Helpful Tips and Advice for Spring Cleaning Your Home

Ah, the springtime: the season of fresh beginnings for homeowners, the time when they scramble to prepare their homes for fairer weather. However, after an entire safer-at-home winter, the laundry list of things to do can seem insurmountable. If this is the case for you, crack those rustic outdoor shutters, let a little sunshine in, and use the following helpful tips and advice for spring cleaning your home. 

Reduce the Clutter

Most people start their spring cleaning efforts by breaking out the dust rag and vacuum. While these items have their due place in any spring clean, they should be conspicuously left in the closet until after you clear out some stuff.

Clutter is scientifically proven to increase stress in people, as it serves as a constant reminder of all the work that still has to be done. This anxiety can actually cause people to shut down, ending the spring clean before it ever begins. As such, before breaking out any appliances or disinfectant cleaners, make a trip to the recycling center with all of those boxes still lingering from the holidays, decide which pairs of boots and heavy jackets are best suited for the donation center, and give yourself some open space to get to work. 

Go Green to Spring Clean

As society gets increasingly environmentally conscious, so too should your spring cleaning efforts. Rather than scrub through mass quantities of chemical-filled cleaners, use the hot water vapor produced by a steam cleaner to help you tackle tough stains on your hard floors and kitchen appliances.

Make the Walls and Windows a Priority

Many people focus their spring cleaning efforts on the floor, which is understandable seeing that the floors will receive all of the foot traffic and the majority of the stains produced in the home. However, the walls and windows will still accumulate an impressive amount of debris from air circulation. Therefore, before starting on your floors, take a wet towel and wipe down your walls and blinds, using the aforementioned steam cleaner and squeegee to clean the actual window glass. Even newer homes that have easy-to-clean vinyl or aluminum windows should not overlook this step, as moisture buildup throughout the year can rust or mold to take hold. 

Service the Ventilation

Speaking of air circulation, the annual spring clean is a great opportunity to change the furnace and HVAC filters. Most heating and air ducts accumulate more dust from the dryer air during the winter months, so upgrading the filters is a great way to ensure that none of this gets spread throughout your home’s interior come springtime. 

Don’t Forget the Exterior

Even though you have likely not used your home’s exterior nearly as much during the winter months, Mother Nature made sure that you will have plenty to do outside. Rake the lawn free of any dead leaves or grass, get all of your planting pots and lawn ornaments out of storage, and make sure the pool deck drain isn’t clogged with any debris so that you are ready to shine as the temperatures increase.

Add Turntables to Your Kitchen Shelves

A hallmark of kitchen clutter is cabinets where you cannot find what you need amid the sea of toppled spice cans and condiment bottles. Therefore, go through your shelves and throw out everything you are unlikely to use, placing the remaining necessities on a turntable or Lazy Susan. These convenient organizers can keep you from knocking items into oblivion as you reach-and-feel in the year to come. 

Conclusion

Spring cleaning is a time of optimism and determination for homeowners–if you can find a place to get started. By considering the helpful tips and advice listed above, you are sure to make your spring clean as expeditious and fulfilling as possible. 

About The Author: Matt Lee is the owner of the Innovative Building Materials blog and a content writer for the building materials industry. He is focused on helping fellow homeowners, contractors, and architects discover materials and methods of construction that save money, improve energy efficiency, and increase property value.

Photo by HiveBoxx on Unsplash