How To Spring Clean Your House Like a Real Pro

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Here’s how it works!

In order to overcome the fear of a big spring clean, I put together a simple foolproof plan of attack to get it done, no matter how big or how small your home is.

When you’re done, you will be left with a fresh and sparkling clean home that will make you and your family feel amazing!

Just pick method 1 or method 2, put some fun music on and get started! And note that if it takes more than one day, that’s totally fine! No need to rush!

Which method you choose is totally up to you, just go with whatever you think is best and fastest!

Once it’s done, you’ll be so happy and proud of yourself!

Pick a method

METHOD 1: Break your cleaning down by rooms.

You might not be able to do it all at once, so start small, and work through your house systematically room by room. Follow the checklists for each room below, and you’ll be done before you know it!

Try to set a goal of one room a day, if that feels more manageable. If you are really strapped for time, it could even be one room per week. Try to enlist willing 😅 family members to help you out, too!

Some rooms will obviously take longer than others. 

→ or  ←

METHOD 2: Do the “basic” cleaning tasks in all rooms at once

For example: clean light fixtures and dust lampshades – you’d do that one task for every room in the house before moving onto the next task, which is wipe down walls and baseboards. then you’d do that in every room. And so on.

The advantage of this method is that you have the products you need on hand and can just whiz through the house systematically.

After you’ve completed all the basic tasks in every room, you can start to go room by room and do the room-specific tasks.

But before you start…

Don’t forget *THE DECLUTTERING RULE!*

Which is: if you haven’t worn it or used in over a year, consider letting it go! (this excludes special seasonal items) 

I know, it’s HARD!

Check out my DECLUTTER YOUR HOME IN A MONTH post if you need a hand getting your clutter under control!

Try to reduce waste by only throwing away items that really are no longer of use to anyone (ie broken, expired, super worn out, etc). Everything else can be donated!

Have a throw-away bag and a donate bag and just toss stuff into the appropriate one as you go, it makes it so much faster this way!

RELATED POST: 106 things to Purge from Your Home in 30 Days

 

SUPPLIES YOU WILL NEED:

• Vacuum
• Cleaning spray of your choice (I use this one because it’s natural)
• Rags/paper towels/sponges/wipes/microfiber clothes – take your pick
• Garbage bags and/or cardboard boxes
• Rubber gloves
• Carpet/upholstery cleaner (I use this one and it’s one of THE BEST things I ever bought for cleaning)
• Step ladder

 BEDROOMS

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures and dust lampshades
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors, carpets, rugs, curtains, and blinds, including under the beds if you can get to it!
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

CLOSETS, DRESSERS, CHEST OF DRAWERS:
Dust and clean the tops of closets, dressers, chests of drawers.
Declutter. Take everything out and go through it! Give insides of drawers and shelves a quick wipe. Donate anything you can.
Throw away any garments with rips or holes.
Donate or find another practical use for old stained sheets and towels.
Take notes of any clothes you need to repurchase.
Try to challenge yourself and only buy something new if you donate something in its place!

BEDS:
Clean mattresses and flip them if you like/need to do that.
Wash any bed skirts.
Rotate seasonal bed linen.

BATHROOM / LAUNDRY ROOM

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures and dust lampshades
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

SHOWER / BATH TUB:
Clean shower head.
Clean shower curtain if you have one, or replace it if it looks dingy.
Clean and reseal grout if necessary. This is how I like to clean my bathroom grout. It works!
Check for hair clogging the drains in the shower/bath/sink – ick! 😛

TOILET:
Deep clean in and all around the toilet.
Tighten the toilet seat if it’s coming loose.

MEDICINE CABINET:
Clean top of cabinets.
Declutter, clean out and organize.
Discard any expired medicines.
Make a list of anything you need to repurchase.

COSMETICS:
Declutter, discard any expired, dried out / funky cosmetics.
Wash hairbrushes and cosmetic brushes.
Make a list of anything you need to repurchase.

WASHING MACHINE / DRYER:
Deep clean and wipe down.

MISC:
Replace toothbrushes.
Organize cleaning products.
Wash bath mat if it needs it.

KITCHEN

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

CUPBOARDS, CABINETS, DRAWERS:
Clean top of cabinets/cupboards.
Declutter, clean out and organize.
Discard any broken utensils.
Deep clean cabinet fronts.

PANTRY:
Declutter, clean out and organize.
Discard any expired food.
Prioritize using food that is near expiry by placing it somewhere accessible or near the front.

SINK AREA:
Clean and reseal grout (if necessary).

REFRIGERATOR AND FREEZER:
Pull out the fridge from the wall if you can, and clean behind and underneath it.
Deep clean, defrost freezer if needed.
Take down any fridge art and store away to make room for more.

RANGE AND MICROWAVE:
Pull out stove if you can, and clean behind and underneath it.
Deep clean, inside and out.
Deep clean the microwave.

DISHWASHER AND OTHER APPLIANCES:
Pull out dishwasher if you can, and clean behind and underneath it.
Deep clean.
Run an empty cycle on the dishwasher.

MISC:
Oil wooden items like cutting boards.
Sharpen knives.
Wash out garbage and recycling bins.

LIVING & DINING ROOM

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures and dust lampshades
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors, carpets, rugs, curtains, and blinds
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE:
Vacuum and deep clean.

PILLOWS, THROWS, PET BEDS:
Wash them all!

TV AREA:
Declutter.
Clean out and organize media storage.
Organize cables that have gotten out of hand.

COFFEE TABLE:
Clean all surfaces.
Recycle old magazines.
Find a way to organize all the remotes.

BOOKCASES AND BUFFETS:
Declutter any knickknacks that you no longer want.
Donate old or unwanted books.

HOME OFFICE

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures and dust lampshades
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

DESK:
Clean surface.
Declutter.
Organize cables.
Dust and vacuum around the computer.
Organize and file away old paperwork, bills, etc.

SHELVES / BOOKCASES:
Declutter any knickknacks that you no longer want.
Donate old or unwanted books.

ENTRY / HALLWAY

BASICS:
Clean light fixtures and dust lampshades
Wipe down walls and baseboards
Wash doors and knobs
Clean any vents/radiators
Deep-clean floors
Wash windows
Touch up paint
Clean any picture frames
Check smoke detectors, replace batteries

FRONT DOOR:
Clean threshold.
Clean and replace mats and rugs (as necessary).

COAT CLOSET:
Declutter, clean and organize.

BASEMENT / GARAGE / SHED

Sweep, clean floor, organize and streamline storage

Aaaaaand YOU’RE DONE!

Now sit back, relax and enjoy the fact that you don’t have to worry about it for another year! 😀