4 Tips to Start Your Spring Cleaning and Tidying Without Getting Overwhelmed
Spring fever is in the air now that the weather is getting better! I’m enjoying every minute of the nice weather and taking advantage of the sunshine. While a lot of us get in the mode to start their spring cleaning and tidying, where should we start?
A lot of us start a project and partway through get overwhelmed and quit, leaving a huge mess. So, here are my 4 tips to start your spring cleaning and tidying without getting overwhelmed
Start small, then go bigger
Starting small is huge. If you decide to haul everything out of your kitchen cupboards and off the surfaces you’re going to be in for so many hours of work. Instead, pick a smaller area that is more manageable. You’ll get into your spring clean-up routine without being exhausted.
Take everything out of your space
After you have picked one surface or cupboard, it time to take everything off or out. Find a clean table or area nearby that you can put all the items on. Next, look through every item and ask yourself, do you still love it? Is it expired? Is it broken? All these questions help you decide whether or not to throw it in the trash, keep it, or donate it. Then, start grouping your items, putting like items together. It’s good to categorize your items so you can organize them later. An example of this is you are tackling your closet, put all your sweaters, dresses, shoes, and pants in a group.
As a general rule, before putting back the items you have chosen to keep, wipe down all the surfaces with a cloth. There is nothing worse than putting all your desired possessions on a dirty surface. This small task helps keep your home clean and fresh.
Tackling spring cleanup outside
If you’re tidying up your outdoor spaces and supplies, we recommend grabbing a wall mount organizer from your local Home Depot or Canadian Tire. Hanging up all your rakes, shovels, brooms etc… all together keeps things off the floor and it looks good too. You’ll be able to see all your tools and grab them easily when you need them. Next, sweep out and wipe the surfaces of your garage, driveway, and shed area. If you need to, take a high duster and get those corners as well. It is important to take care of all the spaces we have and keep them fresh and clean - even if it’s just the garage.
Go high to low when you start spring cleaning
For the actual cleaning process, start high first. Dust the top areas first, then continue dusting and washing your windows and then your lower surfaces. As Good Housekeeping Homes states “keep surfaces as clear as possible so cleaning is quick, straight-forward and more likely to get done”. Don’t forget to wash all the fronts of your cupboards, light plates, and doorknobs. Remember, important to dust your baseboards prior to washing your floors which should be the last on your cleaning list.
Now, how did that feel? If that didn’t tire you out, you can move on to another area of your home and follow the same steps. If you are done, great job! It's okay to do one small space each day or each weekend, but at least you’re getting started!! Don’t forget to take your donations to the donation depot or food to the food bank.
Happy Organizing! And if you need some expert help, connect with our team today and we can help you tackle your most difficult spaces.
Melanie McConnell is a Professional Organizer and the owner of Mello Spaces. She helps busy professionals and parents get the organized home of their dreams. Check out her website www.mellospaces.com and follow her on Instagram: @mellospaces
Florena Davies is a Professional Organizer and Owner of Organize by Flo. She uses her experience as a wife and mother of 2 to create real life organizational systems and changes for work and home that allow our 2 worlds to co-exist and 'Flo" together. Check out her website at https://www.organizebyflo.com/ and on instagram @organizebyflo.
Marybeth Welty helps women create calm and healthy homes and lives. With over 12 years of experience in organizing, interior design, sustainable building, and mindful living, Marybeth is passionate about improving your mental health, your work, your relationships, and supporting the life of your dreams by starting with where you live, your home. You can book a free meeting with her at https://sustainablelifestylesolutions.com/20-min-free and connect with her on Instagram at @this_sustainable_lifestyle.