The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Guide
Sunday, April 04, 2021Spring is on the horizon! With lockdown ending soon, now is the perfect time to spring clean and sort out your lifestyle before things go back to normal. Many things have changed in the last year, and I know I've let a few things slip. Spring cleaning is a great way to give your life a fresh start. Our homes have kept us safe for the last year, so let's give them a bit of a redo. If you want to sort out your home and mind, here are some ways you can spring clean your life!
What Is Spring Cleaning?
Spring cleaning is where you simply clean your house in the spring! It's typically a domestic cleaning practice where you clean from top to bottom, but I include mental health aspects. I believe it is the perfect chance to get everything in order before you enjoy the summer. It also allows you to clean places you don't normally touch when cleaning. I like to clean in January, so when it's warmer, I don't need to worry about cleaning! Spring cleaning can mean different things to different people. Some will spend a weekend on it. Others will take part in National Spring Cleaning Week in March. There is also a Spring Cleaning Day where locals gather together and clean up public areas like parks or beaches!
Why Should You Consider Cleaning Your Home
Spring cleaning isn't for everyone, and it can be a long process. However, when you clean your home, you feel a sense of freedom. I like spring cleaning as my home feels cared for and clean. I've sorted through my Christmas gifts, found them homes and removed anything I don't use anymore. It's the perfect chance to freshen up your home for the summer. The remainder of the lockdown is the perfect chance to start cleaning before guests can come to your house again!
My Top Tips For Spring Cleaning
Before you start cleaning, there are some top tips which I have learnt over time. Cleaning can be very tiring, so these tips will improve your productivity and help you to clean in no time!
- Clean one room at a time - I like to start top to bottom, but you should only focus on one room at a time. If you've had enough, you can finish the room and be done.
- Lay everything out in front of you - Laying each drawer out allows you to see what you actually own. It can help you to sort things out and see things you didn't even realise you had!
- Put things away as you go - Use small boxes to hold items, fold clothing and put items in the right place. Organising your draws rather than removing the junk and throwing everything back in can make your cleaning faster in the future.
- Use eco-friendly cleaning products - This tip helps the environment and your family. When you're cleaning the whole house, there can be a lot of chemicals. I found the eco-friendly products don't irritate my nose or skin!
- Adopt new habits going forward - If you didn't enjoy cleaning, learn from it. If you deep clean regularly and throw things away when you see them, it makes things a lot easier.
Wash All The Fabrics
On New Year's Eve, I like to wash everything in the house. It means I am not carrying over dirty laundry into the next year. To signify a new start, I thought it would be beneficial to wash everything. Strip all of the beds and sofa covers for washing. Clean your dirty clothes and sort through any other garments that may need washing too. Sometimes I like to wash my whole wardrobe. That way, it's fresh, crease-free and ready for spontaneous days out!
When you're washing your fabrics, consider what you're cleaning them with. Swapping to an eco-friendly option like Smol or Ecover can help to make your clothing last longer. It's also better for the planet and your skin! You should also think about how often you clean your garments and other ways to care for things. I know that I should iron my pieces more and store them better!
Declutter Your Devices
Unfollow accounts that make you feel bad. Delete old images and files that you no longer need or like. Uninstall the apps you don't use anymore. We use our devices almost every day, and it's time to give them a clean. Our phones contain so much data that needs to be sorted through every now and again. It's also worth going through your recorded TV movies and deleting the things you won't watch or have already seen. I love going through my old pictures and watching the storage space free up. I also find there are lots of apps and games I don't need to keep, so it's worth getting rid of those too. You could also change up the phone case and wipe down the screen.
When you're sorting through your device, think about how much we use our devices. Think about how much certain apps or photos bring joy to you and remove anything that doesn't make you happy. Something that you spend so much time on should only be showing you happy, positive things.
