I don’t know about you, but every year around this time, I get a bad case of
spring fever. I can’t wait to
open the windows,
letting the sunshine, fresh air, and sound of birds singing permeate
our home. I like to have the inside of my house spring-cleaned before
the calendar tells me spring has arrived. That way, once the end of
March rolls around, we can concentrate on spring cleaning the outside of
our home, yard, and garage.
When you start is up to you, but in just
nineteen days, your home can be completely
clean, decorated, and ready for spring!
Whether you are a domestic diva or don’t know a duster from a
dishcloth, I hope you can take something away from how we spring clean
our home. Not sure how to clean or organize something? Just visit me on
Pinterest! You will find all kinds of information: how to make your own furniture polish, how to
organize your kitchen, and how to clean your blinds, ceiling fan, couch,
washer & dryer, dishwasher, the filter in your stove’s hood, deep
clean your bathroom, and more!
Day 1. In my experience, any successful cleaning spree starts with
clutter control!
So, take a garbage bag and quickly go through every room in your house.
Anything that needs to be thrown away, throw away! Last week’s
newspaper, that drawer full of old makeup, junk mail, those shoes that
should have been retired a year ago, the sweater that’s beyond repair,
the bag in your teenager‘s room from last night‘s fast food run…fill up
that garbage bag! Now you’re going to take a box or a bag and find 25
more things to either give away or throw away…the pile of sweaters you
never wear anymore, the jeans that don’t fit or went out of style in the
80’s, the old toaster you have stashed away as a backup, the old books
or magazines you’re never going to read again. 25 things. It’s really
easy, and your house will start to breathe again. I love a good
challenge, and after finding my first 25 items, I usually find a bunch
more! It feels so good! I encourage you to have your kids do this as
well. Maybe start small with them and have them put 5 things in the
giveaway box. Or maybe 10. Make it a game and see who can fill up their
box the fastest! The only rule: don’t overthink anything. If you have to
think about it, it doesn’t mean as much to you as maybe you thought it
did. Once you’re finished, you will want to remove those items from your
home right away! Don’t let them hang out in the garage or next to the
front door or in the coat closet. Out they go!
While you’re out, pick up any
cleaning supplies you don’t have on hand, or the ingredients to make them. {We use non-toxic cleaners in our home.}
Day 2. Entryway/Foyer:
clean out and organize the coat closet. Wipe down the closet door. Wipe
down walls, trim, and baseboards if dirty or dusty. Wipe down light
switch(es). Sweep and mop floor. Clean light fixture.
Day 3. Clean all
blinds and window treatments in your living and dining rooms; clean any mirrors and picture frames you have on display…anything with
glass. No sense in getting the glass cleaner out repeatedly!
Day 4. Dust
living and dining rooms from the top down: ceiling fans, ceilings &
walls, baseboards, and woodwork; clean TV, electronics, and remotes;
dust shelves, mantles, tables, other wood furniture, decorations, lamps,
etc.
Still working in just the living and dining rooms, clean all doors,
doorknobs, light switches, and fingerprints/scuffmarks on walls. Get out
the touch-up paint and take care of any places that need to be touched
up.
Clean out and vacuum the couch and other
upholstered furniture. Vacuum, or sweep and mop, the floors in your living and dining rooms, moving all the furniture.
Go through any drawers, cabinets, etc. and organize your belongings, getting rid of anything you no longer need or use.
Day 5. Time to tackle the
pantry! Remove everything from your
pantry.
Throw away anything that is expired or questionable. Wipe down the
shelves. Put in new shelf-liner if you’d like! If you have a walk-in
pantry, give the walls a scrubbing if they need it, and make sure the
ceiling is free of cobwebs. Wipe down the baseboards, sweep and mop the
floor. Now it’s time to get organized and put everything back! I just
LOVE an organized pantry! All the veggies in one place, all the
breakfast items in another, all the pasta in another, etc., etc. If you
have cleaning and miscellaneous supplies in your pantry, those get
organized, too. Two half-empty bottles of the same cleaner? Combine
them, and recycle the extra container. Cleaning rags that should’ve been
thrown out long ago? Time to bid them farewell. You get the idea! This
is the time I would also clean up my vacuum and disinfect my mop.
Day 6. Today we are working on our
refrigerator/freezer!
Start by getting rid of expired items and forgotten “science
experiments” if you have any. This is definitely the time to have the
dishwasher empty and ready to clean any dishes you may be taking out.
Now get some hot, soapy water and clean the refrigerator shelves,
followed by wiping down the inside walls and door(s). Just like with the
pantry, organize as you put items back. Salad dressings go on one
shelf; condiments on another, etc. While you’re cleaning the inside,
make sure you are cleaning the seal and any crevices carefully. Things
like to hide in there if you aren’t careful to keep it clean. Now that
the outside is clean, clear off the outside—remove magnets, notes,
artwork, and anything else that may be there. Wipe down all sides of the
fridge, including the top! Carefully move the fridge away from the wall
(careful if you have a water line!) and clear away any dust bunnies
that have accumulated. Now is a good time to sweep and wipe down the
floor back there before pushing it back up to the wall. Be selective in
what you place on top and on the doors and side of your refrigerator.
Clutter makes it look untidy, even if it’s the cleanest fridge on the block! {For ideas on how to organize your fridge, click
HERE.}
Day 7. Thoroughly clean the
microwave, dishwasher, and all small appliances like the toaster and coffee maker. Next, clean the
oven/stove.
{I personally do not use the chemical sprays in mine. I don’t like the
fumes, and it’s just not a very safe method. Also remember not to use
chemical cleaners in your microwave.}
Day 8. Clean your
kitchen cabinets.
