR, deep-cleaning overhaul!! 

In my opinion, spring is the perfect time to refresh the home and start anew. And what better way to do that than with some spring cleaning?! I thought it might be helpful to share my 5 Best Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Home … So let's get started, shall we?!

Tip 1: Make a Plan

Before you start cleaning, it's important to have a plan. Take a quick walk through your home and jot down a list of everything that you want to tackle. Don't forget to include any areas that might be easy to overlook, like the tops of cabinets or behind furniture … anything that’s kind of out of sight & easy to forget!

Once you have your list, decide which tasks are the most important and prioritize them. This will help you stay on track and make the most of your time.

Along the lines of making a plan … I also like to block out the time that I think I’ll need to take on each task. I literally do ALL of my planning in my Daily Grind Planner, which allows me to block out my day hour by hour so I can stay organized and on-task, which helps me to not get overwhelmed.

Not to mention, you can also always make this plan a monthly or bi-monthly thing too & work it into your lifestyle. One of the best ways to maintain a clean home is to develop a cleaning schedule. This can be as simple as assigning specific tasks to specific days of the week or creating a monthly calendar with specific cleaning goals. A cleaning schedule will help you stay on track and ensure that you don't overlook any areas of your home. Just something to think about!

Tip 2: Get the Right Tools

Let’s be honest, spring cleaning your ENTIRE home is a big job, and you'll want to make sure you have the right tools to get it done. Make sure you gather your supplies before you get started, this way you’re not running out to the store in the middle of your precious, cleaning-time & interrupt your flow! So stock up on cleaning supplies, including all-purpose cleaners, glass cleaners & disinfectant sprays. Don't forget to grab plenty of microfiber cloths, sponges, scrub brushes… whatever it is you’ll need to get the job done.

If you have carpets or rugs, you can always consider renting a carpet cleaner or hiring a professional to deep clean them if you really want to go all-out… totally up to you!! And if you have hardwood floors, I honestly like to invest in a GOOD quality steamer & floor cleaner to give them a sparkly shine.

Tip 3: Declutter First

Before I start getting into the nitty gritty with scrubbing and dusting, I find it SUPER helpful & really important to declutter first. Go through each room and get rid of anything that you no longer need or use. This will not only make your home look tidier already, but it will also make cleaning so much easier. 

Start by getting rid of anything that is broken, damaged, or beyond repair that you’ve been procrastinating getting rid of. Then, go through your clothes, shoes, and accessories and donate or sell anything that no longer fits or that you haven't worn in the past year. Finally, tackle any cluttered areas, such as your pantry, closets, or junk drawers. While you’re at it, you can also assign specific drawers, shelves, or containers for your belongings (I’m a sucker for a good storage system!!), and ensure that everything has its own specific place. By doing this, you'll be able to keep clutter at bay and maintain a more organized home from here on.

Lastly, try to clear out your floor space as much as possible … this way, rather than having to stop in the middle of vacuuming or dusting to move shoes out of the way or re-adjust your dining room chairs so you can get those pesky spots underneath furniture, your path is already cleared so you can move around with ease & access those tougher spots!!

Tip 4: Work from Top to Bottom

Now this is something I learned by trial & error, but when it's time to start cleaning, you’re going to want to work from top to bottom. Seriously, there is nothing more annoying than cleaning your floors so they’re nice and shiny to only have the dust fall from the ceiling fan afterwards & have to hit the floors AGAIN! So, learn from my mistakes & start by dusting your ceiling fans, light fixtures, and crown molding. Then, move on to your furniture, wiping down surfaces and vacuuming any upholstery as needed.

Next, tackle your floors. Vacuum or sweep first to capture any loose dirt or crumbs, and then mop or deep clean as necessary. Finally, wipe down any windows or mirrors, and clean your bathroom and kitchen thoroughly.

As I mentioned before, by working from top to bottom, you'll prevent dirt and dust from falling onto areas you've already cleaned, and you'll make sure you don't miss any spots… and if you’re anything like me and maybe a little bit of a neat-freak, you KNOW when you’ve missed a spot, so let’s just avoid that as best we can , cool?!

Tip 5: Make it FUN

Okay, so spring cleaning most likely isn’t anyone's FAVORITE activity… but it doesn’t HAVE to feel like such a dreaded chore!! I like to make it fun by putting on my favorite music or podcast while I clean. Like, I literally blast whatever it is I want to listen to throughout the house & make it feel like I’m at a concert, lol. 

Or if you’re competitive like I am, you can make a little game out of it too! Set a timer for each task, and try to beat your own time. It’s also sometimes cool to see how quickly you can get everything done, especially when you thought it would take much longer than it actually does!

And when you're finished, reward yourself with something fun! I feel like a day or two of making your home clean & tidy totally deserves a little reward. Treat yourself to a pedicure or massage, or enjoy a glass of wine and a movie. Remember, you've earned it!

The last little bonus tip I’ll leave you with is that keeping your home clean and organized doesn't have to be a huge, overwhelming task. In fact, by doing a LITTLE bit every day, you can avoid the need for these major cleaning overhauls as often. Take a few minutes each day to tidy up, wipe down surfaces, and put things away. By doing this consistently, you'll be able to maintain a clean and organized home without feeling overwhelmed.

I really hope these tips help you out with your spring cleaning this year!! This might sound cheesy… but I feel like spring cleaning is more than just a one-time event; it's a mindset that you can adopt throughout the year to keep your home organized and clean. I don’t know about you, but I function so much better when my house feels clean, decluttered & organized. It just makes me feel like I really have my ‘ISH’ together! By making SMALL changes to your daily routine, you can keep clutter at bay and maintain a tidy home.