Spring has sprung! And I’ve been gearing up to start a good old spring cleaning.
Thanks to a serious 6 week declutter a few years back (which inspired me to write a free e-book for anyone needing tips for doing the same), I don’t have many possessions and knickknacks to dust and sort through.
But I do believe a 6 monthly deep clean is a great way to freshen up the air indoors, attend to some clutter-creep (it happens to the best of us), and welcome in a new season.
Spring Cleaning Is Good For You
There are even some proven benefits of this age-old practice that involves deep cleaning and decluttering, including:
Reducing allergens: getting rid of dust and airing out blankets and pillows helps reduce irritants that can cause hay fever and other allergies.
Improves your mood: spring cleaning is pretty physical by nature and a great way to get some healthy exercise! (Minimalist fitness goals anyone?) You’ll experience a boost in wellness from the physical activity and the satisfaction of having a freshly cleaned and organized living space.
Improves your productivity: Finding things you’ve lost, creating a better way to organize your home office, streamlining your kitchen cupboards. Digging deep into closets and reordering drawers gives you an opportunity to troubleshoot clutter-gathering areas and optimize sections of your home that tend to steal your time or cause stress.
If you’re ready to reach for your vacuum cleaner, here are some simple tips to make sure your spring cleaning session is effective and productive:
6 Simple Spring Cleaning Tips
- DIY Some Eco-Friendly Cleaning Solutions
If you’d prefer to avoid chemical cleaning agents, opt to make your own effective cleaning liquids from natural ingredients. Try out this comprehensive article from Greatist that has non-toxic cleaning recipes for every surface imaginable in your house including the kitchen countertops, the bathroom sink, mirrors, floors, cast iron pots, and way more.
- Clean From Top To Bottom
To avoid tarnishing freshly cleaning floors or wiped down cupboards with dust from a ceiling fan, always clean from the highest to lowest points. Try to clean in one decided-upon direction (maybe try clockwise around a room) as this also helps to avoid spreading dirt by walking around haphazardly.
- Wet Dust Rather Than Dry Dust
Feather dusters and dry rags tend to spread dust and germs. I use a damp cloth to wipe down almost everything (wet dusting), but you can also use a dry microfibre cloth, a fibre duster and/or a vacuum cleaner.
- Let Fresh Air In
Get the windows open to allow air to circulate as you clean. This helps minimize you inhaling too much dust, spores and other particles during your cleaning mission.
Change furnace filters, vacuum filters and air conditioning filters. Consider adopting some plants with air purifying abilities like the peace lilies, English ivy and chrysanthemums.
- Declutter
This could take more time than all the cleaning combined, or it could be done in no time at all! It’s helpful to have healthy habits regarding tidiness and maintaining a simple life with fewer possessions. This will certainly make your spring cleaning go faster!
If you need some help with decluttering your space, I’ve gathered some helpful tips on decluttering your home for a fresh start here.
Decluttering is one of the best ways to give your home (and yourself) a new lease on life! By clearing out possessions you don’t really want or use, you’ll be able to enjoy a calming, more peaceful home that’s a pleasure to spend time in.
- Organize
A thorough spring clean is the perfect opportunity to tackle areas of your home that aren’t serving you well. Think about paint-points that hold you up in your morning routine or places that draw clutter or disorder.
Maybe it’s a makeup drawer that needs a drawer organizer,
Finding a storage solution for your cooking pots,
Preventing key and mail clutter with a pretty wall organizer,
Reorganizing your office filing system (or better yet going paperless with my simple tips to go paperless at home),
Or organizing your closet with one of these handy closet organizers.
First shop your own home for solutions to your organizing needs. Repurpose unused kitchen containers or move some furniture around to get better use out of a dresser that has handy storage space. Get creative and enjoy the challenge!
These spring cleaning tips will help you freshen up your home, organize and declutter your space and create a healthier more enjoyable environment to live in. Happy cleaning!
Leave a Reply