Spring is on its way! It’s a great time to get your house sparkling and smelling like a brand new home. Here we will show you how to declutter, organize, and clean with some helpful tips and tricks including a checklist to get you started. It can be overwhelming and time-consuming, but after it’s done your home will be in tip-top shape!
Decluttering/ Organizing
The first step before tackling anything else is to declutter. Get rid of anything you don’t use, need or is just wasting space: clothes, furniture, toys, etc. This step is important because it gives you a fresh start. Donation organizations will happily take those items or consider selling items to make a little money! Go through all the bins in your basement and garage, if you find things you haven’t seen in years, that is a good sign it is safe to get rid of it.
A good way to start is by going into each room and looking through cabinets, bins, dressers, closets and storage and decide what to keep and what not to keep. Each family member should be in charge of their personal belongings, so get the kids involved. Start by making piles; things to keep, and things we don’t use anymore or don’t need.
After decluttering is done, start organizing the items you have and put them where they belong. Place similar items into baskets or bins and tuck them neatly into a closet or cabinet.
Time for the actual cleaning part now. Go room by room rather than doing everything all at once. This can already be a stressful task for some and the last thing you want is to feel more stressed. Start with the smallest or easiest room in the house, grab your cleaning supplies and get to work.
Bathrooms
This is an important place to do a full floor to ceiling clean. Clean the tub, shower, sink and mirrors so they sparkle. A good tip to get rid of calcium deposits from faucets is to get a zip lock bag about half-filled with vinegar and wrap it around your facet. Let it sit for a few hours then remove it and wipe off the access. For extra challenging spots, make a paste with vinegar and baking soda and scrub it with an old toothbrush. Don’t forget to clean the toilet!
Living Room
Everyone hangs out in the living room the most. As a result, couches tend to get the dirtiest! Invest in a good steam cleaner specifically used for fabric, it will get those stains out and any dirt that’s lingering. Your couch will look brand new!
Kitchen
Go into your fridge and cabinets and get rid of food that may have expired or gone bad… spices can also expire! Sort through containers, if they don’t have matching lids, get rid of them. Neatly put away what remains. Clean the inside of your fridge, take out the shelves and bins and scrub them down so the inside is sparkling. Remember to clean the top of your stove and the inside of the oven. What about those organization photos you saw on Pinterest of the cute pantries? Now is the time to make it happen! Get some jars of different sizes and baskets that will fit and add them in your cabinets and get organized!
Exterior/Yard
The sun is out and now that you can see the grass, rake any debris and clean up the bushes and trees. Get the yard furniture out and ready so you can enjoy the nice weather. Restain or paint the deck if needed. Clean those dirty windows to let the sun shine in. Everyone sees the outside of the house so make sure it gives the impression you’re hoping for.
Spring is the perfect time to do a deep clean. It can be hard and time-consuming to clean the whole house so there’s a helpful checklist for you to refer back to.
Instructions
Your Room by Room Cleaning Checklist
Every Room
- ❏ Wash doors, window sills, and walls
- ❏ Vents
- ❏ Wash windows inside & out
- ❏ Light fixtures/shades(change lights)
- ❏ Dust blinds & wash curtains
Living room
- ❏ Wipe down mirrors, frames, decorative pieces
- ❏ Steam/wipe down couches, sofas, chairs
- ❏ Dust furniture and polish
- ❏ Vacuum or clean carpets, mop or wax floors
- ❏ Wash throw blankets, pillows, curtains
Kitchen
- ❏ Clean out pantry, remove items not needed
- ❏ Clear out fridge – clean inside and outside
- ❏ Deep clean oven and wipe down stove
- ❏ Clean faucets & sink
- ❏ Mop floors and clean grout
Bathroom
- ❏ Clean and disinfect bath tub and shower
- ❏ Clean toilet and sink
- ❏ Wash bath mats
- ❏ Dust and wipe down counters
- ❏ Clean out drawers and cabinets
Bedroom
- ❏ Wash all bedding
- ❏ Clean out closets and reorganize
- ❏ Clean mattress
