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Spring Cleaning. That thing we look forward to but simultaneously dread through the winter months.
When March or April finally arrive, birds are chirping, the sun is shining, the snow is melting. You’re starting to feel like you actually want to get outside and restock your depleted store of vitamin D. It’s lovely.
Then you also realize that it’s time to tackle all those chores that you told yourself you’d get to when it got warmer again outside. So let’s get down to business and tackle it the easy way.
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Things, for whatever reason just seem to stick around in the winter. Garbage accumulates, the garage turns into a storage unit for all sorts of uselessness. The basement has stacks of Christmas decorations that didn’t get put away. The car… let’s not even talk about the state of the car…
Year after year, spring comes and we finally get the energy to tackle these projects to make our houses presentable again.
It’s time to finally come out of hibernation.
But where do you start?
There seems to be so much to do. Even the regular chores seem to need more attention than usual.
Personally, I hate cleaning. Like a lot.
My parents will tell you, I just refused to clean when I was a kid. I would get grounded and have privileges taken away and I still wouldn’t do it. I wasn’t dirty, I was just messy. And perhaps even a bit of a hoarder…
As I grew up and started to “adult” I got slightly better. But it wasn’t until I moved into a house that I really cared about that I started to put consistent effort into making it presentable.
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Cleaning as a Habit
The Spring is the best time to revisit your cleaning schedule for the year. After you get the house spic and span you’re going to want to keep it that way with as little effort as possible.
Forming good habits around cleaning is essential for this.
What really got me on track for this was consistently spending just 15 minutes a day cleaning. If I did this the house rarely rolled into chaos. And the way that I made that a habit was by putting it in my bullet journal habit tracker.
After I established that as a habit I made
This is the same principal that I’m going to bring to this spring cleaning post.
Seriously, it will suck if you try to get everything done in a weekend.
So let’s break it into chunks instead.
Just think about Kon Mari. It gets worse before it gets better and if you have kids (or
Instead, lets’s set you up for success!
Planning your spring cleaning
List out your main cleaning priorities and let’s find the time to get them done!
Major Spring Cleaning Projects
- Garage and Car Overhaul
- Basement Organization
- Clothes Declutter
- Windows and Furniture
- De-germ the frequently touched
- Regular Chores
Schedule out your spring cleaning
All of these projects should take you about a month.
I’ve provided an example schedule below but, of course, feel free to make changes so that it suits your needs!
- Weekend 1: Windows and Furniture and De-germ the frequently touched
- Weekend 2: Clothes Declutter
- Weekend 3: Basement Organization
- Weekend 4: Garage and Car Overhaul
You might notice the regular chores is not on the list, that’s because I’ll be
I also start out with easier things first. I want to build some momentum and confidence. I leave the garage for last since I’ll probably be moving things out of the house and into the garage anyway. So I find it best to clean that out once everything has been moved there already.
Project break downs
Weekend 1
De-germ the frequently touched
It’s no secret that many people suffer colds and flu in the winter months so when spring is finally here it’s time to decontaminate those areas that harbor germs and viruses.
Wipe down stair banisters, door handles, light switches, places on the walls that seem to attract hands and anywhere else that everyone in the family seems to touch.
Wiping down cupboards and drawers are also great things to do and easy tasks to give to little ones that want to help.
Windows and furniture
You don’t have to clean these often but spring time is the best time.
Condensation can cause build up on windows and even
Vacuum chairs and couches to get rid of pet hair and other undesirables.
Polish any wood furniture or fixtures to extend it’s life and give it some shine.
Weekend 2
Clothing Declutter
Go through your fall and winter clothes. Is there anything that you didn’t wear at all this past season?
If there is, consider taking it out of your closet. Ask yourself:
- Does it not fit?
- Is it out of fashion?
- Is it in rough shape?
If yes, you should see about giving it to someone, donating it or maybe even up-cycle it into something new you’ll love. Or, if it’s not wearable, it might be time to throw it away.
Do this for all of your clothes, socks and undies too. Don’t donate them, but if you have a bunch of single socks or hole-riddled knickers, toss them.
