Tipnut’s Guide To Spring Cleaning

 Print     Email

Here’s a peek at this year’s battle plan for the big Spring Clean in my home, I’ve also included references to homemade cleaners, tips for specific jobs and assorted fix-it projects that will help make this year’s job a big success. Every surface is conquered, everything is emptied out, washed & scrubbed, decluttered and organized.

Clean from Top to Bottom, Left to Right so you always know where you left off when returning to the room to clean.

Mission: Clean - Declutter - Organize

Specific jobs & chores will depend on what room you’re working on, here’s an overall plan…

Working From The Top Down:

1. Ceilings – Dust from corner to corner and wash if possible, remember to clean the light fixtures, ceiling fans, smoke detector covers (might as well replace light bulbs and batteries while you’re up there).
2. Walls – Dust corner to corner, floor to ceiling; Wash & scrub walls & everything on them (such as fixtures, pictures, mirrors, doors & door frames, hanging shelves, clocks, etc.).
3. Windows – Inside & outside glass; Wash tracks & window frames; Wash all curtains, drapes & blinds. Find homemade window cleaners here.
4. Cupboards, Counters, Drawers, Shelves – Empty, remove shelf paper, wash inside & out, top & underneath, line with fresh shelf paper, sort items as you put back (keep/trash); Wash all knick knacks; Tighten, repair or replace handles and knobs where needed; Declutter & organize all items in drawers, on shelves, in cubbies.
5. Furniture & Appliances – Pull out to wash floor & walls behind as well as all sides of furniture or appliances (inside & out); Steam clean furniture if possible; Wash all kitchen appliances; Dust & clean all electronics; clean lamps & lampshades.
6. Floors – Sweep well & wash; Vacuum & clean carpets and rugs, bring laminate to a shine.

Declutter & Organize As You Work:

1. Review all bedding items, linens and towels, are they getting threadbare and won’t make it through the next few months? Too stained? Either trash them or cut them into cleaning rags. You can also pack away for craft & repurposing projects, see Recycling Old Towels: {Crafty Ideas & Projects}.
2. Wash and sort all clothing to be given away, pull items that you can repurpose for around the home. See these ideas 20+ Crafty Things To Make With Old Jeans, 12 Things To Make With Old T-Shirts: {Crafty Repurposing} and 30+ Things To Make With Old Sweaters.
3. Pack away all household files from the previous year and prepare new folders for the upcoming season. If you don’t have a home filing cabinet, a cardboard filing box should do the trick.
4. Items to be tossed are sorted: Box for charity, Box for garbage, Box for garage sale (if one is planned this year).
5. Toss all food items that have no expiry date and you’re not sure how old they are (Herbs & Spices: Storage Tips Guide). Replace spices and herbs you don’t regularly use. List all food items that need to be re-stocked on the next grocery trip.
6. Remember: Beware Of Junk Bunkers.

All Areas Of The Home Are Tackled:

• Kitchen: See 20 Ways Vinegar Can Help Your Kitchen Sparkle and Kitchen Cleaning Tips. Don’t forget to include deep cleaning small appliances (How To Clean A Coffee Pot) and shine your sink for a gleaming finish: How To Clean A Stainless Steel Sink.
• Bathrooms: See 10 Quick Tips For A Shiny Bathroom, Clean A Bathtub With Oven Cleaner & More and How To Clean A Toilet – Really Well.
• Livingroom
• Bedrooms: Quick Tip: Mattress Freshener, Fresh Summery Scented Bedding Year Round: Tip Sheet.
• Hallways
• Laundry Room
• Front & Back Entrances
• Storage Areas & Small Rooms

All Spaces Are Washed, Decluttered & Organized:

• Closets: Get Organized: Easy Tip To Store Bedding.
• Drawers
• Cupboards: Pot Lid Taming Options
• Cabinets

All Appliances Are Scrubbed:

• Refrigerator (see Tip: Clean The Refrigerator Daily In 10 Minute Chunks)
• Stove Top, Oven & Range Hood
• Microwave
• Dishwasher
• Washing Machine
• Freezer
• Furnace & Duct Cleaning (by professionals); Change furnace filter

Seasonal Preparations:

• Lay out fresh herbal bug bags throughout the house to get one step ahead of the warm weather creatures that will soon be heading your way.
• Bring all winter outerwear to the cleaners so they’re ready when you need them in the fall.
• Repair, launder and store away any winter bedding
• Repair, launder and store away all winter clothing

Keep A Running List While Cleaning

Note all nics, scratches and repair jobs needed. This is the perfect time to evaluate your home’s needs:

• Wallpaper Cleaning & Repair Tips
• Removing Stains From Granite
• Floor Spots & Scuffs
• How To Remove White Heat Stains On Wood Tables

