Spring cleaning?

Question

Any good ideas for spring cleaning?

Answer 1

I may go to the extreme for spring cleaning, but it works for me. Not that I wait until spring cleaning to do everything, but I'm just listing it altogether.

I do the chores I don't mind doing first, and save the harder stuff for later. I don't do one room at a time then move on to the next...I do one chore at a time. If I dust - I dust every room - including mini blinds, ceiling fans, light fixtures, baseboards, pictures, etc. Then all the dusting is done. Then I vacuum - every room, moving furniture out the way as I go. I continue in this manner for all the chores so I don't have to lug cleaning supplies or the vacuum from room to room, pausing along the way. I'll clean all the curtains, bedspreads, and rugs.

After all the 'general' cleaning is done, I go through my belongings to see what needs to be thrown away or given to charity. I'll go through our clothes seeing what fits, what doesn't, what we haven't worn in a year, etc. I go through my kitchen cabinets and give away dishes that don't match, (somethings sometimes get left behind from parties), then to the linen closet to get rid of towels that are ripped or too ragged for bath use, and move them to the garage for rags. I go through my daughter's toy box to see what she hasn't played with in a while, or has outgrown, and give those away. I'll go through books and donate what I can to the library. I go through magazines that have been piling up, tear out what I want to keep and recycle the rest.

I also go through the medicine cabinet, and toss expired prescriptions. I'll go through my make-up and toss out anything too old, as well as old bottles of shampoo and hairspray, with just a drop in them.

I'll go through the pantry, fridge and freezer, tossing expired items, including spices. I also put vinegar through the coffee pot for a good cleaning. I'll clean the coils on the fridge as well.

I also purge my files, shredding and tossing bills that more than a year old, older files no longer used. I'll even get on my computer, and delete files and 'favorite links' that are no longer used, and do a scan disk and defrag while I'm at it.

I'm always collecting recipes, so I'll go through each, seeing what no longer appeals to me, then take the stack I'm keeping and transfer them to our recipe box. I do the same with photos that have accumulated - putting them in albums where they belong.

I'll go through my jewelry box and see what can be tossed - some costume jewelry that's 'turned' and can't be cleaned, broken jewelry, etc. I'll also go through my purse, cleaning it out as well.

For purging/organizing, I do one room at a time. I go through everything - taking it all out to see what can be tossed, then try to reorganize it so it fits better or is more appealing. Lots of places in the kitchen and bathroom cabinets have things just thrown in, so I try to reorganize it all to have more room and make it more efficient.

The last thing to tackle is the garage and storage sheds - general cleaning, organizing, and tossing old items. We'll even wash, wax, vacuum and clean out the cars during spring cleaning week. Everything we own is included.

For some jobs, I'll set a timer, (as listed in another answer), and for others, members of the family will put out of the 'job jar' to see who's doing what next. Sometimes we can talk the extended family or friends to come over to help in exchange for helping them do their house. This saves on time, and is more fun.

Answer 2

Here's how I do it.

Say you have a closet that has a ton of stuff in it that you can barley walk in and it needs to be cleaned follow these steps.

Empty the entire closet. If you haven't used, don't need, or will never use it in 6 months time it needs to go. Throw it away or donate it to good will/salvation army.

Then put it all back in an organized manner. Try alphabetic ordering or putting things in bins with labels.

Then keep everything together and ordered. When you take things out put it back where it went. That way you'll stay organized for the year.

Answer 3

I live by my lists of things to do. I make a list for the day of regular things like dishes, laundry, dinner, etc. Then I have a list of major things I have to do like cleaning the grout in all the tiles, clean the ceiling fans, windows, curtains, etc.
I try to do 2 things a week off of the major jobs. That way you know you're getting somewhere, I feel like i'm accomplishing stuff when I see i've crossed off things.
You'll never get it done in one day, unless you don't have kids, then you maybe can dedicate a whole weekend, crank up the music and clean house. Alist will help you either way to not forget anything and get it all done.

Answer 4

Maintaining your dream house neat and clean might be difficult to do it on your own. Especially in spring when the moisture is more, cleaning your home gets even more complicated. Hence, it is better if you hire the reliable cleaning services from Sweep Cleaning which has satisfied many customers and other part of the state.

Answer 5

If I could I'd hire a maid..better yet, a team of maids!!

If that's out of the question, get everyone in the household to pitch in and go through closets, behind fridge and stove, under beds, basically everywhere that doesn't get cleaned regularly. In my case, I have 2 dogs and 4 cats and fur gets EVERYWHERE! I am planning a full out cleaning weekend this weekend and since it's just me and my hubby here, we have LOTS of work to do! I hate cleaning but I love a clean house so I'll force myself to work hard and git-er-done! Good luck!!

Answer 6

Get a timer. Set it for fifteen minutes. Focus on one room and one room only, but don't stop for that fifteen minutes. After completing the first fifteen minutes, take fifteen minutes for yourself (set that timer again!) Next, set your timer for five minutes. In that five minutes, gather up everything that can be recycled, donated to your favorite charity or thrown away. You will be amazed at what you can get rid of in five minutes. Now take five minutes for yourself (it's only fair). Now set your timer for three minutes, attack that file pile you have, you can get an amazing amount filed in three minutes. You know the drill, take three minutes for yourself.

Repeat as necessary, but no more than five times a day.

If you do this every day for a week or so you will be amazed at how effortlessly the house cleans, without making your crazy.

Most important though, get rid of the clutter...it makes all the cleaning so much easier.

Answer 7

get a basket
2 trash bags

start in 1 room things that go in another room that you want to keep put in basket

use the trash bags(maybe different colors or label them)
1 for trash 1 for give away

clean room from top to bottom go through every thing
even run sweeper hose down in couch

if possible unzip couch cushions stick in fabric softener sheet for freshness that says for a while

if it hasn't been touched or wore in 6 months- 1 years get rid of it if your not using it no use to keep the clutter

organize while cleaning plastic totes help out alot with this

go through old make up

even those (junk) drawers if you have one i do

good luck

Answer 8

My thing is to finish this room, before I start on that room. Everything in the kitchen--wiping down the counters and appliances and even the refrigerator--gets done before I start dusting off the ceiling fan or refluffing the cushions on the couch in the living room. Don't work on two rooms at a time. Once you're done with this room, take a break before starting on that room.

Answer 9

I would sugggest you the company Sunny Cleanq which is situated in London, they offer such a service as Spring Cleaning.

Answer 10

i did mine on the first sunny day (there is still alot of snow on the ground to melt) and i opened all the windows in my house, then i packed all my cleaning gear into a bucket and got to it. i also break out my shop vac to get all the pet hair that migrates underneath my heavy furniture and along the walls (it has been a long winter with 2 dogs in the house!) i also wash my walls,windows,baseboards and my drapes. i play my music really loud and sing as i work. i also make little goals like if i am done all my windows and walls by lunchtime i will take myself out for lunch somewhere to get a break before returning to my house to finish or if i dont feel like stopping i will plan a nice pedi/mani spa day as a reward for my hard work