While looking at my backyard, noticing the buds on the trees, the flowers emerging from the ground, and the grass turning a bright shade of green, I was reminded that spring would be here soon and it was time to do some deep cleaning. To do this, each year I have specific areas that I clear out before springtime.
These areas are areas that don't need a lot of cleaning or decluttering often. Once a year is enough to get rid of the mess.
You may be asking why do I need to do deep cleaning this time of year. I find it helps clear your home of items that may just be stuck and there because you may have forgotten about it. So, making a point once a year to go through these areas will reduce stress.
Places to deep clean and organize before summer
Bedrooms and Closets
Clean Out your closet (and the kids' closets) and replace the items with your lighter spring clothing. Get rid of anything that was faded, torn, or that doesn't fit anymore. When in doubt, put it in a box marked "Clothes to get rid of," then place it in another room. If you do not go in the box for at least two months, you can donate or give away the entire box of items.
Changing bedding to lighter ones or wash the thick blankets. The purpose of spring cleaning is to get rid of the excess dust in your home. Blankets trap a lot of dust so cleaning them every few months works well. But, if you can't make this time of year the time to clean your bedding.
Common areas (Living Rooms / Kitchens / Dining Rooms)
Dust the floor under furniture and move furniture around your rooms and get your carpets cleaned. You may be surprised that you may find something you had lost.
Take books and knick knacks off bookshelves and decide if you should keep them. Ask yourself, "Have I used this book in the last year or even three years?" If the answer is no to this question, donate to the nearby library or used bookstore.
Clean Out the upper cabinets in your kitchens. Be honest, how often do you reach above your fridge or in the top cabinet space? Not often, right? This area is a great place to get rid of the clutter.
Empty refrigerator and reorganize the space. Sort all the items by tasks. Use trays, lazy susans, and containers to help you keep the space organized and easy to clean. If you can place all the items in one bin, it makes it that much simpler to clean the shelves.
Clearing out the pantry is another area that needs to be looked at closely especially if you have a deep pantry. I find it is best to make meals from the pantry after you find items in the back fo your closet. You can make some interesting dishes too.
Clean Out the china cabinet by taking out everything and then wipe the shelves. Mismatched dishes or serving utensils you just don't use anymore are great things to get rid of in your china cabinet.
Clear cobwebs in corners and around recessed lights. I find a damp cloth works nicely. I particularly like the telescoping cleaning brushes.
Dust and clean the pictures on the walls. Take them down and dust the frames top, bottom, sides and back too.
Basement and Attic
Empty and purge items in your basement storage space. We tend to forget this place because it becomes the catch all area. So, going here will make an impact on your home. You will probably find items you never knew you still had.
Windows
Change out curtains or remove them all together. If you have curtains up for several months, they get quite dusty. Taking them down and popping them into the dryer will freshen them up a bit. Washing them works even better to get rid of the dust.
Cleaning windows. I like doing windows when I take down the curtains. Doing this on a sunny day helps see the spots. But, no direct heat or you will get streaking. After spraying the glass, with a squeegee start from the top left corner and work your way left corner as you get the right corner start turning the squeegee and go back to the left side so that you are creating the letter "Z" all the way down the window. It works smoothly, and you don't need to work your shoulder too hard.
Kid play areas
Clearing out the kids' toys, especially the gaming area. No one wants to do this too often not even the kids. So, cleaning it out right before the kids finish school is an excellent time. They get to remember what they and you don't need to deal with it every few months.
Laundry Room
Empty and clean the laundry area. Go through cabinets and remove any detergent or free samples you haven't used. Schedule to have your dryer vent cleaned out as well.
Outside Spaces
Clear out your shed space. Make a list of items that need to be repaired, replaced, or if you need to replenish supplies.
Bring out items that are used only in the spring and summer, like hoses, water barrels, etc... Uncover lawn furniture and clean off the dirt.
Office Space
Go through papers that were left out and make a decision on them.
Clean Out the drawers that may be overstuffed with papers that are going back years.
Here's a free image to share.
Now that you got rid of stuff and your home is refreshed and cleaned click here for places to donate these items. I hope this helps keep you on schedule, so you don't get overwhelmed in the process of deep cleaning. Remember starting this month, do a little bit every weekend and by the time summer is here, you will have cleared out and cleaned all the areas of your home. Leave a comment below if you have any questions while doing this process. I would love to hear from you.
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About Sabrina Quairoli
I love sharing my passion for organizing life and the home. I hope you get inspired when visiting my home organizing tips, quick weeknight recipes, party planning ideas, and DIY organizing projects.
I have a week off work soon so planning to do some deep cleaning before I want to spend all my time outdoors. Bad weather = good time to clean. I am looking forward to it. Lol
If I could, I'd hire someone! You make a good point about the pictures on the walls, but you should not only dust them, but the patch of wall behind them gets pretty grimey too. I found that out recently when swapping out some frames.
I have a date with my refrigerator/freezer this Spring! As soon as it looks a little empty in there, I have to start scrubbing both areas down. There's a blob of melted ice pop (red!) on my freezer door that I've been ignoring for a few weeks. I think that's the first spot I'll tackle...
Lots to do to prep for spring! We have a lot of windows in our home. It's almost ALL windows. Years ago I met a window cleaner at one of my client's homes. Now he visits here twice a year (fall and spring) to give the windows a great inside and outside cleaning. Those are two of my favorite days. He clears the way for enjoying the views.
I have a week off work soon so planning to do some deep cleaning before I want to spend all my time outdoors. Bad weather = good time to clean. I am looking forward to it. Lol
If I could, I'd hire someone! You make a good point about the pictures on the walls, but you should not only dust them, but the patch of wall behind them gets pretty grimey too. I found that out recently when swapping out some frames.
what a great list! I know I'll be doing some serious spring cleaning and organizing soon and will be sure to refer back to this 🙂
I have a date with my refrigerator/freezer this Spring! As soon as it looks a little empty in there, I have to start scrubbing both areas down. There's a blob of melted ice pop (red!) on my freezer door that I've been ignoring for a few weeks. I think that's the first spot I'll tackle...
I do a deep kitchen clean with a drawer a day. I need to do my curtains... thanks for the reminder!
Lots to do to prep for spring! We have a lot of windows in our home. It's almost ALL windows. Years ago I met a window cleaner at one of my client's homes. Now he visits here twice a year (fall and spring) to give the windows a great inside and outside cleaning. Those are two of my favorite days. He clears the way for enjoying the views.
Thanks for sharing, Linda. This is a great example for outsourcing the work. =)
Thanks for reminding me about window dressings. I always forget those!!