@mrdeanrowland has put together his top spring cleaning tips to help make it that little bit easier.
Make a List
Make a list before you start.
- What areas need the most work?
- Which jobs do you least enjoy?
These are the best places to start, having a list of your rooms/jobs will keep you focused on the task at hand. Just go room by room, job by job, and tick it off as you go along this will not only keep you on track but give you a sense of achievement as you complete them.
Declutter
Start with wardrobes, make piles of keep, pack away and charity shop, I always find swapping over my seasonal clothing and storing (normally under my bed) makes such a huge difference. Use this as a time to get rid of any unwanted clothing that you won’t wear or that you simply don’t like anymore, gift to friends/family and giveaway to your local charity shop.
Next start with all your draws, underwear, and socks, keeping everything neatly folded not only maximises space but means you’re more likely to keep it this way.
Also don’t forget to tackle your junk drawers (keep at least one as we all need that one drawer!)
Organise Shoes
Having all your shoes and trainers organised into boxes keeps them in perfect condition but also makes space around the home, clear boxes work perfectly for this. Or if you have a lot of footwear stored on top of each other take a snap of the shoes with an instant camera so you can always see what you have.
Windows
I find tackling windows one of the hardest jobs around my home, so I like to do a set of windows a day / when I have time, spring cleaning doesn’t have to be hard, make it fun, play your favourite playlist and take some before and after pictures so you know how far you have come.
Greasy Fingerprints
Remove greasy fingerprints, dust and stains from painted walls by wiping them with a damp microfibre cloth or a clean damp microfibre mop. Start from the top and work your way down.
Allergies
Cleaning will more than likely unsettle all the winter dust on furniture and fixtures. If you suffer from allergies or are using heavy-duty cleaners, be sure to read the labels. Air purifiers are great to switch on while cleaning! Don’t forget to wear rubber gloves, masks, also protective clothing will help guard against skin irritations.
Vacuum
Vacuums aren’t just for carpets, I love switching up all the attachments on mine and using them to pick up all the dust on mirrors, furniture and curtains.
Walls and Skirting Boards
Don’t forget walls and tiles need cleaning too, I love using a speed style mop to clean the walls, get up high into corners and they are also great on skirting boards! Also saves the back pain!
Money Saving
The big spring clean can be expensive buy lots of different products, STOP it doesn’t have to be, keep it simple, you can get many multi-purpose cleaners that are great to use all around the house and some even on glass. If you have a steam cleaner these are absolutely great to use around all around the house, also one of the best natural combinations for cleaning is white vinegar, baking soda, and water. These ingredients are affordable and non-toxic.
Set Yourself Time
If you give yourself all day to clean it will take you ALL DAY set yourself small time limits, I like to set a stop watch on my phone for 30 mins and do as much as I can within that time, if you run a little over its also fine, depending on the job some will more or less time.
Be Kind to Yourself
Your home plays a huge part in our over hall health and well-being, spring cleaning can be used to create a more supportive living environment, I believe cleaning is a form of self-love / self-care and doing all these jobs helps keep my mind clear, it can also be used to just get some time and space to yourself, but some days you won’t be able to do everything for a number of reasons, don’t stress, tomorrow is another day, do what you can when you can and don’t be afraid to ask for help from family or friends if needed.