Well folks, it has finally arrived. The taste of BBQ. That smell of fresh aired freedom. Those vitamin D rays- IT’S SPRING! We have been waiting not so patiently for it and plan to soak up all its glory. But before we can enjoy the warmth guilt free, there’s something major (probably) hiding in all of our closets that we need to take care of- CLUTTER. I’m talking about SPRING CLEANING!
Every year around this time we open our closets to pull out that warm weather fashion. Nothing feels better than kicking off those heavy boots and sliding our feet into open-toed bliss. But rather than stuffing it all away, piling it on top of other “things” we should have gotten rid of years ago- let’s actually do that, let’s get rid of it! Here we’ve gathered tips, tricks and checklists to help you get underway. So grab those rubber gloves, Spring Cleaners, and read on!
Where do I start?
Start by making a list. What areas of your apartment home need the most attention? It’s probably not the areas you touch and feel every day- more like the areas you have forgotten exist. Like under the kitchen sink. What’s even under there, and, honestly, how on earth did it get there? Work on de-cluttering those areas.
Let’s say we bought a super fancy, all natural cleaner that we ended up despising the smell of. So what? We tried it, it didn’t work out. Ditch it (or more importantly donate it here). We’re not going to learn to love that smell and if we haven’t used it to this point, let’s not kid ourselves that we’re going to use it down the road- DE-CLUTTER. Free up some space for the items that you actually use on a regular basis. That’s the point here!
So maybe that’s at the top of your list- cleaning out your cabinets. Awesome- we’ve got a starting point!
Once you’ve laid out the areas that you find to be the most important to focus on, make a checklist for each room. After all, doesn’t it feel REALLY good to put a big ‘X’ next to a task once you’ve completed it? There’s a checklist out there for everyone. Here’s a few to get you started:
I’ve got my list, what’s next?
Make a cleaning kit! Once you know where you are going to start then you can figure out what you’re going to need. Set yourself up with tools and cleaners that are going to accomplish more than one task. Obvious choice? Um, I’ll take multi-purpose cleaners for 100? Whether you’re a green cleaner or you need those harsher chemicals to really make a difference, create a handy kit that you can carry around all together so you’re not constantly taking breaks to run to the store and get another “thing.”
SIDE NOTE: CORDLESS VACUUMS ARE TOTALLY A GIFT YOU SHOULD GIVE YOURSELF! You’ll thank us later!
You’ve got your lists, you’ve got your kit- now GET GOING!
You’re almost ready to get started. Just one last tip (one we learned the hard way)…
Have you ever swept your kitchen floor and then decided to clean off your counters? Just to realize you’re trying out some Mission Impossible moves in order to not get any crumbs on the floor? Why oh why did I sweep the floors first? Ha! We’re laughing at ourselves because we (at least the writer of this) are totally guilty of this.
So here’s that tip… Wherever you start in a room, always work from the top down. It’s common sense, right? Or maybe science- “gravity” and all? Either way, when you start at the top and work your way down it will force dust and debris to the ground. Put those floors as the last thing on your list and BOOM, you’ve saved yourself some time!
OK you’ve got to your starting point! Now you can get to SPRING CLEANING! ENJOY! (Seriously, enjoy- we promise it will make you feel better… reduced clutter= reduced stress)
