Posted on April 08 2020
The air smells of blooming flowers, and the bright sunshine is invigorating. You'd like the inside of your home to be as fresh as the spring day outside, but just thinking about how much work it'll take to make your place immaculate is discouraging. There's no way you can find the time for such a big project.
Don't worry! What you need is the cheater's guide: tips on the most effective ways to revitalize your home. By concentrating your efforts on high-impact tasks and refusing to let yourself feel guilty about ignoring low-priority ones, you'll be enjoying a spring-cleaned home in no time.
Forget about clutter. This is not the time to reorganize everything you own. Right now, you just need to tackle those miscellaneous chores that haven't been done in a while. So, when you enter a room to start cleaning, drop all the clutter in a laundry basket, plastic storage bin, or a simple cardboard box. You can sort those items later; for now, just gather them together so you have a clear workspace.
Use products that smell good. The goal of spring cleaning is to freshen up your living environment, so choose pleasant-smelling cleaning products. You can even mix your own solutions by adding a few drops of your favorite essential oil to a spray bottle of soapy water or vinegar. Wouldn't it be nice if your home was scented with rose geranium or tangerine after you finished cleaning?
Kitchen. Your kitchen will look amazing when all the surfaces are shiny again. Wipe the cabinet doors, countertops, and wall between the counters and cabinets, stovetop, exterior of the refrigerator, window and sill, and any splatters you may notice on the ceiling. If the kitchen is a heavy-duty job, get your tools to do most of the work for you: use a scrubby sponge and a strong degreasing solution. Ignore the inside of the fridge or pantry; those are big jobs for another day. Find more kitchen organization tips here.
Bathroom. Wipe the sink area and faucet, mirror, window and sill, shower doors, and exterior of the toilet. Next, sanitize the toilet seat and bowl, and scrub the bathtub. To make short work of the bathtub ring, use a scouring powder such as borax. Resist the temptation to reorganize the cupboard under the sink; it's not necessary today.
Windows. You want your windows to let in all the brightness of the spring sunshine. Grab your spray bottle and walk through the house, wiping the window frame, sill, and interior surface of the glass. If the exterior sides of the windows are hard to reach, then don't worry about them: just do what you can. Finally, launder the curtains or dust the blinds. The light in your home will be brighter and more uplifting when you hang those cobweb-free curtains over gleaming windows.
Floors. The cleanliness of the floors affects the air quality in your house, so when you finish this last job you'll be able to enjoy a deep breath. Vacuum or sweep the floors, and mop any uncarpeted areas such as the kitchen and bathroom. If you mop with a solution of equal parts water and vinegar plus several drops of essential oils, the floors will smell as good as they look.
Whether you spread these tasks over several days or knock them out in an afternoon, you'll love how luxuriously clean your home feels when you're done. Best of all, no one will think you cheated on your spring cleaning - not even you.
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