What better way to spend time cooped up inside than cleaning the house? Here are our top spring cleaning tips.

How do you organize for spring cleaning?
How do you organize for spring cleaning?
If life gives you lemons, make lemonade. Coronavirus forced you indoors, but you have the gift of time. When you combine it with these spring cleaning tips, your house will be a place you’ll never want to leave, even after shelter-in-place orders have been lifted!

Here are our favorite spring cleaning tips, plus a tried and true process to get you started.

A Thoughtful Approach to Spring Cleaning
If this is your first time partaking in spring cleaning, the thought of cleaning an entire house can be overwhelming, no matter how many spring cleaning tips you’ve read. Take it step by step, room by room, or project by project. You don’t have to get to every nook and cranny by June, and one project done is better than none. Once you get the ball rolling, you just might find yourself inspired to keep going and check off every item on your spring cleaning wishlist.

Whether you keep it simple or go for an entire house sweep, spring cleaning ought to involve more than simply cleaning. Now is the time to consider how your home storage and layout is working for you. Here’s a simple approach to making the most out of spring cleaning.

1. Remove or move as many items as you can from the space you are cleaning, including furniture.
We all want to get right down to the nitty-gritty of cleaning. But to get a really deep cleaning in, move all the items from a space somewhere else. This includes furniture. No excuses!

As you move items away from the space you are focusing on, this is the time to get rid of the things that are needlessly filling up our homes. You’re going through your belongings to clean under them anyway. You might as well return them to their proper place or get rid of unnecessary items. You’ll have a better shot at staying organized all year long if you remove the clutter now.

2. Next, move onto cleaning
After you’ve decluttered and moved items away from the space, you’ll have a clear canvas. Time to start cleaning!

Here is my favorite of all of our spring cleaning tips: stock up on these ingredients (if possible) and you’ll be able to create any cleaner necessary, no matter what job presents itself.

Dish soap
Baking soda
White vinegar
Hydrogen peroxide
Rubbing alcohol
Salt
Lemon
A spray bottle
Add a bottle of essential oil to that list if scents are important to you.
With these ingredients on hand, you’ll never find yourself at a loss for a certain type of cleaner in the midst of a project. You can find a recipe online for just about any surface or object using these chemical-free materials!

3. Consider the function of each room or area
You’ve just decluttered a space, moved the furniture and cleaned it. Take advantage of the moment and consider how the space is working for you! Would a change in arrangement better suit the needs of your family?

Consider the room’s purpose, its specific organization challenges, and its aesthetics. Small tweaks such as furniture placement or added storage containers could make a huge impact on your day to day use of the space.

4. Finally, create “homes” for each of your belongings
Now it’s time to return your belongings to their “homes.” I say “homes” because each item should have a place. This way, you know where it ought to go at the end of the day, making cleanup easier.

But are there any items that can go into storage instead of cluttering up your living space? If you’ve taken the time to consider the function of the space as recommended in step three, you’ll know the answer to this question. Learn about the best ways to store specific items here.

Now that you know how to make the most of cleaning season, here are all the best spring cleaning tips we have learned to help you along.

5. Skip the sentimentals
If time is limited for your spring cleaning process, we recommend skipping sentimental items until you can dedicate time to really go through them.

6. Dust before vacuuming
In case your mother never taught you this nugget of wisdom, we thought we’d include it in here. You stir up dust as you try to remove it and it will most likely settle on the ground. You can take care of it after dusting by vacuuming (or sweeping).

Baseboards and ceiling fans are two areas that often get neglected when it comes to dusting. They are also areas that collect a disturbing amount of dust. So don’t forget to add them to your spring cleaning list!

7. Don’t forget the windows
Over the long year, debris like pollen, dirt and dust can build up along your window sills. Cleaning the interior and exterior on a routine basis will not only let more light into your home but ensure that your windows easily open and close. Fresh air will also reduce allergens and germs in mattresses, even if you can’t haul them outside.

8. Even furniture can use a spring refresh
Just because you don’t see stains doesn’t mean your couch is free of dust, crumbs, dirt, animal fur or allergens. Many hardware stores, rent upholstery cleaning machines, which can help clean your favorite room in a matter of minutes. At the very least, be sure to vacuum upholstered surfaces.

9. Extend the lifetime of your mattress by cleaning and flipping it
Despite linens and mattress pads, mattresses are still popular places for dead skin cells, sweat and dust. First, take a vacuum over both sides of your mattress to collect any dust or debris. If it’s nice enough outside, the best remedy for your mattress is some fresh air and sunlight.

10. Wipe down lightbulbs
It may seem like overkill, but it’s really so simple to do. Dirty light bulbs emit 20 percent less light than clean ones. Brighten up your home by giving your lightbulbs a wipe with a damp microfiber cloth. I bet it will take you only five minutes to wipe each bulb in your home. Need to keep a kid busy during quarantine? This is an easy job for any kid elementary-age and up!

11. Use salt and grapefruit to remove grime from showers and tubs
The grit of the salt plus the acid of the grapefruit cut down on elbow grease needed. It’ll also give your bathroom that extra boost of freshness that is usually only obtained with heavily scented candles and not-so-friendly cleaning products.

12. Empty your refrigerator
Empty and unplug the fridge and freezer for a thorough clean. Most of this process will involve throwing out items far past their expiration dates, but you’ll also want to make sure your fridge is organized. Take advantage of adjustable shelving and shelf liners, which will make the cleanup process ten times easier next time around.https://lura.sg/how-to-clean/how-do-you-organize-for-spring-cleanin...