Spring House Cleaning Exercise: Make your House Sparkle

 It is already the middle of April! Spring is here, and we have had some fantastic weather already.

For many, springtime is associated with rebirth, rejuvenation, and regrowth. From the flowers blooming to the longer days, the warmer atmosphere, and the return of animals. All these things make spring so beautiful. 

I would say that spring cleaning is such an important part of ushering in the new season!

The month of April inspires me to get my house cleaned and refreshed so that as spring kicks in, I can face my garden head-on with no distractions. 

So in this blog, I will give you a quick list of everything essential to getting a thorough spring cleaning; you could call it my “Spring Clean Checklist.” 

Come with me! 

Spring Clean Checklist

Start with the Rugs, Carpets, and Upholstery. 

First on my spring cleaning checklist is cleaning the rugs, carpets, and upholstery. In most homes, these cover a large area, and mine is no different. 

So, it's a good idea to get them dusted and cleaned first to get the cleaning adrenaline going. Sanitizing the curtains and general upholstery, whether you get it done professionally or come up with a home remedy yourself keeps your home smelling fresh and neat. 

Give all Appliances A Serious Scrubbing

I recommend you give all home appliances a good scrub as part of your spring cleaning routine. This means thoroughly cleaning out your refrigerator, scrubbing it down, and checking your water filter. Next, comes your range/stove top. Run the self-clean on your oven, scrub the inside and outside of your glass door. 

TIP: Pour hot water, on the inside of a glass door, sprinkle with baking soda, and then scrub it with foil. This usually does the trick for me in getting the stubborn stains off. 

Thoroughly clean your stove top, line the bottom of your oven with fresh foil to avoid drips and you are ready to go. Then comes your dishwasher. Every few months or so you should run a cleaning solution through your dishwasher. There are home remedies and tablets on the market that work well. Check your appliance manual for details. Thoroughly wipe down the inside and outside of your dishwasher and you are good to go. Clean any other appliances you may have (i.e. coffee maker, microwave, etc.) Remember your sink and you are off to a sparkly start for spring! 

Clean Out The Pantry And Reorganize

The next item on my list is the pantry. Yes, that food storage facility is bound to get much messier than it looks. 

Take your time to air it out and clean it thoroughly. Take everything out, toss any expired canned goods. I like to use clear, glass jars to organize and store any dried goods like pasta, beans, nuts, etc. Canning jars work well for this. Next vacuum and wipe down all areas in the pantry paying particular attention to corners and edges. Put back everything neatly and in order. A clean pantry always inspires me to cook!

Organize the Closet

It's easy for a closet to get clogged and messy, so start by taking everything out, dusting, and sanitizing the closet thoroughly. 

You can then put away the heavy winter clothes, discard anything that doesn’t fit or you aren’t wearing anymore, and arrange the light springtime outfits where they're easily accessible. An organized closet always helps my busy mornings go smoother.

Wash the Windows

Clean windows make everything else sparkle! After a long winter, your windows can accumulate a lot of dirt on the outside as well as the inside. When the sun starts shining and the sky turns blue what is better than a clear vision?

If you have any kind of blinds on your windows, vacuum and dust those as well!

Spice up the Living Room to Reflect Springtime

If you want to spice up your interior a little for Spring, here are a few easy suggestions.

*Toss in a new brighter throw pillow or two for the living room. 

*Change out a heavier throw blanket you may have draped over a sofa or chair for something lightweight.

*Switch out any heavier, iron candle holders for glass. I love using more glass accessories this time of year to reflect that beautiful light of Spring.

*Bring in fresh flowers weekly! Whether it be a few sprigs from the garden or a full bouquet. 

Thoroughly Clean All Glass Light Fixtures and Fans

With the weather heating up and fans moving, it’s time to ensure they're not pushing dust all around. While at it, dust off those hard-to-reach areas, like the tops of door frames, and make those light fixtures shine. 

You can even place most glass shades and globes inside your dishwasher to wash easily! Make them clean enough to reflect the incoming sparkle of the spring sun.

Lighten up Your Bedding, Clean & Rotate Your Mattresses

Ideally, you should rotate your mattresses regularly. If you don't, this is the perfect time to rotate, clean, and sanitize them. First, start with a thorough vacuuming. Then for an easy way to sanitize, sprinkle a box of baking soda on one side, allow it to sit for several hours, vacuum up the excess, and then flip the mattress over and do the same thing on the other side.

Lighten up your bedding. I love having a set of warm flannel sheets during the cold winter months and then switching out to a cooler set of percale sheets in the spring. You may not even need that heavy duvet during the warmer months, bring in a lighter-weight coverlet or quilt instead. The duvet can be stored for the winter or folded and draped across the end of the bed.

Clean Vents & Air Ducts

Another commonly overlooked part of the house is the vents; without proper cleaning, instead of filtering the air, they start to contaminate it. I have a big vent on my ceiling which isn’t easy to reach. I try to vacuum it regularly but in the springtime, I take it down and give it a thorough soak and scrub. Your air ducts should be professionally cleaned ideally once a year

Clean Out And Reorganize Your Garage 

This is also a good time to clean out your garage. I don’t know about you but a lot of dirt gets tracked into my garage during the snowy, winter months. I take this time to clear out anything I am not using. Buy any extra bins to store things that may have accumulated on the floor of my garage and then give it a thorough sweep! I also use this time to make sure my gardening tools are in working order and accessible!

Conclusion 

Spring cleaning is always a wholesome experience as the season brings in feelings of warmth and rejuvenation. This checklist will guide you through your spring cleaning and ensure you don't leave anything out.

But remember, you can switch up the order of these steps and even add your unique twists and turns to make cleaning more fun.