Choose Your Own Spring Cleaning Plan
Instead of trying to do it all – and ending up doing nothing – pick a cleaning approach that suits your motivation
The thought of spring cleaning can be as entrancing as a fairy tale – but getting through a giant list of tasks while having a busy life can be just as unrealistic as a cheerful Snow White twirling about in the forest, with birds tweeting and helping sweep with brooms in their little beaks. The key to successful spring cleaning, then, is to not try to do it all. Instead, pick from one of these six themes for your spring cleaning – and focus your energy where it will count. And if you decide to put on music, fling open the windows and twirl around with your mop, we won’t tell.
For any clutter-clearing endeavour to be a success, it’s best to get the other members of your household onboard. Ideally, each person would be responsible for decluttering their belongings – at the very least, try to get some support for your decluttering efforts and encourage people to pitch in as they can. In each space you tackle, follow these steps:
- Remove everything.
- Vacuum and clean inside.
- Put back only what you want to keep.
Spring cleaning focus: Get cooking
If you love to cook (or want to cook more), it can be well worth the effort it takes to give the kitchen and pantry a thorough cleaning. Start by clearing out old food and spices, and wash the interior of your fridge and food cupboards. Clean all of those forgotten nooks and crannies, including inside the oven, microwave and toaster, plus the dish drainer. Finish by wiping down the walls (which can get surprisingly grimy) and windows.
If you have a bit more time, give your breakfast nook or dining area a once-over. Chairs and table legs (especially in households with kids) can use an occasional cleaning. Put pads on the feet of chairs to protect your floors, clean dust from the corners of the room and set something pretty in the centre of the table.
If you love to cook (or want to cook more), it can be well worth the effort it takes to give the kitchen and pantry a thorough cleaning. Start by clearing out old food and spices, and wash the interior of your fridge and food cupboards. Clean all of those forgotten nooks and crannies, including inside the oven, microwave and toaster, plus the dish drainer. Finish by wiping down the walls (which can get surprisingly grimy) and windows.
If you have a bit more time, give your breakfast nook or dining area a once-over. Chairs and table legs (especially in households with kids) can use an occasional cleaning. Put pads on the feet of chairs to protect your floors, clean dust from the corners of the room and set something pretty in the centre of the table.
Spring cleaning focus: Textile refresh
If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your rugs or upholstery, this could be the right focus for you. Start by laundering small washable items, like shower curtains, cotton rugs and washable slipcovers, at home. When laundering slipcovers, try putting them back on while they’re still barely damp for a better fit.
If it’s been a while since you’ve cleaned your rugs or upholstery, this could be the right focus for you. Start by laundering small washable items, like shower curtains, cotton rugs and washable slipcovers, at home. When laundering slipcovers, try putting them back on while they’re still barely damp for a better fit.
Take larger area rugs and removable pillow covers to be professionally cleaned. If you have wall-to-wall carpeting, have it professionally cleaned or rent a carpet cleaner and do it yourself. Drapery and upholstery that cannot be cleaned by another method can usually be safely steam cleaned using a real steam cleaner designed to be safe for textiles – not a carpet shampooer or hard-flooring steam cleaner. Always check for care directions and test a spot first.
Spring cleaning focus: Green and clean
Around Earth Day (April 22) is a great time to give your home a healthy, eco-friendly makeover. Consider making one or more of these changes during your spring cleaning:
Around Earth Day (April 22) is a great time to give your home a healthy, eco-friendly makeover. Consider making one or more of these changes during your spring cleaning:
- Use natural cleansers (or baking soda and white vinegar) to tackle cleaning projects like mopping, wiping benchtops and caring for furniture.
- Cut up old T-shirts to make rags and use them in place of paper towels.
- Replace disposables with reusable items, like glass water bottles, stainless steel straws, fabric shopping bags and cloth napkins.
Spring cleaning focus: Deep clean
Let’s face it: in the course of a regular weekend, it never seems like a good time to get to those truly deep (and often pretty yucky) cleaning projects you know you should be doing. Why not dedicate a day to doing all the dirty work you’ve been putting off? Just be sure to plan a nice reward at the end of it!
Here are a few tasks to consider putting on your deep-cleaning to-do list:
Let’s face it: in the course of a regular weekend, it never seems like a good time to get to those truly deep (and often pretty yucky) cleaning projects you know you should be doing. Why not dedicate a day to doing all the dirty work you’ve been putting off? Just be sure to plan a nice reward at the end of it!
Here are a few tasks to consider putting on your deep-cleaning to-do list:
- Vacuum all of the hard-to-reach places you usually skip, such as deep under the beds and behind furniture.
- Clean out the dryer hose and vacuum inside the lint trap.
- Clean behind the fridge and vacuum the coils.
- Scrub the grout in the kitchen and bath.
- Clean out the rubbish and recycling bins.
- Dust the light fixtures.
- Clean the blinds.
Spring cleaning focus: Exterior scrub-up
Maybe staying indoors to clean just when the weather outside is getting bearable sounds horrible. In that case, consider making your spring cleaning all about theexterior of your home. Hose down the siding, clean out gutters and downspouts, wash windows and oil the deck. If you feel really inspired, head to the garden to clean tools, edge the lawn and mulch flowerbeds.
See more polished home exteriors to get you motivated
TELL US
Do you do spring cleaning at home? Share your favourite (and least favourite) ways to get your home ready for the new season in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more stories to get you on track with cleaning
Maybe staying indoors to clean just when the weather outside is getting bearable sounds horrible. In that case, consider making your spring cleaning all about theexterior of your home. Hose down the siding, clean out gutters and downspouts, wash windows and oil the deck. If you feel really inspired, head to the garden to clean tools, edge the lawn and mulch flowerbeds.
See more polished home exteriors to get you motivated
TELL US
Do you do spring cleaning at home? Share your favourite (and least favourite) ways to get your home ready for the new season in the Comments.
MORE
Browse more stories to get you on track with cleaning
This can be a satisfying plan to follow because when you’re done, your home should be noticeably cleaner and less cluttered. Start with clutter clearing, because the less stuff is in your way, the easier it will be to clean surfaces. Just don’t consider the decluttering done until you have actually removedthe items you don’t want from your home; otherwise, it will have a way of working itself back into your cupboards and drawers. If you know you will have many items to donate (especially if some of them are furniture) call around in advance and see if a local charitable organisation will do a pickup – having a pickup scheduled can be a good way to get motivated to get the work done.