My Not So Spring Cleaning Tasks
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While we are waiting for the official arrival of spring, now is the time to plan your spring cleaning tasks. While I’m a not a once a year spring cleaning cleaner, I’m sharing the tasks I do once a month in each room.
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What do I mean I’m not a once a year deep cleaner? I like to keep my spring days open for fun like fishing and antiquing than to be worrying about cleaning. Once a month, I take a room and deep clean it from top to bottom. Most rooms only take one day, but there have been times I cleaned more than two days in a room. With my once a month schedule, clutter and grime have a hard time sticking around.
No matter when you do your spring cleaning or how often, it is best to have plan and stick with it. Don't let the mess overwhelm you, remember the little quote, "Slow and steady wins the race". Depending on your home,work life, and schedule, cleaning every day for a week maybe out of the question. Find a schedule that works for you. What works for me don't always work for others. Test the waters on timing and methods while cleaning as you find what works.
Kitchen – the heart of the home. When it is in a disarray our lives can become stressful.
Clear all surfaces. Starting at the top, working your way down clean everything inside and out: cabinets, drawers, and appliances. Don’t forget the walls, crown molding, windows, and baseboards If you are short on counter space, consider removing small appliances that are not used enough. Free up space by bringing out the appliance when ready to use helps in keeping a look of clutter down.
Now’s the time to go through your storage bowls. Missing lids, or bowls with no lids, toss and replace them. Do you have a cabinet full of Great Aunt Eliza’s dishes and milk glass that hasn’t seen the light of day in a good long while? Consider selling or donating it. There’s no reason in keeping a cabinet full of dishes that will never be used.
Don’t forget to clean the pantry. Throw out any out of date or stale foods. Wipe down the cabinets and walls. When you’re ready to put everything back, organize your shelves. It’s much easier to find needed items when you are not searching through a wall of potato chip bags out in front.
If you don't do a weekly cleaning of the refrigerator and freezer, now's the time to deep clean it.
Sweep and mop.
Dining Room / Living-Family Room / Bedrooms -
Clear all surfaces. Remove and launder curtains, bedspreads, pillows. If any mending is needed, now’s the time to take care of it. Wipe down everything, don’t forget the windows. Any drawers piling up with those “I don’t know what to do with it”, go through them and toss any junk. Vacuum/ damp mop dust, and sweep floors.
Go through clothes drawers and closets. Donate out grown, or no longer worn clothes and shoes.
Ceiling fans can be cleaned by using a pillowcase. Place a blade inside the case and wipe good. The pillow case will catch all the dust build up. Take the pillowcase outdoors to shake out the dust.
Clean the walls, and vacuum/sweep yourself out of the rooms.
Bathrooms -
Take down curtains, shower curtains, guest towels and washcloths and launder them. If your plastic shower curtain liner is in good condition and only needs cleaning, pop it in the washer with the other items and clean it. Be sure to hang it up to dry.
Throw away any old soap scraps, shampoo bottles, out dated makeup and toothpaste.
Get rid of any raggedy towels and washcloths. In fact, you can turn these into house cleaning rags to use and then toss. Go through your cleaning supplies and toss out the old, don’t forget about your toilet brush, replace it if needed.
When cleaning the bathroom, start with the mirror and sink, move on to the shower/tub and then finish up with the toilet before sweeping and mopping the floor.
Laundry Room-
Clear off all the surfaces. Wash down walls and windows. Now’s a good time to clean the inside of your washer according to the manufacturer instructions. While most know to clean out the vent on the inside of the dryer, don’t forget about the vent hose that leads outside your house. When that hose is not kept clean it makes your dryer work even harder at drying clothes. It’s also a fire hazard if you’re not careful.
You’ll need a strong arm and back to help you move the washer and dryer out so you can clean behind and underneath them. It’s amazing what can be found hidden behind them when we go looking.
If your laundry room also acts as a storage room, don’t forget to go through the stored items and clear out any clutter.
No matter when you do your spring cleaning or how often, it is best to have plan and stick with it. Don't let the mess overwhelm you, remember the little quote, "Slow and steady wins the race". Depending on your home,work life, and schedule, cleaning every day for a week maybe out of the question. Find a schedule that works for you. What works for me don't always work for others. Test the waters on timing and methods while cleaning as you find what works.
