It’s that time of the year for spring cleaning!
Spring cleaning helps improve your mood and productivity by eliminating clutter (aka stress) and saves you time in the future when looking for items. You’ll also find that this seasonal task improves your health with cleaner air quality in your home and provides plenty of movement & exercise.
We all know the the benefits sound great, but also know spring cleaning can be a daunting task. So where to begin? The Goetzmann Team over the years has found a few key tricks and tips to help make spring cleaning a more fun and stress free experience.
DIVIDE & CONQUER: Go room by room, making a checklist for each space and prioritizing spaces with higher usage.
Always start at the top and work your way down.
ORGANIZE & CLEAR CLUTTER: In the pantry check expiration dates, in the closet if something hasn’t been worn in some time - find it a new home, use clear bins to store pantry and linen closet items. Clear bins make it quicker & easier to find what you are looking for.
If you haven’t used something since the last time you did your spring cleaning, it’s time to find it a new home.
MORE (HELPERS), THE MERRIER: Get the entire household in on the spring cleaning and make it fun! Judge a fashion show with infrequently worn items, what doesn’t get glowing reviews, gets donated!
Play fun music as everyone is cleaning. Caution: this might lead to a dance party.
SEASONAL PREP: Use spring cleaning as time to prepare for summer fun – clean the grill, tidying up landscaping, start storing winter items (clothes, boots, down comforters, etc.), clean and check gutters, clean outdoor furniture, clear out the garage.
Put a reminder on your calendar to plant seeds, flowers and gardens after the danger of frost has passed. This can be hard to predict in CO, but generally it’s around Mother’s Day or Memorial Weekend.
MINIMIZE CLEANING PRODUCTS: Use a multi-purpose cleaner instead of several different cleaning products. By minimizing the number of cleaning products, you’re cutting down on cleaning time. It’s also helpful to have all cleaning products in a caddy that can travel room to room and keep all products in one spot.
Instead of cleaning solutions, try Norwex or similar brand cleaning cloths – just need water
1:1 ratio of vinegar & water makes for a great cleaner with no harsh chemicals (add baking soda for cleaning boost)
Cheap vodka works as a fragrance-free deodorizer for soft surfaces. Pour vodka into a spray bottle, add some drop of essential oils if you’d like and spray smells away.
Keep in mind these commonly missed areas of the home:
Appliance Interiors (dishwasher filter)
Above Cabinets/Refrigerator
Walls & Baseboards
Clothes Washer Filter & Dryer Vent
Ceiling Fans & Light Fixtures
Window & Sliding Door Tracks
Window Treatments
Seal/Reseal Grout and Granite Countertops (recommended to perform once a year)
Garage Interior
Spring isn’t just a weekend, it’s an entire season. Don’t stress over getting everything in tip-top shape in one weekend. Make a plan with a checklist and create a schedule. Make sure you also schedule time for rest and relaxation too. You’ll have earned it!
Comments