6 Spring Cleaning Tips That Will Make The Process Much Easier

Spring is officially here and, for many people, that means that it’s time to do some spring cleaning. With that in mind, we’ve brought you some helpful spring cleaning tips to make the process much easier. However, rather than simply being a list of tasks or cleaning tricks, these tips are about changing the way you approach cleaning so that you can clean more efficiently and effectively.

Take some time to read over the tips below. With any luck, they should help transform spring cleaning from a dreaded task into an enjoyable seasonal necessity.

1. Make a schedule

When a lot of people think about spring cleaning, they envision themselves taking one day and getting it all done. While that would be an amazing feat, it’s too much for most people to handle at once. Rather than setting yourself up for disappointment, break your spring cleaning up into manageable chunks and make a schedule around them.

It makes more sense, in this case, to give yourself a week to spring clean and to focus on doing one or two different tasks each day. At the end of the week, your house will still be cleaned, but you likely won’t feel overwhelmed by the experience.

2. Try task cleaning

When we say “manageable chunks,” most people assume that means they should tackle one room at a time. While this method — known as zone cleaning — is definitely a method worth trying, there’s also another way.

As the name suggests, task cleaning has you focus on one chore at a time, except rather than going room-by-room, you do the chore throughout the whole house before moving on to the next task. For example, with this method, you might dust your entire home before moving on to cleaning all the floors.

3. Always clean from top to bottom

When professional cleaners clean spaces, there’s usually a method to their madness. More often than not, they clean from top to bottom. That way, if dust flies everywhere while you’re dusting your surfaces, it doesn’t fall on your freshly-vacuumed rug. Basically, following this order when cleaning ensures that you only have to do each task once.

Here’s a sample checklist that you can follow:

• Clean off ceiling fans and light fixtures
• Clear off bookshelves, mirrors, wall hangings, and other tall items
• Strip the linens, spot clean furniture, dust surfaces, wipe down counters, scrub toilets
• Dust the baseboards and vacuum or wash the floors

4. Don’t forget seasonal tasks

Some tasks are too labor-intensive for everyday cleaning and that’s okay. That said, though, spring cleaning is the time to make sure they get done. Take the time to do any seasonal tasks that you usually put off. Turn on some music, pump yourself up for the task, and just get it done.

While your list may be different, it could include things like refreshing your mattress, washing your windows, and cleaning your oven. If you’re the type of person that has a seasonal wardrobe or seasonal bedding, now is the time to take those items out of storage and to pack away your winter items.

5. Take your cleaning outdoors

Once you’re done cleaning inside, do your best not to quit just yet. The outdoor areas of your home could also use a little spring cleaning. The reality is that these spaces need just as much TLC after a long, harsh winter and you’ll likely want to get them set up for a  summer full of entertaining.

Here’s a list of tasks to help you figure out how to get started tackling your home’s exterior:

• Hose down the porch or patio
• Take any outdoor furniture out of storage and wash it
• Freshen up any seating areas by replacing cushions and umbrellas as needed
• Power wash the house
• Weed the garden and plant any new plantings
• Prune any trees or shrubs
• Clean out your gutters

6. Try to establish new habits

Finally, spring is a time of new beginnings. Once you’re done with your spring cleaning, you may want to work on establishing new cleaning habits, which may make your next round of cleaning much easier. For example, you could resolve to wipe down your surfaces once a week or to do the bed linens twice a month.

When forming new habits, the key is to focus on changing one of your habits at a time. It also helps to focus on adding things to your routine rather than taking them away. For instance, it’s more beneficial to say “My goal is to spend 10 minutes tidying up each night before bed” rather than “I won’t let my bedroom become a mess anymore.”