How To Make An Effective Spring Cleaning Process

Effective spring cleaning can be complicated. All the detailed steps involved can make us forget a step or two. In this post, I will share how to create a spring cleaning process so you do not forget any step. This will ensure that your home is ready for the summer months by the time you are finished! Follow along, and let's start spring cleaning!

Jump to:

What is Spring Cleaning?
Don't Forget To Include Purging Unused Items And Reorganizing
When do you need to spring clean?
Where to start?
What's the spring clean process for each area?
Are there unique chores I should remember when cleaning?
Make a checklist!

What is Spring Cleaning?

Spring cleaning is all about deep cleaning. We don't always deep clean every week. We may be tired, busy, or just lazy. Spring cleaning involves using a wet cleaning method, whether with soap, water, and white vinegar or with a cleaner; we go through each area in our home from the top down and revisit every area to make sure it is taken care of. Sounds like a lot of work, right? Yes, it is. But we can do it.

Don't Forget To Include Purging Unused Items And Reorganizing

Spring cleaning is excellent, and your house smells clean, but the purging and organizing process that goes along with it makes it more compelling. Eliminating clutter will also help cut down on the cleaning process.

When do you need to spring clean?

As the name implies, spring is an excellent time because the house has been closed for several months and needs fresh air. But if you don't want to clean only in the spring, you can split the tasks between the spring and fall months since these are the two times each year that we prepare for summer or winter. Feel free to check out our Seasonal decluttering post to declutter and "spring clean" all year round.

Now, let's talk about where to start while creating this spring cleaning process.

Where to start?

Having a plan and deciding how much you want to do each time you take on a spring cleaning task is essential. When you start with a plan, you build momentum because you don't have to decide what to do next.

To make a plan, start with a list of all the areas in your home. Here is an example. Some places can be subdivided because of the number of tasks that need to be done. For instance, the Kitchen is divided into three different functions to make handling easier. The bedroom closet and the bedrooms are separated since there are usually many items to go through these two areas.

No project task should be too large.

Create tasks that are 2-3 hours in length or less. This will help you easily fit the task over the weekend.

Living Room
Foyer / Entryway
Mudroom
Kitchen lower cabinets
Kitchen drawers
Dining Room
Kitchen upper cabinets
Family Room
Office
Master Bedroom
Master Bedroom Closet
2nd Bedroom
Closet in the 2nd Bedroom
3rd Bedroom
3rd Bedroom Closet
4th Bedroom
Closet in the 4th Bedroom
Guest Room
1st Bathroom
2nd Bathroom
3rd Bathroom
Powder Room
Basement
Attic
Garage (affiliate)
Outside
Shed (affiliate)
Car 1
Car 2

What's the spring clean process for each area?

Each room will be cleaned the same way, using the following method:

Clear out and Purge - Clear out each cabinet, closet, etc... with items you don't want or haven't used. By pulling everything out of the area, you will see what you have and be able to decide what needs to go.
Dust the shelf or cabinet and return the kept items.
Remove the other items to your garage (affiliate), or car, truck for donation or recycling/trash.
Dust the area from the ceiling down the walls to the baseboards. This includes wet dusting blinds or cleaning curtains. Don't forget the chandelier, ceiling fans, and other items hanging from the ceiling. Then, clean the other surfaces till you reach the floor. Then, do a wet clean on the floor. Remember, gravity is your friend. =)

That's it! You are finished. But wait. There are still some other areas that need to be cleaned, too.

Are there unique chores I should remember when cleaning?

Yes, here are some unique tasks that should be done yearly to help keep your home in tip-top shape.

In the Kitchen, reseal the grout to protect the grout from stains.
Get carpets cleaned throughout the home. A professional cleaning will clean the carpet and the air because they usually take the dirt out of the house with a long hose.
In the Kitchen, inspect your fire extinguisher. If it looks rusted or damaged, replace it.
Do the windows. Pull out the screens and clean them with a hose, brush, dish soap, and water. Wash the inside and outside of the windows using a squeegee.
In the Kitchen, clean the trap and inside of the dishwasher. While you should do this every few weeks, thoroughly clean at least once a season.
In the Kitchen, clean the oven. I found that cleaning the stove once a season works nicely.
Get your appliances checked by a professional. Call and schedule an annual service checkup if you have a service agreement for your appliances.

Make a checklist!

Now that you know what you want to spring clean, make your own spring cleaning checklist (affiliate). Visit our post for details on how to do that for your home. Check out my example below.

I hope this motivates you to get your chores completed. It does take time. Remember to break tasks down into manageable amounts of time. This will eliminate any anxiety about doing the work.

Feel free to check out our other posts about spring cleaning.

8 IMPORTANT PLACES TO DEEP CLEAN THIS SPRING

HOW TO CREATE A CUSTOMIZED SPRING CLEANING CHECKLIST

30 DAYS TO SPRING CLEANING YOUR HOME CHALLENGE

What area of your home do you procrastinate the most when it comes to spring cleaning? What is it about that task that makes you not want to do it? Please leave a comment below.