Sort Through Your Wardrobe & Shoes
Did you know that at least 30% of clothing in our wardrobes haven't been worn in over a year? That's around 1.7 billion pieces of clothing in the UK alone. Donate or sell any clothing that doesn't fit you, you don't wear or is damaged. If you're feeling crafty, you could do some DIYs and upcycle your clothing! You will save space in your closet and make some cash on the side! You can donate your shoes and fashion pieces to banks, which will distribute them to people in need. If you want to know more about fast fashion or making money, here are some helpful guides!
Change Up Your Playlists
How many times do you listen to a playlist and skip 50 songs before landing on the perfect one? If you change certain tracks frequently, it's time to get rid of them. Go through all of your playlists and decide on the songs you listen to. I listen to the playlist while doing something else as it makes the job easier. If I go for the skip button, that is one of the songs I remove. After you've sorted through your songs, you can try to find new ones that fit your style. Refreshing your playlist is easy to do, but it can make a world of difference when you only have songs you like. If you aren't ready to let go, you can always make a new playlist. I find that if music isn't in my playlists, I'll forget them and one day be humming it. It drives me crazy when I want to listen to a song but can't remember what it is!
Go Through The Kitchen Cupboards
There is a lot to do when cleaning and organising the kitchen. The first step is to sort all of the cupboards, and I mean all of them! Go through the food cupboards first and get rid of anything out of date. If there are in date items that you won't use but are sealed, you could donate them to a food bank. Before putting the food back, clean the cupboards thoroughly. We find sticky syrup rings, loose almonds and other spills in ours...
Once you have cleaned, you can put the items back. I recommend using glass container jars for things like flour as it looks nicer. You don't have to do this step, but it removes the need for bulky boxes. In our kitchen, we also have a junk drawer, cleaning and Tupperware cupboards. These all need to be sorted through too. You can purchase an organiser which can be moulded around any pipes you may have under the skin. I get rid of any plastic boxes without lids and sort through old recipe books. I feel so much better when the kitchen is clean, as this is somewhere where happy memories are made. It's amazing how quickly the cupboards can fill with junk!
Deep Clean The House
I love cleaning, but I never really deep clean the whole house. There is so much dirt that accumulates in places we don't realise. Deep cleaning is something I don't like doing as it makes me realise how much grime there is in my house. It's important to clean these areas as they often get forgotten. If you're listing your house, they may also be areas that people scrutinise the most. Here is a little checklist of all the places you should deep clean at least once a month.
- Wash all of the rugs and carpets, including the bath mat
- Sprinkle carpet cleaner as you hoover for a deeper carpet clean
- Scrub your oven clean from any dirt and debris
- Wash your shower curtain & regular curtains
- Use a microfibre cloth to clean in between blinds
- Unclog your skins and drains from hair
- Scrub your tiles clean in the bathroom and kitchen
- In between the keys of your keyboard. You may also want to clean your mouse
- Door handles, cupboard handles and other touchpoints
Sort Out Your Finances
Finances are something you should be looking at and organising monthly. At the end of every month, I look at my financials and budget for the next month. I like to look at how much money I bring in every month. Some go to savings, some for monthly payments and the rest I divide across things I'd like. As I make money on the side, I try to use that money for whatever I want. It motivates me to hustle more as those funds go towards my wants.
It's important to assess where you are financially and set goals. Every month, you should save money and look to repay any debts. You could set yourself money goals. For example, to earn a certain amount on the side or save money in an ISA. Your biggest goals should be to become debt-free. Organise your finances, set a budget and know where your money is going every month. This is also the opportunity to cancel unused subscriptions too! Here are some ways you can save money and increase your monthly income:
It's important to assess where you are financially and set goals. Every month, you should save money and look to repay any debts. You could set yourself money goals. For example, to earn a certain amount on the side or save money in an ISA. Your biggest goals should be to become debt-free. Organise your finances, set a budget and know where your money is going every month. This is also the opportunity to cancel unused subscriptions too! Here are some ways you can save money and increase your monthly income:
Other Easy Ways You Can Spring Clean
- Sort through your old books & DVDs - Music Magpie is a fast way to get rid of them for some extra cash.
