COLLABORATION: The Big Spring Cleaning Guide

Hi there! I am bringing you another collaborative post, for full disclosure while I did edit this post to better suit this space I did not develop the content or topic. I do not claim to be an expert on this topic but do agree with many of the ideas offered and thought it might be beneficial to share with you here.

*This post may contain affiliate links which means I do receive a small commission at no cost to you – thank you for supporting my blog & my family!*

It seems to have been winter for about three years, but Springtime is finally upon us. With it, comes some wonderful things. The celebration of Easter and the chocolates that go with it, new flowers, flowering buds and gorgeous green grass. The fresh springtime smells that accompany them, as the lawns are mowed for the first time this season. Lighter evenings and earlier mornings, warmer weather and brighter sunshine. It’s a glorious time of the year, and with it, often comes an urge to clean.

As the days get brighter, we often feel a need to brighten our homes up. To get rid of all of the clutter and dust that’s amassed over the colder months and start afresh. Cleaning like this can be cathartic. You can feel like you are throwing off your own personal cobwebs as you put all of your energies into cleaning, getting rid of any winter depression you may have felt and looking forward to a fantastic summer ahead. A good Spring clean is brilliant, for your home and for your soul. But, it’s hard to know where to start. Especially if you live in a larger home, have pets or kids.

Declutter

It’s a great idea to start with a huge declutter. This way, there’s less to clean or to move out while you do it. With less clutter, your home immediately looks brighter and tidier, and your job seems less daunting. Although, decluttering can itself be pretty overwhelming if you haven’t done it in a while (if ever!).

So, go room to room. Start with a plan, and follow it, instead of just walking around randomly throwing things out. If that still feels a bit much, break it down further. Clear your dining table or a shelving unit, then take a step back and appreciate the results of your hard work. This will make the next section seem easier.

As you are decluttering, you may want to consider using the Marie Kondo method or having a go at Swedish death cleaning. Both of which center around getting rid of anything that doesn’t make your life easier or bring you joy. Sort everything you are getting rid of into piles to donate, to recycle, to sell and to toss.

Clean

There’s a space in-between decluttering and getting rid of all of your unwanted stuff, and organizing what’s left. This is the perfect time to clean. It’s the best time to move furniture around and out of rooms, without worrying about disrupting your newly found order. So, do it. Again, working room at a time, clear everything that you can out. Hoover underneath all of your furniture, dust behind shelving units and on ceilings, scrub your baseboards and even give your walls a fresh coat of paint where necessary. Make sure you open windows while you work to let some wonderful springtime air in.

Then, tackle all those jobs that you know should be done, that you never get around to. Things like taking your duvets to the dry cleaners, steam cleaning your furniture cushions and curtains, shampooing your carpets, washing your shower curtain and pillows, and cleaning out your cupboards. You’ll probably find more things that need throwing away or replacing while you work.

Organize

Now, your home is clean and decluttered; you’ve painted the walls that needed it and completed any deep cleaning jobs. You’ve let some fresh air in and your home feels cleaner. But, you need to start putting everything back. Fortunately, there’s less of it and what there is, is clean.

Look at your rooms, do they need any new furniture or storage? Do you need to check out probably the best kids bed guide? Or do you want to move things around? Do you need some clever storage to make the most of a smaller room? This is the best time to do all of these things or at least write yourself a list of anything new that you want to buy, or things that need replacing throughout the year. Then, start putting all of your furniture back in, making sure everything left after your declutter has a home.

Don’t feel like you have to do all of this in one go. That would be almost impossible, and you’d struggle to live in your home with furniture all over the place. Tackle one room at a time. Declutter it, empty and clean it, and then organize it. When it’s done, move on to the next room, taking your time. It might well take months to complete your home, but it will be worth it!