The birds are chirping, the lakes are melting, and the sun is shining bright; spring time has finally arrived (thankfully)! That means it's time to put away those heavy sweaters, clunky boots, and billowing blankets to prepare for bright colors, flowers, the warmth of the sun and some fresh air.
It's time to come out of hibernation and clean up the cave you've been living in the last few wintry months. This time of year people want to freshen up their home and begin with spring cleaning. Even though it can seem like a daunting task, a little bit goes a long way! Here are my 4 tips to getting your spring cleaning process rolling:
1. You're Out
The less "stuff" you have, the less you have to clean up, right? Spring cleaning is the perfect time to donate or toss out any items you haven't used in a while. Unless you've used those 1998 Taste Of Home magazine recipes, get rid of them. You won't cover a tupperware container with a missing lid with cling wrap, stop pushing it to the back of the cupboard and toss it. Grabbing a dried out pen when you're trying to take a message is getting old isn't it? Get rid of anything that is chipped, broken, dead or dried out.
2. Air Care
If you're like me, I'm anxious to open my windows and let a fresh floral scented spring breeze blow through my home. Before you open everything up, consider taking care of the air that's already in your home. Did some dust settle on your ceiling fan blades? Instead of brushing it off and having it fall everywhere, put an older pillowcase around the blade, to help catch and contain any falling debris. Remove, vacuum and wash your air vent covers with hot soapy water to prevent any additional dust from blowing around your home.
3. Shake it off
It's truly amazing how much dust can collect, it's also amazing that there are no limitations to where dust can and will collect! You may think, nah, I dust once a month I'm good. Use this time to thoroughly dust everything, clear your shelves and totally wipe them down. Your walls and baseboards are not immune to dust either. Place an older t shirt over your dry Swiffer or sponge mop and wipe your walls. You'll be amazed at the little things that stick to your what you thought were clean walls. Using a dryer sheet to dust off your base boards will help trap dust and help prevent it from sticking next time.
4. Kitchen Aid
One luxury of the warmer months is you can cook outdoors, which means during the winter (unless you're grilling in your snowsuit) you're stuck cooking indoors and your kitchen has probably taken a beating. While I have no doubt that you regularly clean your kitchen, there are a few spots I bet you haven't cleaned recently. Take your dishes out of the cabinets and give those suckers a good wipe down. There's no point of properly cleaning your dishes to put them on a dirty shelf! Clean out your silverware draw and kitchen utensil container. You'll probably be surprised by the amount of crumbs and food remnants you'll find in these high traffic spots. You can thank me later.
Cleaning your home is not only a great way to welcome spring, it helps keep your home healthy. Caring for your home and keeping up with the cleaning can help improve your home's resale value and make the dreadful packing process easier if you're about to move. Is your case of spring fever encouraging you to think about buying a new home, give me a call!