Take everything (yes, EVERYTHING) out of your cabinets and put them on
your table or kitchen island. Use hot, soapy water (or the cleaner of
your choice) to clean the insides of your cabinets. Then take a clean
towel to wipe them dry. Put in new shelf liner if you wish. Throw out
all the things you never use. (How many empty whipped cream containers
does one need anyway?) Then put everything back, organizing as you go.
On to the kitchen drawers. Follow the same procedure for cleaning the
cabinets. Be very selective in what you choose to put back in the
drawers. A place for everything and everything in its place. Make that
your mantra, and you won’t have a junk drawer.
Day 9. Now that the insides of our cabinets and drawers are clean and organized, we are going to focus on the
outsides.
Get some hot, soapy water to clean them. Don’t forget the top of your
cabinets and any decor that’s up there! Dry with a clean towel. And to
really make a difference, use your favorite oil or furniture polish to
make them shine! Once you’re finished with that, take the time to wipe
down your walls & switch plates. Use touch up paint if needed.
Lastly, dust wallhangings and other decor.
Day 10. Time to make those windows and patio doors
sparkle!
We are cleaning the windows, blinds, and window treatments today.
(*Hint: crumpled up newspaper works like magic to shine those windows!)
Then, move on to the sink and make it shine! I like to disinfect mine
with bleach water. {One of the few times you will see me use a chemical
cleaner in our home.} Then I rinse it out very, very well before
freshening up my garbage disposal.
Clean kitchen light fixtures and replace bulbs if need be. Next, wipe
down your counters. Move on to the baseboards, then sweep and mop. (I
get down on my hands and knees and give the floor a
good scrubbing since we’re deep cleaning.)
Today is also a good day to clean out your garbage can, inside and out. Recycling bin if you have one in the house, too.
Day 11. Break out those rubber gloves…we’re deep cleaning the
bathrooms
today! This is an important day, I kid you not. A pristine powder room
is a must! Every single surface gets cleaned, from the sink and toilet,
to the bathtub and mirror, to the floors, walls, and baseboards. Look up
at your fan. It’s likely that needs to be cleaned as well.
Day 12. Today, we are showing our
master bedroom
some love. Start by stripping the bed of all linens, including the
mattress cover. Throw them in the washing machine so it can work while
we work. Next, take down your window treatments and blinds. Wash your
blinds. Wash your window treatments once your bedding is done.
If there’s anything on your floor, or clutter on your dresser or
nightstand, pick it up and put it away. We don’t want to clean around
“stuff.” Once everything is picked up and organized, we’ll move on to
dusting.
Dust your ceiling fan if you have one. Then dust the furniture,
lamps, clocks, and decor. Wipe down walls, light switches, trim, and
baseboards. Clean your light fixture, then wash the windows and mirrors.
(My husband and I agreed not to have a television in our bedroom, but
if you have one, now is the time to clean it. Don’t forget to clean your
remote, too!)
Before making your bed, clean and flip your mattress. Very important
step! Vacuum (be sure to move your furniture!) or sweep and mop if you
have hardwood. Then, make your bed, taking the time to make it look
nice!
Now let’s clean those closets! When you’re done, put your window
treatments back up. You now have your own private retreat to relax in at
the end of a long day.
Day 13. Moving on to
bedroom #2… Since you’ve mastered the master bedroom, you’ll know what to do for the other bedrooms in your home!
Day 14. Bedrooms #3 & 4 are next. (If you don’t have a 3rd or 4th bedroom, you can catch up on anything you’ve missed, or take a well-deserved
day off.)
Day 15. If Mt. Washmore has formed in your
laundry room, today is the day to catch up. Wash, dry, fold or hang, put away, and repeat until
Washmore is
no
more. Then, it’s time to clean, clean, clean! Laundry rooms can quickly
become dusty, cluttered messes if you don’t take care of them. Toss old
detergent and fabric softener containers, and clear away any clutter. I
like everything to look pretty, so I use baskets to hide unpretty
things and a glass container for my homemade laundry soap. I’m so
blessed to have my grandma’s big wicker laundry basket, as well. It
makes doing laundry more pleasant. Special even.
Let’s move on to the deep cleaning. By now, you are a pro at this!
You know the drill… wiping down shelves, walls, light fixtures, etc.
Just save the floor for last, because I have a couple projects for you
to do first…cleaning your washer and dryer.
All done? Ok, NOW you can clean the baseboard and floors. {P.S. That homemade laundry detergent I mentioned…you can find it
HERE. Check it out! I will never go back to my old favorite. It’s that awesome.}
Day 16. We are deep cleaning the
craft room and/or
office
today, just as we’ve done in the other rooms of our homes. And it’s
time to get our paper and craft clutter supplies under control. Remember
your mantra: “A place for everything, and everything in its place.” It
is the key to organization! Use baskets and decorative boxes whenever
you can, and your home will not only be organized, but beautiful, too.
Day 17. Spend today in the
basement,
cleaning and organizing. For me, this means washing windows, dusting,
cleaning walls, floors, and stairs, organizing shelves, and cleaning
exercise equipment.
Day 18. Clean any additional areas of your house
that haven’t been covered yet. If you don’t have any other rooms, take
the time to go through the house and
touch-up any areas that need it. Now would be a great time to have your carpeting professionally cleaned, as well!
Day 19. Decorate
for spring. This is the fun part! I change out decor, floral
arrangements and wreaths, blankets, candles, etc. My house is
transformed from a cozy winter retreat to a light, fresh home that says “
spring.”
Happy cleaning!
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