Guide to Spring Cleaning Your Home
While cleaning and tidying are entirely two different things, I agree that both compliment each other when we try to create the ideal space in our homes.
Tidying is all about creating systems of organization that support us in our daily lives and cleaning is about tackling the physical elements of dust and debris.
To support you on your journey to creating the life you want to live at home I have come up with a 10 page free guide to spring cleaning. This guide is meant as the ultimate resource for cleaning your home in an organized manner.
You will find these topics discussed in the guide to spring cleaning:
- Cleaning Checklist by Room
- Weekly Cleaning Schedule
- 6 Chemical Free Recipes
- Shopping and Supplies List
- 19 Cleaning Tips for your home
Planning not required but recommended
You’ve been aching for warmer weather and now that it’s here you’re getting motivated to spring clean.
It’s easy to get swept up, pun intended, and dive in head first going on a cleaning rampage.
That’s a recipe for burnout which can stall your new found motivation for cleaning your home. I recommend an alternate approach which requires just a little bit of planning ahead of time.
Treat your spring cleaning event like an actual project, because well it is.
Once you decide on tackling the project, taking the time to create a plan of action will help you immensely in the long run and help avoid any unnecessary frustrations when you don’t have the right supplies to get the job done, the way that you want it done.
Monthly guide to spring cleaning
Although spring cleaning is treated like an annual event, you can take it on with a monthly frequency.
This helps to keep dust and allergens at bay and you’ll continue to enjoy the joy of a fresh clean home all year long.
For a comprehensive cleaning schedule I recommend a two-part approach.
First approach to monthly cleaning
First, think about the areas of your home that you don’t think about or even really see. Actively scan the rooms of your home and identify areas that are typically out of reach.
Some examples include tops of cabinets or the top of the refrigerator.
All the areas that your eyes land on that aren’t generally touched on a day-to-day basis, likely needs a good cleaning.
Second approach to monthly cleaning
On the second step, think of all the high touch items in your home that you rarely think about.
You will likely touch and access these items daily and even multiple times a day.
These items would include door handles and knobs of any kind.
The short list is the front door knob, the knobs to your cabinets, any and all drawer pulls, the handle to your refrigerator, and the handle to open the dishwasher.
These are ALL high touch items that easily get overlooked during the daily cleaning process.
When is a good time to schedule cleaning
Dedicate a few hours on a weekend morning to address any monthly cleaning items.
If you are only able to allow for an hour or two, you may be able to split up the list with a divide and conquer approach.
Divide the list and alternate between the two halves by tackling the cleaning tasks bi-weekly.
Otherwise, a full morning is likely enough to tackle the entire list.
Choose the approach that works best for you because only then will you be likely to maintain it month after month.
May I suggest choosing either the first weekend of the month or the last weekend of the month for ease in remembering your schedule.
25 Areas of your home to clean
To get a head start on your spring cleaning adventure, I have listed 25 key areas of your home that likely get overlooked when you’re cleaning your home week to week on a routine basis.
These non-routine tasks also need cleaning too so spread the love and add these items to your list as well.
#1 - Tops of cabinets
Tops of cabinets (only applicable if your cabinets do not reach the ceilings) – Even though we use our cabinets daily, the top of our exposed cabinets rarely if ever cross our minds. This is a perfect spot for dust to accumulate over time.
#2 - Top of refrigerator
Rarely do we think about the top of the refrigerator, but that doesn’t mean dust and dirt don’t accumulate. Many will likely leave this task to an annual spring cleaning, but I recommend addressing this task monthly because it’s a breeding ground for allergens.
#3 - Ceiling Fans
Ceiling fan blades and lights attached to the ceiling fan; also consider cleaning inside the light as bugs may have made their way inside the light fixture.
Mix a solution of warm water and a couple drops of Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid to wash the exterior of the lighting fixtures attached to ceiling fans. Dirt and debris tend to cake onto these surfaces so using the mixture will easily remove the grime. Fan blades can also be cleaned with this solution if the dirt and dust on the blades is significant.
#4 - Light fixtures throughout home
We often forget that light bulbs also collect dust over time. These areas get missed in the cleaning process, but once cleaned, your rooms might shine brighter.
#5 - Kick board or toe kick of the kitchen cabinets
This area needs a good scrubbing month after month and the more frequently you address this area the less cumbersome it will be. Not only do food stains and particles stick onto this surface, shoe scuffs and smudges are rampant as well which will require removal.
#6 - Baseboards throughout the home
It is standard practice to have baseboards throughout a home even in the closets.
While this item is likely affixed to every area of the home, it’s always highly overlooked when it comes to weekly cleaning.
If dusting and wiping down these areas on a weekly basis it too frequent for you, try a monthly schedule.
It is well worth the energy to clean this area because dust accumulates quickly.
If you have an active household you’ll find smudges and random stains throughout as well that can be addressed and wiped clean.
#7 - Molding and door frames of the home
The framing and molding on all the doors in your home should get a simple wipe down. We walk through the doors daily, but little attention is placed on the trim that collects heaps of dust just like the ledge of a baseboard.
#8 - Interior window and the frames/molding
Window shelves and molding or trim on the interior windows are overlooked yet also collect dust and debris just like the other molding and trim in the home.
#9 - Dusting inside of the closet
Even though there may be a door to your closet, dust inevitably creeps in as we go about out day to day lives. It is rare to see people clean this area other than load and unload their clothes in the closet. It’s important to wipe down any built-in shelving as dust finds its way there. Also be sure to dust the clothing rod as well.