- Clean out your fridge and freezer - You should also defrost the freezer during this time.
- Tidy up the bathroom, fill up the toiletries and clean the utilities.
- Dust all of the lights, railings, tops of cupboards and other up high places.
- Flip & rotate your mattress - This should be done regularly to help your mattress breathe and last longer!
- Wash your windows both inside and out - They always have lots of fingerprints!
- Go through your mugs, crockery and cutlery drawers - Get rid of things you don't use or that are broken/chipped.
- Wash the walls - I recently did this, and my walls looked revived afterwards!
- Sort through the dreaded garage and get rid of old things - Take trips to the dump or your donation drop-off points to get rid of things.
- Wash the floors in the kitchen and hallway
- Sterilise your appliances - Washing machines, laptops, and other gadgets you use should be cleaned, sterilised and free from debris!
- Don't forget the garden - Clean garden furniture, sort the shed and plant some flowers or vegetables! The garden shouldn't be forgotten this spring!
13 comments
I love spring cleaning! One of the best tips ive ever learnt is to clean a room clockwise as it stops you producing more dust hahah. A great post as always x
ReplyDeleteFabulous read! I did a little cleaning in my room as well.I love your idea on decluttering things online as well. It makes life much more free if you ask me haha. Thanks for sharing! Enjoyed this.
ReplyDeletewww.lifebeginsattwenty.com
I love a Spring Clean but never feel like I have the time to go through everything. However, this year is different and if I can manage to do a deep clean or declutter of one or two things a week then I'd be happy - I've already decluttered my social media a little.
ReplyDeleteGreat guide. I love Spring cleaning. Although I tend to have a sort-out of my bedroom a few times a year so I have an Autumn clean and a Winter clean too. I'll have to try Kayleigh's tip of cleaning clockwise next time too!
ReplyDeleteI love spring and I love spring cleaning. There's something about spring cleaning that makes everything lovely. I would add airing the room to this list as I feel like nothing beats that haha. I love decluttering my devices. I do that at least once a week and the idea of cleaning one room at a time is just fab! Lovely post
ReplyDeleteThese are all great tips, I should really start with my room! I never though about decluttering devices, but the more I think about it the more it makes total sense! Thanks for sharing x
ReplyDeleteI absolutely love a Spring clean - I spent a lot of my weekend doing just that. I donated clothes I will never wear again, I cleared out cupboards that had filled with rubbish and I reviewed my finances!
ReplyDeleteRosie
Some great Spring cleaning advice Em, it's such a good idea to do one room at time, it doesn't feel so overwhelming otherwise! x
ReplyDeleteLucy | www.lucymary.co.uk
This guide is amazing! I definitely agree on all your points especially decluttering your wardrobe and phone xx
ReplyDeleteArghhh I have so much blog work to do before I go back to work on Monday but now all I want to do is spring clean! Think I need to make a little time to tackle a room today.
ReplyDeleteIt is such a great feeling getting your clean on and these are brilliant tips! Thanks for sharing Em x
Oooo changing up your playlists is something I never do! I feel like I'm forever skipping! Now this is a good midweek activity for me!
ReplyDeleteKatie | katieemmabeauty.com
I love a good spring clean too, particularly in the kitchen! It makes working from home so much more pleasant. I now have a long monthly to-do list which features all the deep cleaning tasks I need to do and don't forget them. The to-do list also helps to minimise any feelings of being overwhelmed with cleaning duties.
ReplyDeletehttps://familylifeandadventures.com
I love a good spring clean too, particularly in the kitchen! It makes working from home so much more pleasant. I now have a long monthly to-do list which features all the deep cleaning tasks I need to do and don't forget them. The to-do list also helps to minimise any feelings of being overwhelmed with cleaning duties.
ReplyDeletehttps://familylifeandadventures.com