After a winter season (especially with the year we’ve all had) it seems like Spring could not come soon enough. The smell of fresh flowers, the warmer breeze and an increase in sunshine hours gets us feeling like we’re ready to tackle the year ahead.
However, before opening your windows and enjoying more time under the sun, there’s a daunting task you may want to embark on — spring cleaning! Getting all those nooks and crannies deep cleaned, and ridding the home of any signs of dust is easier said than done! Even for cleaning pros, this can be difficult, with so many things that need to be done.
Spring cleaning can be very stressful and time-consuming, (let’s be honest, a lot of people would rather spend their time on other things) but fret not! We’re right here to help you. We’ve compiled some of the best steps and hacks to help you get your house looking and feeling great for those warmer days!
Get the list ready — and be specific!
Like with any other things, having a checklist is a lifesaver! It keeps you on track of all the things you need to do and all the tasks you’ve done. So with a deep clean on the way, this is the perfect time to crack out a pen and paper.
As a pro-tip, always keep the list as specific as possible! Cleaning out your box of memories or throwing your worn-out Christmas tree is never too trivial. Trust us — when the cleaning gets hectic, we’re sure you’ll forget these things, so write them all down.
As much as possible, I do an overall scan of the house beforehand. This makes it easier to identify which ones I need to do, as my head isn’t preoccupied. This also lets me know if there are some things I need to buy like a mop, gloves, or broomstick to help me clean.
Declutter over and over again
When decluttering, once isn’t enough! Based on experience, I tend to keep things with me because I feel they hold sentimental value. However they tend to be kept away where I don’t often see them and therefore just building up more clutter. To my surprise — once I go through them, I don’t really need these things at all!
One best hack I do is the ‘six-month rule.’ If I haven’t used the item for the last six months and won’t likely use it for the next six, then it can go! Decluttering can be time-consuming, so it’s recommended to set a separate day just to go through your things.
Once decluttering is complete, sort out which can be donated, recycled, or thrown away. You may not need these items, but they may be highly valuable to someone else.
Set a schedule for cleaning each part of the house
It’s great if you can deep clean the house in one day, but you probably can’t — no matter how hard you try!
Either schedule to clean room by room or group things together. For example, if you’re cleaning room by room, set Saturday for cleaning your kitchen and toilets, and set Sunday for tidying up all the bedrooms.
Or group tasks together. For example, remove all curtains/blinds and clean all windows in every room. You know your place best, so create a schedule that’s personalized for you with the things you need to clean and in what rooms.
Personally, I like to clean my house room by room. This helps me to stay focused on one area and if you get half way decluttering (which turns out to be looking more like a bomb site) then you can shut the door and continue the next day. I also like to start in one corner of the room and make my way around from top to bottom. I used to work on the superyachts and this was a tactic we used to make sure we didn’t miss anything whilst cleaning.
Clean all your appliances inside and out!
Cleaning your house is hard enough, but wait until you start with your appliances! They can be a real pain, especially if you’re trying to clean those hard-to-reach spots or the inside of them. But let me ask you, when was the last time you cleaned the inside of your kettle? Or removed all the breadcrumbs from the bottom of your toaster?
Other items that will have been getting particularly dirty over the winter is your electronic. Be careful what you use on them though, I find a very diluted alcohol mixture with water is more than enough and I use clean microfibre cloth which doesn’t scratch the screen.
Spring time is definitely the time I look at our remotes. Bring back the universal remote (although it was the size of an Ipad) but now there are remotes for everything and with everyone’s sticky fingers touching them over those long winter days watching Netflix, I’m sure they are in need of a good antibacterial clean.
Don’t forget the outdoors too!
Spring cleaning isn’t complete without cleaning the outdoors! There may be some debris like dead leaves and dirt from the Winter or even from last Autumn that’s still hanging in your gutter, vents, filters, and windows.
This is the perfect time to clean them away and have everything looking tip top for those Summer BBQs. Get the broom out and sweep the garden path, trim those hedges and pull out those weeds. If you suffer from allergies, don’t forget to wear a mask! Pollen can be your worst enemy while cleaning!
Cleaning the outdoors (& indoors) can be too much for one person, so don’t hesitate to get some help! After all, you’re not the only one living in the home. Get your kids to pitch in, maybe they can earn some pocket money and of course your significant other to help half the load!
Might as well redecorate your home too!
Already doing spring cleaning? Why not freshen up the space?
It’s the perfect time to change some things around the home — be it quick repainting jobs, rearranging the furniture or making transformation and repurposing projects.
Last Spring, I found a mid century modern Don chair in a thrift store which I got reupholstered (in this amazing plant patterned material) which is where my love of mid century decor began. When spring cleaning I use this time as a chance to rearrange some of my furniture to give the space a fresh new look. Check out the chair on my IG page and let me know what you think of the pattern!
At Alfie & Gem we have timeless pieces that can add a fresh new look to your place. Wanting to add some greenery to your place or perhaps you’ve got yourself a new spring plant? Our mid century plant stand with our handwoven basket can give your space a fresh new look. Or check out our rattan placemats which will be perfect for all those guests over the Summer whilst keeping mess and marks off your tables.
And that’s a wrap! Spring cleaning may be a daunting task at the beginning but you can now face it like a pro with these simple tips. These have been my personal go-to every spring clean so I hope they help you with yours.
What are some hacks you have for a quick and easy spring cleaning? Spill them in the comments below! And while you’re at it, check out our spring cleaning guide from last year too!
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