#10 - Vacuum behind and under furniture
Vacuum behind and under furniture. This is where the dust bunnies like to congregate and hang out. Break up their little party with the Swiffer Duster.
#11 - Vacuum cushions
Vacuum in between and underneath seat cushions of all kinds. If you like snacking on your furniture (I’m guilty too) there is a high chance that your snacks made their way in between and underneath your sofa cushions. Vacuum up these areas on a monthly basis to keep up with those runaway snacks.
#12 - Chairs
Wipe down dining room chairs and the chair backs. My kids tend to touch the backs of their chairs during meals and it is almost guaranteed that their little hands had food on them.
#13 - Wash shower curtains
Wash shower curtains or take them down to replace frequently.
#14 - Clean inside the refridgerator
Clean the refrigerator monthly so that you can check for expired items and also make sure spills are cleaned up and addressed. Waiting to clean once a year may cause permanent stains that could be cleaned and avoided with regular monthly maintenance.
#15 - Vacuum or launder hanging window treatments
Vacuum or launder hanging window treatments if the materials allow. Otherwise, dust these items monthly.
#16 - Front door
Wiping down the front door is especially important and should be addressed monthly as it is the first impression to your home and the first thing that greets you when you return home.
#17 - Front door entryway
Front door entryways should be swept and hosed down with water to reset the space.
#18 - Clean junk drawers
I can write an entire post on just the junk drawer because there is so much to cover.
This catch all drawer is a universal space that is highly frequently and highly stuffed with odds and ends.
It’s a literal dumping ground for random items in the home that doesn’t have a designated spot. Because it’s highly used it’s also usually very dirty.
I’ve seen pencil shavings, dirt, debris, nail clippings, dust, food crumbs and random hairs in different junk drawers.
Addressing this area monthly really can save the homeowner time and energy when it comes to the annual spring-cleaning process that many partake in.
On a monthly basis take out all the contents of the drawer and group similar items together. Decide what to keep and what to discard and determine what items belong in the drawer.
Invest in a good drawer organizer to help keep you organized.
Clean out the bottom of the drawer before reinserting any items. This monthly reset will make the drawer far more useful and enjoyable to use.
#19 - Wall, floor and ceiling vents
Vents exist throughout our homes, but somehow like a painting on the wall they disappear from our view. These items especially are overlooked during the cleaning process. Diligently cleaning them frequently prevents the headache of a messy dirty buildup. It is far earlier to maintain the cleaning then to spend much more time doing a deep clean on an annual basis.
#20 - Hardwater buildup
Many homes have hard water that shows up as buildup on bathroom faucets and shower heads. This buildup can affect how water flows through the faucet over time so it is a good idea to tackle the buildup before it gets out of hand.
#21 - Washing windows
If you’ve got sliding glass doors in your home with little kids, you probably have little finger smudges throughout. Somehow my kids forget that there is a dedicated handle to use and usually put their entire palm on my glass doors. A few drops of Dawn Ultra Dishwashing Liquid with warm water mixed together to create a soapy mixture does absolute wonders in cleaning a window. Squeegee the water mixture and towel dry any remaining water and you get a streak free and clean window. It might not last long (if you have young kids), but at least it will look good in that moment!
#22 - Wiping down handles, knobs and drawer pulls
We use handles and drawer pulls nearly every single day and more likely than not multiple times a day. While this true, we often don’t think about cleaning these surfaces. If you are not cleaning these surfaces on a daily basis, cleaning them and wiping them down once a week is a good idea. I like to use a microfiber towel and a cleaning solution.
#23 - Wiping down kitchen backsplash
It’s safe to say these areas get the most action in a kitchen. While cooking, it is inevitable to splatter food and oils on the backsplash. Many will focus their energies on cleaning the stove and the cooktop range, but forget about the walls and backsplash surfaces. Oils and sauces can collect over time becoming far more difficult to clean. Maintain cleaning this area on a monthly basis for ease of cleaning and to prevent permanent staining.
#24 - Clean inside trash bins
Even our trash bins need a good cleaning. Rather than leaving this to an annual event, consider maintaining a clean trash can year-round so that it can be fresh, well, as fresh as it can be, on a monthly basis. Keeping this item clean can also help prolong the life of the trash bin.
#25 - Clean the detergent trays of the washing machine
The detergent trays on my washing machine tend to collect some remnants of product that spill on the sides. Additionally, water can also collect and pool up. Taking the extra time to wipe down these areas monthly helps maintain my washer for long term use.
Conclusion
Whew! That’s a long list.
But when you get going on the project, you’ll get into a rhythm that will work for you. If it’s tough to get started, try setting a 10 minute timer. Starting is generally the hardest part.
Be sure to open windows (if reasonable to do so) and play some enjoyable music or podcasts while you work.
I pair house chores and fun music together to pass the time.
Don’t forget to grab my 10-page guide to spring cleaning so that you are well equipped to handle cleaning your home.
Please note: This post contains affiliate links and I may earn a small commission if you choose to purchase something with the links.
Southern California based Professional Organizer, Sandy Park, owner and founder of Tidy with SPARK shares her joy of organization with her clients.
She serves clients in Orange County as well as the hundreds of thousands of followers on her combined social media platforms.
Connect with Sandy through her website or by connecting through her social channels.