My Not So Spring Cleaning Tasks
Kitchen – the heart of the home. When it is in a disarray our lives can become stressful.
Clear all surfaces. Starting at the top, working your way down clean everything inside and out: cabinets, drawers, and appliances. Don’t forget the walls, crown molding, windows, and baseboards If you are short on counter space, consider removing small appliances that are not used enough. Free up space by bringing out the appliance when ready to use helps in keeping a look of clutter down.
Now’s the time to go through your storage bowls. Missing lids, or bowls with no lids, toss and replace them. Do you have a cabinet full of Great Aunt Eliza’s dishes and milk glass that hasn’t seen the light of day in a good long while? Consider selling or donating it. There’s no reason in keeping a cabinet full of dishes that will never be used.
Don’t forget to clean the pantry. Throw out any out of date or stale foods. Wipe down the cabinets and walls. When you’re ready to put everything back, organize your shelves. It’s much easier to find needed items when you are not searching through a wall of potato chip bags out in front.
If you don't do a weekly cleaning of the refrigerator and freezer, now's the time to deep clean it.
Sweep and mop.
Dining Room / Living-Family Room / Bedrooms -
Clear all surfaces. Remove and launder curtains, bedspreads, pillows. If any mending is needed, now’s the time to take care of it. Wipe down everything, don’t forget the windows. Any drawers piling up with those “I don’t know what to do with it”, go through them and toss any junk. Vacuum/ damp mop dust, and sweep floors.
Go through clothes drawers and closets. Donate out grown, or no longer worn clothes and shoes.
Ceiling fans can be cleaned by using a pillowcase. Place a blade inside the case and wipe good. The pillow case will catch all the dust build up. Take the pillowcase outdoors to shake out the dust.
Clean the walls, and vacuum/sweep yourself out of the rooms.
Bathrooms -
Take down curtains, shower curtains, guest towels and washcloths and launder them. If your plastic shower curtain liner is in good condition and only needs cleaning, pop it in the washer with the other items and clean it. Be sure to hang it up to dry.
Throw away any old soap scraps, shampoo bottles, out dated makeup and toothpaste.
Get rid of any raggedy towels and washcloths. In fact, you can turn these into house cleaning rags to use and then toss. Go through your cleaning supplies and toss out the old, don’t forget about your toilet brush, replace it if needed.
When cleaning the bathroom, start with the mirror and sink, move on to the shower/tub and then finish up with the toilet before sweeping and mopping the floor.
Laundry Room-
Clear off all the surfaces. Wash down walls and windows. Now’s a good time to clean the inside of your washer according to the manufacturer instructions. While most know to clean out the vent on the inside of the dryer, don’t forget about the vent hose that leads outside your house. When that hose is not kept clean it makes your dryer work even harder at drying clothes. It’s also a fire hazard if you’re not careful.
You’ll need a strong arm and back to help you move the washer and dryer out so you can clean behind and underneath them. It’s amazing what can be found hidden behind them when we go looking.
If your laundry room also acts as a storage room, don’t forget to go through the stored items and clear out any clutter.
Dollar Tree has all your cleaning needs. And they're only a dollar, you can't beat that!
Porch / Patio / Deck -
Make this area look inviting even if it is not warm enough to enjoy yet. Sweep away any dust and cobwebs and wipe down the light fixtures. Check the doormat, does it still look nice or does it need replacing? If it’s warm enough, set out some plants. If not, look into artificial plants and flowers to bring about that touch of spring. Depending on how late your threat for winter weather is you can set out your patio furniture or cushions to offer that homey feeling.
Have you missed any of my posts about cleaning? You can catch up HERE.
What does your spring cleaning list look like?
Porch / Patio / Deck -
Make this area look inviting even if it is not warm enough to enjoy yet. Sweep away any dust and cobwebs and wipe down the light fixtures. Check the doormat, does it still look nice or does it need replacing? If it’s warm enough, set out some plants. If not, look into artificial plants and flowers to bring about that touch of spring. Depending on how late your threat for winter weather is you can set out your patio furniture or cushions to offer that homey feeling.
Have you missed any of my posts about cleaning? You can catch up HERE.
What does your spring cleaning list look like?
