Spring cleaning is an important part of maintaining a clutter-free home, but it doesn't just have to be an annual occurrence. Spring is more than just a time of year, it encompasses feelings of joy, lightness, and freshness, and you can bring those feelings to your home no matter the season. Keep reading for some common questions about spring cleaning and a step-by-step decluttering guide!
Why do people do spring cleaning?
Due to the cold weather and the lack of sunlight, winter can leave you feeling unmotivated to take on large tasks. Spring cleaning acts as a fresh start from the more mellow winter months, and signifies a new beginning, which brings increased motivation.
Spring cleaning originated decades ago, when people lit kerosene lamps and kept a fire burning to provide light and stay warm. As soon as the need for fires went away in the spring, homeowners would deep clean their houses to get rid of soot or any other debris. While most of us are not lighting wood burning fires anymore, the need to freshen up your home still remains.
How often should you spring clean your house?
Spring cleaning is a time to deep clean and deal with all the chores you've been ignoring. Tasks like purging your unwanted items, cleaning your carpets and windows, and clearing out gutters and vents, are perfect for spring cleaning! Keep in mind, you don’t need to wait until spring to deep clean your home. Whenever you feel motivated, break out those cleaning supplies and get started.
How to spring clean efficiently in 13 steps
You don’t have to wait for the snow to melt to do your spring cleaning, it can be springtime anytime! If you’re unsure on how to start your cleaning project, follow the steps below to make the process less daunting and give yourself some motivation!
Prepare for cleaning day
Set aside an hour of time within the next week to categorize your living space. In this hour you should:
1. Take out your calendar and pick two or three full days within the next month. These days will be split into cleaning days and the last day will act as a personal day, to reward yourself for a job well done.
2. Make a list of all the rooms you want to clean.
3. Walk through each room and take notes on a couple of tasks that need to be done. (i.e. Living room: Vacuum, remove old books from shelf, get curtains cleaned.)
4. Review the full list and highlight the items that are not basic cleaning tasks. (i.e. Items from the living room go to the thrift store. Couch in the basement needs to be removed.) This highlighting will result in two categorized lists.
5. Next, identify the resources needed to take care of the highlighted items. (i.e. Take used clothing to my sister. Call 1-800-GOT-JUNK? to get rid of my couch.) Schedule these arrangements over the next few weeks so everything is taken care of when you start cleaning.
6. As your hour comes to a close, imagine how you would like to spend your day in your newly decluttered home. Whether it’s reading or watching a movie in your “like new” space, or going on an all-day outing, plan something fun to reward yourself for all your hard work.
Get in the right mindset to declutter
A huge part of decluttering is making sure you’re in the right mindset to tackle such a large project. Here are some ways you can get yourself in the cleaning zone!
1. Set a jar on the kitchen counter and start to put your spare change in it. This will be your play money for the day after cleaning and it doubles as motivation!
2. Hope for sun! Sunshine is very important because it makes us feel good. Believe it or not, cleaning inside on a sunny day is more motivating than on a rainy day.
3. Keep up on your tidiness, this will help with organizing on the big day and making the task seem less daunting.
Make cleaning day a fun experience
Who said cleaning has to be boring? With these easy tricks it can be made into a fun experience where you will get a sense of accomplishment after completing.
1. Entertain yourself! Blast some music or put on your favorite podcast, this will make the whole cleaning process more enjoyable!
2. Set a goal for a finish time that includes disposing of items that are leaving the house (or at least having them outside and out of the way), and slot each room into a time period on paper.
3. With each room, start by placing any items that are being thrown out, or going into storage, in a box to be taken outside immediately, to eliminate the risk of them being forgotten.
4. Finally, start cleaning!
If your home requires a great deal of work and you’re still feeling overwhelmed, don’t worry! If you’re able to, invite your family and friends to help you! Give them some incentive by offering to help clean their home or treat them to a dinner out. Another option is to hire a Professional Organizer to help manage the piles. Regardless of the original state of your home, a professional junk removal company, such as 1-800-GOT-JUNK? that offers No Contact Junk Removal, can help make spring cleaning a breeze!
