Spring Cleaning: 5 Tasks to Check off Your List!

Spring is here. I mean, we’ve already sprung forward, time-wise, and now it’s time to get into spring cleaning mode. While many of these tasks could be daunting, completing them will make your home look much more organized and clean, and getting some of these tasks off your list should give you peace of mind, too. Then you can enjoy your social events and other activities stress-free on your weekends!

Not only does spring cleaning give you a chance to declutter and organize, but some items on the following list should help you identify any areas that need maintenance or repair. If you still have our handy maintenance checklists from last year, that should help, too, or you can review old blogs here. 

Here are a handful of tasks that should be on your spring cleaning list to get your home in great shape and help keep your family healthy– physically and, financially, in the long run, because hopefully tasks now will prevent bigger issues down the road!

#1: Declutter Your Home!

One of the first things you should do (besides write your list of to-dos) is to declutter your home. If you haven’t used it in a year, get rid of it, unless it holds sentimental value. If it does hold sentimental value, see if you can reorganize or reimagine it to take up less space or add a practical use as well. One idea, for example, would be small, meaningful items from that first baby year, for example, could be put into a shadow box; children’s art from school could be reduced to a simply photo album (take pictures of each thing, print, and voila!-- some apps even create a nice little book for you); and there are thousands of ideas online for other special keepsakes!

Make a donation box for your local thrift store or resell things on Facebook Marketplace or yard sale groups. If you need help, call in a professional! There are some awesome cleaning & organizing companies out there that will help you purge. 

#2: Organize Your Pantry

Along with the decluttering task, you may want to purge and then reorganize your pantry. Expiration dates exist for a reason, and many items from your pantry might need to be thrown away. It’s also a great time of year to reorganize your pantry and take inventory of those items. Soup season is fading out and tastes change with the seasons as well. It may also be a busy season for you personally or with kids’ activities, so having a little grab-and-go section might make sense for your family. 

A whiteboard on the inside of your pantry door or hanging somewhere in the kitchen could help you stay on top of your stock items as well or just make a quick and easy running grocery list, but organizing a main traffic area like your kitchen will help reduce stress, assist in meal planning, and, in general, just make your home more functional. 

#3: Air Quality Control

Those spring allergies are about to pop off as well. You can help prepare for this by not only removing the dust and debris from your home, but getting that HVAC unit checked out along with your ductwork. Hiring a professional to take care of cleaning your air ducts and investing in high-quality air filters will help keep your family healthy. In addition, if you really have bad allergies or asthma, a HEPA vacuum might be a part of the solution. These vacuums can suck up those tiny airborne particles, pet dander, dust, and more– all those pesky things that aggravate your allergies this time of year. 

#4: A Solid Deep Clean 

Once the great purge has happened and you’ve improved or upgraded your air quality, it is time to really scrub. The top-to-bottom method works best and will save you from re-cleaning or wasting time. Start with the top floor and start with the ceiling (fans, crown molding, whatever) and work your way down. 

Using microfiber cloths and non-toxic supplies can also help with that last task, too. Microfiber is more environmentally-friendly, as they can be reused, unlike paper towels, and they trap more dirt and debris than your old t-shirt rag, too. The products you use should get the job done, but not be abrasive– to your household items or your lungs ;-). Many household items like vinegar and baking soda have a multitude of uses and can be quite the awesome cleaning agents as well. 

Last in each room should be cleaning your baseboards and finally the floor. Getting into those corners, behind and under the furniture is difficult work, but you’ll be glad you did it. Plus, this probably counts as your workout for the day. Blast that cleaning playlist and get your groove on!

#5: Recycle and Rotate

Finally, your last big thing should be to rotate those seasonal items. Take the big comforter off your bed, give it a good wash, and replace it with that lighter duvet. Trade out the flannel sheets for the cotton ones, and get that patio furniture ready to rock for those summer nights or engagements with friends. Store the sleds in the shed, and get out the baseball mitts and gardening gloves. Move those heavy sweaters to the back of your closet or to the under-the-bed tote and bust out the floral dresses. 

Rotating these items and storing the winter items once again will give you more space. Keep those items sealed in plastic bins or flex totes for easy stacking and management, but throw a dryer sheet or too in-between any soft materials so that they stay fresh for the upcoming months. Your nose and your clothes will thank you later. 

Those are all of the big spring cleaning items. We hope you all have a great spring and get to enjoy the beautiful weather and new spring adventures! As always, if we can help with any facet of maintaining your home, or if you’re looking to put your home on the market this spring, give us a call at 571-308-2902!