Organize Spring Cleaning Supplies
Planning is an essential part of any large project, so start your spring cleaning as you mean to go on. Create a checklist of all the important tasks you want to get out of the way. It is always best to start spring cleaning from the top of the house to the bottom as it will allow you to de-clutter as you go.
Organize all your cleaning supplies before you begin, otherwise you will spend much of the time searching for the right products and material for each task. If you can separate them by room, do so; otherwise keep cleaning materials together and go from room to room. You can even incorporate your checklist at this point if you are feeling really organised.
Prioritise and Focus
Once you have created a checklist and organised your cleaning supplies it is time to think about priorities. You should be realistic about whether tackling what is on your checklist matches what is achievable. Prioritise your list by considering the jobs involved and how long each will take.
Once you begin cleaning, focus on one room at a time. The greatest enemy of spring cleaning is becoming distracted or leaving jobs half done with the intention of coming back later. By the time you get to take on the challenge again you will most likely have to start from scratch.
Clean Smart, Not Hard
Did you know that carpet cleaner works great for cleaning grout? There are a number of other ways that you can cut out the elbow grease, too. Baking soda and vinegar will help remove stubborn stains from window tracks as well as coffee makers, microwaves and a number of other household appliances that are usually tough to clean.
When you are cleaning, leave floors until you have completed general cleaning and de-cluttering. Allow the dirt and dust from cleaning to settle before brushing or vacuuming from the top of the house to the bottom. You are much less likely to find yourself backtracking when you clean in this order.
Garage/Yard Sale
De-cluttering should not mean simply moving things around. It is important to throw away anything that is damaged or no longer used. If you find there is still a large surplus of stuff in your home, it is time to consider a garage/yard sale. It’s a great way to get rid of unwanted items and free up storage space that you can put to much better use.
As an added bonus, leave the kids in charge of the sale – unless there are items which you would rather not see going for a few dollars. This will give you time to get really stuck into spring cleaning without constant disruptions or the kids creating a bigger mess.
Create Rules
Make rules surrounding storage and keeping living areas clean. Once established, these kinds of rules will ensure that cleaning becomes much easier in general.