Spring is upon us. Smell the magic as the flowers start to bloom. What better time to spring clean your home? We’ve put together some great advice on how to get going.
Just get started
Our first tip? Just get started! The task as a whole can seem daunting, so just start with one room.
Plan a bit before you actually do jump in. Figure out which rooms you want to focus on first and how long you think each room will need.
Write down all the tasks you want to achieve and follow the list. There’s nothing better than checking off those tasks as you go along.
Get a checklist together of what you’ll need. Here’s what we suggest:
- Garbage bags
- Big plastic tubs
- Vacuum
- Mop and bucket
- Multi-purpose cleaner
- Duster
- Microfiber cloth
Declutter the room
There’s a simple question when you’re decluttering – have you used this in the past six months? If the answer is ‘no’ then it has to go.
To be sustainable, recycle as much as possible, for example, donate your clothing.
Separate your belongings into three piles:
- Keep – for everything you want to hold on to
- Donate – for everything that is in good enough condition to donate
- Throw away – there will be expired goods and products or belongings that are beyond repair. These will need to be chucked.
Move room by room to declutter the house. It’s a good idea to tackle the toughest area first, and generally, this is your wardrobe.
Also pay close attention to your home office if you have one as this is where most things tend to get ‘dumped’ and forgotten. It’s your work sanctuary and deserves some love.
You’ll very soon figure out how much excess ‘stuff’ you have.
Actually clean
Once you’ve decluttered, it’s time to get cleaning.
Work room by room and work from the top down. No point cleaning the floor first and then dusting the curtains or fans as then you’ll just have to clean the floor again.
When cleaning, take note of whether your surfaces or textiles have specific instructions. This particularly pertains to things like rugs, curtains, blinds and carpets. It may also extend to couches and pillows. There may be specific products you should be using depending on whether textiles are inside or outdoors so always check with the manufacturer if you have any questions.
Replace some items
Our emphasis here is on some. There will be some of your belongings that you simply don’t like anymore. That’s okay. Donating things that no longer appeal to you is all part of the spring cleaning process.
If you’re going to do this, either donate these belongings to charities or sell them. Don’t just throw them away. Your trash is someone else’s treasure!
While you may want to stay on-trend with your new purchases, remember to stay true to your personal design. Of course, there are plenty of ways to incorporate the latest trends, but as interior design extraordinaires Rodney Hinde and John-Eric Xavier have said, true design should tell a story and should be unique to your home and your tastes.
Relax
After you’ve finished, relax and enjoy your newly spring-cleaned, decluttered home.
Remember, while you may be tempted to do it all in one day or one weekend, taking your time is a much better way to get things done. If you rush, you’ll miss things and you’ll end up spring cleaning much more than necessary.
