Spring has sprung, and with it comes a sense of new beginnings, inspiration, and motivation to do the things we’ve been putting off for months. With the winter slumber melting away, now is a great time to revamp, deep clean, and organize the spaces throughout your home. This makes you feel better mentally and can also help with allergies and maintaining your overall health.
Nothing feels more satisfying than organizing a cluttered space and coming home to a squeaky clean home. Though the task may seem daunting, we’ve put together a checklist to help you with your spring cleaning spree.
1.Create a Schedule
Take inventory of your home and the spaces that are calling for attention. We recommend going room by room and inventory of: What areas make you flinch upon looking at it. Are there spaces that are often overlooked during your regular cleanings? These areas should be prioritized and placed at the top of your cleaning list.
Making a list and scheduling your must-clean spaces helps you prioritize and stay focused. Not to mention the gratifying feeling of crossing them off your checklist once you’re done!
2. Declutter + Organize
Having a disorganized and messy home can easily add to a person’s stress level. Decluttering workspaces and areas where you spend the most time in your home, such as a family room, living room and bedrooms, will help you feel calmer and more at ease. And don’t forget about closets and junk drawers that are home to miscellaneous items!
Throughout this step, put things aside that you no longer use, need, or completely forgot you even had. As Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it! You’ll be surprised how much better you’ll feel after letting go of unnecessary items. It can also create space for new things to make their way into your life!
3. Work From Top to Bottom
A pro tip for spring cleaning, or any cleaning, is to start from the ceiling down. This will save you time by preventing debris from falling down to just cleaned floors from up top, and keeping you from having to re-clean.
For example, we recommend starting all areas with the ceiling and fans, window shades or blinds, at the tops of bookshelves and countertops, etc. We especially love using the vacuum extension hoses in this step!
4. Don’t Forget About Walls and Windows
While floors and countertops are commonly at the top of cleaning lists, walls and windows are often forgotten! These places also collect dust and dirt over time and can use some attention. If you don’t clean them regularly, we highly recommend cleaning at least once a year.
5. Donate Unwanted Items
Don’t throw away any unwanted items! Instead, consider donating them to your local thrift store, like St. Vincent de Paul. This greatly helps the environment by not ending up in overcrowded landfills and can also help give back to those in need within your community.
At St. Vincent de Paul of Los Angeles, we’re always open to receiving donations. We accept almost all items, including clothes, furniture, electronics, kitchenware, toys, workout equipment, instruments, etc. We even offer free pickup services if you cannot drop items off at our store locations or have trouble transporting any bulky items. If you’re interested or looking for more information, visit our website.
