Do you ever get that feeling in early spring when the sun starts to shine, and you finally feel its warmth around you as you walk outside? The birds are singing around the house and the bare trees are starting to fill with green leaves? Nothing feels better on those days, than breathing that same new life into your home with a deep spring clean. Before you open your windows to let in that fresh spring air, you have to clean them first!
Setting aside time each year to deep clean your home is important to keep your home healthy, organized, and happy. Through spring cleaning, you can remove dust, mold, and mildew before it becomes an issue. But where do you start? It can feel overwhelming. Not to mention, tiring and time-consuming. Most people avoid spring cleaning simply because they don’t know where to begin. For many people, the pleasure comes only after the cleaning is finished. Everyone can agree that nothing feels quite as satisfying as coming home to a house that sparkles. Cleaning your home may never be easy, but you can make the project more manageable – and even enjoyable. Check out our comprehensive spring-cleaning checklist below and get your entire family involved.
Spring Cleaning Checklist:
Entryway
- Sweep floors
- Mop floors
- Wipe walls
- Wipe baseboards
- Clean door
- Clean doormat
- Organize shoes
- Hang jackets
Kitchen
- Clean stovetop
- Clean oven
- Clean microwave
- Clean refrigerator
- Wipe drawers and shelves in refrigerator and freezer
- Defrost freezer
- Discard old or expired food in pantry, refrigerator, and freezer
- Clear countertops
- Degrease cabinet doors and backsplash
- remove items from cabinets and thoroughly dust inside
- clean refrigerator seal
- Dust top of high surfaces including the refrigerator
- Deodorize and degrease the kitchen drain
- Wash dish rags and clean sponges
- Wipe walls
- Wipe down baseboards
- Mop floors
- Shake out rugs
- Clean rugs
Dining room
- Dust china in china cabinet
- Wash table linens
- Polish silver
- Dust and clean furniture
- Vacuum or spot clean chair cushions
- Wipe walls
- Clean blinds
- Clean curtain rods
- Clean window sills
- Wash windows
- Clean or vacuum curtains
- Mop or vacuum floor
- Shampoo rugs or carpet
Bathroom
- Throw away expired personal care products and makeup
- Bring old medications to a drop-off site
- Clean makeup brushes
- Clean vanity
- Wipe mirror
- Clean shower and bathtub
- Clean showerhead
- Replace shower curtain liner
- Scrub tile grout
- Clean toilet
- Clean hardware
- Sweep floors
- Clean floors
- Wipe walls
- Wipe baseboards
Laundry Room
- Clean washing machine
- Clean dryer vent
- Clean lint trap
- Organize and refill laundry supplies
- Wipe walls
- Wipe baseboards
- Mop floors
Bedrooms
- Wipe baseboards
- Dust/polish furniture
- Go through and donate unused clothing
- Organize closets
- Wash bedding including sheets, pillows, duvets, and bed skirts
- Vacuum carpets
- Sweep floors
- Flip mattress
- Clean windows
- Clean rugs or carpets
Living Room
- Dust furniture
- Wash blankets and pillows
- Vacuum sofa and chairs
- Clean windows
- Clean window sills
- Clean ceiling fans
- Dust electronics
- Dust and clean lamp shades
- Dust and clean décor
- Sanitize remote controls
- Mop or vacuum floors
Kids’ Playroom
- Sanitize plastic toys with soap and water
- Wash stuffed animals and soft toys
- Donate unused toys
- Organize toys and play areas
- Mop or vacuum floors
- Wash rugs or carpets
Office
- Recycle unneeded paperwork
- Dust and clean furniture
- Clean bookshelf
- Clean electronics
- Sanitize keyboard and mouse
Garage
- Declutter tools, sporting equipment, and toys
- Open up garage door to air out the space
- Wipe down walls
- Sweep floor
- Clean garage door
- Clean garage door frame
- Replace batteries in all garage door openers
- Clean windows
Entire Home
- Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
- Replace air filters as needed
- Clean air vents/registers
- Clean light fixtures
- Place light bulbs
- Sanitize door handles
- Sanitize light switches
Once you’ve read through the checklist, tailor the list to your home and family. Whether you prefer to begin from the attic to the basement or start outdoors and wind your way inside, create a realistic and achievable schedule. Focus on one task at a time, keeping in mind that a single weekend won’t suffice. You’ll need several days for more involved projects, such as shampooing carpets and organizing closets. Short on time? Try focusing on one room per week or consider hiring a professional cleaning service of course! Write your cleaning goals down on a calendar, which each day or week focused on a different area of the house. This will keep you moving from room to room and tackling a few projects each day will ensure you stay motivated. Be sure to get the entire family involved.
Restock Your Cleaning Supplies
Before you begin, make sure you are stocked with your must-have cleaning supplies. When it comes to natural cleaners, baking soda, white vinegar, and Castile soap are essentials you can use to clean nearly any spot in your house. A microfiber mop works great cleaning vinyl, wood, linoleum, laminate, marble, stone, and ceramic tile – find one that is machine washable as a bonus! Make sure to also stock up on sponges and reusable spray bottles to make most cleaning jobs easier. You’ll also want to make sure you have your favorite dishwashing detergent and all-purpose cleanser, or make your favorite DIY solution.
Prepare Some Boxes
It is a wise idea to prepare some boxes before you begin cleaning. Here is what you need:
- Box 1: Repair. While you’re cleaning and organizing, you will come across items that need to be repaired or fixed. Place these items in a box until you’re ready to get them fixed. Don’t let repairs sidetrack you until you’re done cleaning.
- Box 2: Donate. Anything you want to donate or consign goes in these boxes. If the items won’t fit into a box (e.g., a television), then keep a running list of them.
- Box 3: Put-Away Box. Don’t stop decluttering drawers to go put something away in its proper place. Instead, place them temporarily in a ‘put away’ box. Once you’re done with that drawer or area, take that box and return everything you found in the correct place.
- Box 4: Trash. Sometimes there is nothing more satisfying than going through drawers and getting rid of things you haven’t seen or used in years. Keep a bag or box near you at all times to help free up space around your home by getting rid of things you no longer use or need.
If you need some extra inspiration, run to YouTube and see what others are doing to refresh their homes. Happy Cleaning!
