Now is the Time for Spring Cleaning!

Spring has sprung, and with it, an urge to purge. Spring cleaning is an annual tradition for many people, and for those who really love to clean, nothing is more satisfying. It’s a time to open all the windows and rid the house of stale, winter air. It’s a time to organize cupboards, scrub the nooks and crannies that get overlooked all year, and tackle the stuff that has piled up in the garage. If you’re getting overwhelmed just thinking about it, relax. There are many resources available to help you prioritize—and if you play your cards right, you can engage the entire family in the project.

The mother of perfection, Martha Stewart, has a thorough room-by-room checklist that includes the types of cleaning supplies and products to use. It even has step-by-step instructions for perfectly clean windows. You can download it online.

If you’re looking for something simpler, consider these room-by-room suggestions:

Kitchen

Deep clean fridge and freezer, defrost if needed
Dust cupboards and top of fridge
Deep clean stove inside and out
Deep clean small appliances
Deep clean dishwasher
Disinfect sink and faucet
Wipe down walls, cupboards, drawers, countertop, and light switches
Clean out junk drawer(s)
Wash out garbage can
Sweep and mop the floor—move all large appliances if possible

Bathroom

Scrub shower walls and fixtures
Clean shower curtain or door
Wash trash can
Organize cabinets and drawers
Wipe down mirrors
Clean walls, light switch
Clean and organize medicine cabinet
Mop the floor
Dust décor
Clean toilets

Family Room

Dust surfaces, including décor
Organize book shelves, DVD collections, and gaming equipment
Wash throw blankets and pillows
Steam clean furniture
Wipe down walls and light switches
Dust and clean window treatments
Clean lampshades
Dust electronic and wipe screens clean
Clean crevices of baseboard

Master Bedroom

Dust all surfaces
Wash curtains and blinds
Wipe down walls and light switches
Wash bedding
Flip and rotate mattress
Sort through clothes and separate for garage sale, donation, etc.
Organize closet
Clean out under the bed
Clean carpet and rugs
Organize drawers
Clean lights

Kids' Rooms

Wash bedding
Organize closet
Sort through clothes and separate for garage sale, donation, etc.
Organize toys
Sanitize toys and toy boxes
Organize books
Dust and wipe down all surfaces
Clean carpet and rugs

Dad and son making the bed

Laundry/Mud Room

Deep clean washer and dryer
Wipe down all surfaces
Organize cleaning products
Wipe down walls and light switches

Garage

Organize and dust shelves
Sweep floor
Throw out any broken or worn equipment

Now is a good time to pay attention to the most neglected parts of your home and establish a routine to keep up with cleaning so next spring it won’t be such a big project. As mentioned above, spring cleaning is about purging too. Here’s a concise list of things to throw away, donate and recycle from Simply Kierste.

Now that your house is sparkling, you want to keep it that way. Maintaining a clean house can be a challenge, especially if you have a busy work schedule. Consider making a weekly cleaning list to help you stay on top of it. Again, this is the perfect opportunity to enlist the help of your kids. Give them easy to complete tasks that they can do as they are getting ready in the morning or after they finish their homework after school.

Good Housekeeping has a great checklist for every day, weekly, and monthly cleaning tasks to help you stay on top of it. You can adapt this checklist for your home and create a sticker chart chore list for your kids! You also might consider checking out this list of 9 Homemade Cleaners You Can Make Yourself!

Here are a few more quick tips to help you keep your home clean throughout the year:

Clorox wipes- Keep them in the kitchen and the bathroom and wipe down all surfaces daily
2000 Flushes Antibacterial Automatic Toilet Bowl cleaner- just drop it in your tank and it lasts up to 4 months.
Roomba- If you hate vacuuming but want clean carpets and floors, consider investing in a Roomba. You can set it to vacuum every day if you need.

Happy cleaning!