6 Tips to Help You Tackle Spring Cleaning and Organizing Your Home
Spring cleaning — it’s the dreaded task that must be done. But really, is there much more satisfying than finally tackling that nagging cleaning and organizing project you’ve been putting off for weeks, months, maybe years? Taking the time to declutter and spruce up your home this spring can boost your mood and give you a sense of a fresh start as you clean out accumulating dust and dirt, throw out what’s not needed and put away all the papers and belongings that are piling up.
Here are some pro tips to help you through the process of spring cleaning.
Have a plan. As with any project, to be successful and avoid frustration with your spring cleaning, have a clear and manageable plan in place before you get started. Make a list of all that needs to be cleaned and organized. Break that list into smaller tasks to make it more manageable. Word to the wise: don’t try to tackle a whole room at once. Schedule your cleaning sessions and hold yourself accountable to making them happen. Try to knock out at least one small task on your list every day.
Declutter first. Go room to room and sort all the clutter into four piles: keep, store, toss and donate. Let go of all those unwanted items, or even those belongings you may consider “wanted” but haven’t touched in years. You don’t need it. In her book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, Marie Kondo teaches if it doesn’t bring you joy, let it go.
Sort through your wardrobe. If you didn’t wear it this winter, you probably won’t wear it next winter. Rather than storing it for another year, toss it in your donate pile. A closet that isn’t bursting at the seams with clothes you don’t need or wear is a closet that can be organized. You might be surprised how much better simply having a tidy, organized closet can make you feel.
Create storage space. No matter how much you purge unneeded items from your house, you will probably still find a need for added storage. Are you maximizing the storage potential of every room in your home? Place drawers under your bed for out-of-season clothing. Store blankets and throws inside your living room ottoman. Organize your pantry shelves with baskets. Look around your home and assess your current storage situation. You don’t have to have an entire room dedicated to storage; with a little creativity, you can find space for storage in any room.
Do a deep clean. Decluttering and organizing kicks up a lot of dust, so once you’ve pulled out your belongings and organized what you plan to keep, set aside time for a deep clean. Use this checklist so nothing is forgotten:
- Clean refrigerator and microwave, inside and out
- Wash windows, inside and out
- Clean carpets and upholstered furniture
- Dust and clean air vents
- Replace air filters
- Dust baseboards, light fixtures and ceiling fans
- Clean and disinfect all doorknobs, light switch plates and outlet covers
- Clean and disinfect bathroom tub/shower, grout, toilet, sink, countertop and floor
- Clean marks and scuffs off walls (Mr. Clean Magic Eraser works great for this!)
- Hose down outdoor furniture and sweep off patio or deck
- Flip or rotate your mattresses
- Clean all bedding, mattress pads and curtains
- Clean tile floors and clean and seal grout
- Wax wood floors and furniture
- Dust all shelves and surfaces and items on those shelves
Simplify. While you’re cleaning and organizing your home, consider the habits and obligations you have in your daily life. What can you purge from your schedule to create more margin in your life? Cancel magazine subscriptions and memberships you don’t use. Clutter in your home often correlates to clutter in your life, which can leave you feeling stressed, anxious and downright moody. A good spring cleaning can put a little pep in your step and help you feel like you again.
Take time to enjoy the process and celebrate your accomplishments along the way. Cleaning is rarely a task any of us enjoy, but when you take time to consider the progress you’ve made, it is easy to see spring cleaning as a positive and even enjoyable experience.
Are you ready to spring clean your way out of a rental and into your own home? Contact PrimeLending today to speak with a mortgage expert in your area who can help you get the homebuying process started.
