Spring has sprung and it’s time to do some serious spring cleaning around the house! I have been making big plans for this massive purge for quite some time. I previously shared some of my big ideas in the post below. This week I started putting my plan into action! *This post contains affiliate and/or sponsored links.
As I have been taking stock of what needs to be done to get our house truly “detoxed,” I realized how many dishes and knick-knacks I have accumulated that don’t need to be on display year round. Everything has been starting to look too cluttered for me and I have not been feeling peaceful in my home, so it’s high time to tackle the problem. I am wanting to edit my collections and simplify my decor. I have been sorting through cabinets, drawers and closets to get the decluttering process started.
One of the best cleaning and de-cluttering tips I always share is to use copy machine paper ream boxes for sorting. I can usually get a lot of these from my husband’s work for free. They are clean, dry, and bug and odor free since they have not had any food in them. Since they are all the same size and the lids to the boxes fit right down over the top, they are great for stacking too. The box tops fit securely down over the boxes, but can easily be lifted up to get in and out of quickly.
I have started sorting the contents of my dining room china cabinets and shelves into keep, store, sell and donate boxes. I use a black sharpie to clearly label the boxes. These boxes also work perfectly for clearing out your wardrobe and sorting clothing into categories: donate, sell, keep, off season, dry clean, etc. As a note, I do not keep the cardboard boxes in the basement or garage for longer than the time that I am using them to sort because they can easily absorb moisture and can grow mold or attract pests. After sorting items I usually use the boxes to transport the items to donate or to consigment.
If you are struggling with decluttering, survey everything in your home and deem whether each item is necessary. Do you use it? Does it have sentimental value? Does it have aesthetic value? If not, you probably really don’t need it. Sell it, donate it to a charity shop, give it away or recycle it where possible.
Part of spring cleaning also includes making sure our basement and laundry room area is clean and dry, so I always keep a humidifier running in our basement. I am also working on a serious basement purge to keep clutter to a minimum. Another spring cleaning goal to keep our home air quality safe is to have a thorough HVAC air duct cleaning.
Sometimes all the sorting and clearing the cluttering can become overwhelming, so a checklist can be extremely helpful. Don’t forget to make a checklist for outdoor spring chores too, such as pressure washing.
It is also important to take breaks and actually get other chores accomplished around the house. A quick but thorough kitchen deep clean is on the agenda for this afternoon. Luckily I have a pretty good system down for cleaning the kitchen quickly and effectively.
Today I am going to give my microwave and sink a quick five minute deep cleaning, and while I am working on clearing the clutter I am also going to effectively manage my time by cleaning the oven at the same time! Simply mixing up a natural cleaning solution of baking soda bicarbonate of soda and white vinegar , spraying it in the oven and letting it sit overnight does most all the dirty work for me! You can find tips and tutorials here.
Spring rain means muddy floors..so be prepared to give your floors a little extra tlc! When it comes to dirt, our floors generally take the brunt of what’s brought into our homes from the outside world. Even if you take your shoes off when you enter, pets, guests and others might not have such good habits and ground in dirt can gradually begin to build up. This is particularly true when it comes to carpets. Most people will vacuumcar pets on a regular basis, but when it comes down to it, you really should sanitize them every once in a while. Either hire a a professional carpet cleaner who can do the job on your behalf. or rent carpet cleaning machine. I have hardwood floors, so I like to use a little Murphy’s Wood Oil Soap water mixture on on a barely damp swiffer to keep them clean. I use wet Swiffers in my kitchen and bath.
Well, I am off to continue on with the spring cleaning, purging, and doing whatever it takes to get rid of clutter! I have already come across a lot of junk that literally is garbage, so I am bagging it up in contractor bags and happily setting it out with the trash. If you decide to start clearing the clutter and have a lot of trash and old junk that can’t be recycled or donated, you can always contact a company such Same-Day Rubbish Removal as to remove the garbage off your property quickly. Out of sight, out of mind!
How is your spring cleaning going friends? Any other tips or tricks to share? I love to hear from you!
Amber
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