If you have kids, go through their clothes with them too. If it’s too small give it to a younger child in the family, sell it if it’s in good repair or toss it if not.
This might be the most daunting Spring cleaning task but it makes such a huge difference in the amount of clutter you have.
By getting stuff you don’t use out of your closets you also free up storage space and there could be the added benefit of being able to earn a few bucks through selling certain items.
Weekend 3
Basement Organization
The garage and the b
If there is a ton of stuff in your basement that doesn’t have anywhere to be, maybe it’s time to ask yourself if it’s actually something you should have.
If you do get use out of it, it’s time to find it a place. Clear storage containers or baskets are amazing items to utilize during your spring cleaning.
Make sure to label containers and stack them in a space saving but accessible way.
If you don’t use it, throw it in the donation pile.
Weekend 4
The garage is a place that easily accumulates clutter. Especially in the winter. Boxes from Christmas or “outside stuff” that you didn’t want to deal with in the cold just hang out there.
It’s also really easy for your car to get really dirty since no one wants to stand in the snow and vacuum it.
But when spring hits, open that garage door and shed some light on what’s going on in there.
Garage
First, any garbage or recycling that’s just lying around, get it out of there.
Anything that needs to be donated because it’s just taking up room, take it out and make a trip to a local thrift store ASAP.
If you have some larger ticket items like out-grown bikes, sports equipment or lawn decor post it on Facebook market place or Kijiji and set a “bought by” date for yourself. If this date comes and goes, donate it too.
After you get all of the stuff you don’t want or need out of there you’ll have way less stuff to organize and work around.
It makes the process so much easier and you can make another trip at the end if you need to.
Organize shelves so that you know where things are. Also make sure that frequently used items are in easy reach and less used items, like snow shovels, can be placed in the harder to access areas. You won’t be needing them for some time after all.
Make sure to use the vertical space in your garage, like the walls or even the ceiling so that you can maximize what you can store.
Car
Empty out the garbage, bring in toys, containers, or anything else that need a wash but belongs in the house.
Wipe down the dash, steering wheel, cup holders, etc.
Take out the mats and vacuum the upholstery or wipe it down if it’s leather.
Give it a really good go over since there are bound to be some nooks and crannies that need some attention after a long winter.
Also giving your car a really good wash is a great habit to have at the end of the winter to make sure that you get all the salt off the car to prevent premature rusting.
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Regular Chores
When you do your regular chores throughout the week during spring cleaning, make sure you put in at least an extra 10 minutes.
As an example, I clean my kitchen every Wednesday.
This typically includes, all dishes, counter tops, stove top, and the floor.
When I do it during spring cleaning I will also wipe down the fridge, make sure to purge items that are past expiry and wipe down the microwave, light fixture and cupboard handles. I may even clean the oven 😱.
So when you’re doing the chores you usually would just kick them up a notch and do all the little details that you usually wouldn’t. Doing it this way will save you the effort of scheduling it in as a big deal item.
By adding on those few extra minutes you’ll be less resistant since you’re already doing it anyway.
Things to keep in mind while spring cleaning
Be ruthless
Be ruthless in your decision making when it comes to whether or not you’re going to keep something.
If you can’t remember the last time you used it, you probably won’t use it in the foreseeable future either.
Be realistic.
Those things that you say
Can I give it to someone that will enjoy it? Or can I up-cycle this into something that will add value to my life in the next month? If so, do it. If not, get rid of it.
Get help!
Enlist the whole family in these projects. It’ll get done quicker and you can set a family reward to incentivize everyone as needed. Pizza dinner, ice cream outing…just throwing out some ideas.
Be prepared
Be prepared to make a few trips to GoodWill and/or the dump. This is normal and why the car clean is on the last weekend. Get as much stuff out of the house as you can!
Last Words
Spring cleaning is a drag before you start but as soon as you’re in the midst of it you’ll feel good about clearing out the old and making your home lighter and brighter.
You owe it to yourself to live in a clean and comfortable environment and putting in a little effort once a year is well worth the pride in your space you can have when you’re done.