No one gets excited about spring cleaning. Sure, it can be nice to dream about the organized closets and having your home looking and feeling brand new again, but we won’t sugar coat it… it is A LOT of work! There are however, a few ways to turn the mountain into a molehill (or several).
1. Enlist the help of your significant other and family members. Maybe they will offer, or maybe you will have to bribe with some end-of-the-day pizza, but if they live there too isn’t it only fair they help? 🙂
2. Call in the professionals. While most of the tasks are easy enough to DIY, there is nothing wrong with calling in back up. Maybe you want to get everything done in a short time frame, or ceilings and windows are higher than your ladder comfort level, whatever the reason, if it’s worth it to you then thats all that matters.
3. Instead of thinking of it as spring cleaning, take the list and spread it out over a month or even a year! Decide what major cleaning tasks will get done each day/week/month and save yourself the pressure of trying to get it all done at once.
4. Tackle one room at a time. Once you get one room looking like new, move to the next.
Besides the daily dishes and weekly laundry that pile up, there are a number of items to clean that can get over looked. Some need to be done more frequently than others but the list below are items that should be done about once a year.
Baseboards and molding. Those suckers collect dust like nobody’s business, especially in the laundry room! This includes that space between cabinets and the ceiling. A damp cloth or magic eraser work great to get them clean and looking like new. This is one of those jobs that could probably be done every couple months but at the very least, add it to your spring cleaning list!
Walls. You don’t think of needing to clean the walls but depending on if you have kids, pets or even just over time, walls end up with splatters, streaks and marks. Magic erasers or a rag dipped in soapy water (the milder the dish soap the better) work great to remove unwanted wall art and it’s always a good idea to test a small, unseen area first to make sure that you won’t ruin the surface.
Windows. Cleaning the inside of the windows is a breeze but the outsides need to be cleaned too, and it will make a huge difference! You don’t just clean one side of your glasses or sunglasses, right? Depending on how tall your house is, it may be worth it to call in some help. Helpful tip: clean windows when it’s overcast to help keep the cleaner from drying too quickly.
Window Screens. Screens can collect some gross stuff. Always exposed to the elements, they get just as dirty as the exterior of the window. Wash window screens by removing them and scrubbing with warm, soapy water followed by a thorough rinse.
Window Treatment. While on the topic of windows…window treatments can also use a little freshening up. Check the tags to find out if curtains can be washed in the washing machine. Have fabric shades dry-cleaned and wipe down metal, wooden or plastic blinds with a wet rag.
Couch. If you have a sofa with removable cushions, its a good idea to toss those in the washing machine (check the tag first). If you are not able to remove the cushion covers then remove cushions and vacuum the couch frame and treat any spots on the cushions with a fabric spot cleaner.
Pressure Wash. Florida’s beautiful warm and humid climate means that the exterior of your house will need a good cleaning as well. A pressure washer is great and allows you to get those out of arms reach places. Just be sure to use the correct pressure for the material you are cleaning. If the pressure is too high, it could cause more damage than good.
Declutter. This might be one of the hardest to do but by getting rid of old magazines, excess clothing hangers, clothes you don’t wear anymore, toys the kids don’t play with etc., it will be less to clean over time and free up space.
A lot of time and effort is needed to keep a home in pristine condition and whether you are in your forever home or temporary home, it is worth the energy. By keeping up with the big yearly cleaning jobs it will help to maintain your homes intrinsic value. Houses that are clean and decluttered show better when on the market and in return, sell faster. Even if you don’t plan on selling your home anytime soon or even at all, living in a clean and organized space improves physical and mental well being!