Tips & Tools

• I like to break down my spring cleaning over a period of a week or so: Each day I do one big area (like the laundry room) and one or two smaller projects (like the hallway). I find the job I do is much more thorough (and less stressful) if I spread the cleaning job over several days rather than just a weekend.
• If a job is too big for one day, I’ll do all the cleaning then save the decluttering/organizing for the next day. For example, the Kitchen: It will be cleaned from top to bottom but the Pantry and Junk Drawers will be decluttered and re-organized the next day. All chores left to do for an area are written on a list and tackled the next day before moving on to the next room.
• Pack the cleaning kit so all the cleaning supplies you need are right at your side. Have lots of garbage bags and empty boxes on hand.
• Have all the tools you need cleaned and ready to go: mop, broom, swiffer, cleaning brushes, big bucket, feather dusters & dusting cloths. If you don’t have adequate cleaning tools, consider spending a few dollars to get what you need. It makes the job so much easier if you have the proper tools to work with.
• You can save money with homemade cleaners, they can be just as effective as store bought, you’ll find a bunch of recipes in this section.

Spring cleaning can be overwhelming, but the end result is well worth it. A few days of housework and some elbow grease is all it takes to enjoy a clean and well organized home!

Tips For Outdoors

The above information is for indoors, but the yard and outside of the house has a bunch of chores that need to be tended to–plus there’s plenty of prep work to be done for the upcoming season (whew!). Here’s a list to help you get organized…

Chore List:

Wheelbarrow & Yard Tools

1. Check & clear gutters, look for leaks & fix
2. Check roof, shingles & chimney
3. Wash siding, doors & windows
4. Wash & inspect fence
5. Clean rain barrel
6. Check or setup the compost area (see DIY Compost Bins & Boxes which includes tips for composting).
7. Clean garage, shed, dog house or dog run
8. Rake up & clean the dog potty area
9. Rake lawn
10. Wash deck or patio
11. Sweep and hose down the driveway & sidewalks
12. Prepare flower beds and gardens
13. Clear debris from hedges, bushes, trees
14. Wash garden containers if they weren’t cleaned before storing away
15. Check and clean garden tools and equipment (if not done in the fall before storage)
16. Wash and set out all patio & yard furniture, check for needed repairs
17. Pull out BBQ, prepare fire pit or outdoor grill, check propane tank
18. Prepare plant potting center
19. Wash bird bath and set out
20. Set out hummingbird feeders
21. Set up the cold frame

Keep A Running List:

• Document paint jobs & repairs that are needed
• Supplies needed for yard and garden

Motivation Tips

Here are a few tips that will help put a little bounce in your step and some fire in your belly while doing the best job you can this Spring…

• Start the cleaning when the weather is warm and Spring really is here. I haven’t started Spring cleaning yet because it’s been chilly (it’s actually snowing here this week!). The Spring weather seems to breathe energy and new life into everything it touches–it really does add a bounce to your step when cleaning with the windows wide open letting in a fresh breeze, the sun shining and the birds busy chirping.
• About a week or so before you start the “Big Clean”, start decluttering and picking up whenever you have some spare minutes. This can save big chunks of time when you start deep cleaning, but it’s also like exercising: Think of this time as building up your cleaning muscles, you’re building momentum for the big event.
• It’s all about perspective: I look at our home as the hub of my family. I want it to be clean and comfortable, a pleasant place to be. I find that when I put effort into my home, there’s a positive, nurturing vibe that embraces my family–and they respond to that! I keep that in mind when I pull out the mops, buckets and cleaners–it helps focus me on all the positives of a clean home.
• Escape to a fun place: While cleaning, put on music you love, pump up the volume and let the music take your mind away from the scrubbing, sweeping and mopping.
• Learn while you clean: Download audio books or podcasts you never seem to have time to enjoy and listen to them with your iPod or mp3 player while you clean. The time flies so fast with this trick!

Reward Yourself!

If visions of a super clean, decluttered and organized home aren’t getting the juices flowing, promise rewards for yourself–and this really makes things fun:

Decide to implement one new idea in each area of your home that will pretty the place up or serve the space in some way. I like to choose things that are useful rather than just adding more clutter, and these things don’t have to cost a bunch of money! Here are some ideas:

• Crafty Rugs & Mats To Make: {Free Patterns}
• Cute & Crafty Dish Towels To Make
• DIY Key Holders & Racks

It can be something as small as adding fresh new shelf paper, new switchplates or cupboard knobs and handles. The time flies pretty fast while you’re scrubbing and thinking about all the lovely things you’ll be adding to your home.

Spring cleaning is done once a year, it’s a great opportunity to get things back in tip top shape and you will enjoy the benefits of your efforts for many months .