The snow has melted, there’s a warm breeze in the air, and little green buds are slowly growing. Spring is on its way, and with that, so is spring cleaning! This time of year is the perfect push a lot of people need to get their homes in tip-top shape, while others really look forward to it! I’m a bit of both, personally, as I love having a clean house, but sometimes I need that extra motivation to get it done.

Over the years it’s become evident that there are spring cleaning strategies to make the process a whole lot easier and faster. If you’re looking for ways to get your home cleaned out now that temperatures have risen, this one’s for you!

Get Organized First

A lot of people go straight to cleaning without a plan and find themselves flustered and overwhelmed by the sheer amount of work to do. Instead of jumping right in just to throw in the dishrags shortly after, you might want to consider getting yourself organized first. Before you even fill up that mop bucket or put on your rubber gloves, grab a pen and piece of paper and have a seat. This is the time to use brains over brawn, which will save you a lot of time and hassle in the end.

Create a Checklist

Before anything else, write a checklist of all things you need to do. If you’re going to clean the entire house, it could be a pretty long checklist, so I recommend organizing it room by room. When I clean my own house, I always work from top to bottom in each room, starting with dusting the ceiling fans all the way to mopping the floor. I also work from top to bottom in the house, from the upstairs bedrooms all the way to the basement. Your checklist doesn’t have to be in that same order, but at least write down each of the things you want to accomplish so you can feel that satisfaction as you check off each item, knowing you covered everything. Things you might write down could be: clean the windows, wipe down the baseboards, wash the carpets, etc.

Set Aside Time

Spring cleaning an entire house takes up some time. I recommend setting aside at least one full day, if not an entire weekend, depending on the size of your house and what you want to accomplish. Don’t try to rush through it because this is the time to do that deep, good cleaning every house will need by spring. If you’re cringing at the amount of work to do, try to change your mindset about the whole process. Put a smile on, crank up the tunes, and make it a fun, family activity with a reward of pizza or fun outing at the end!

Take Inventory of Cleaning Supplies

Now that you know what needs to be done and you’ve set aside enough time to do it, it’s time to make sure you have all of the cleaning supplies you’ll need. Do you have enough rags or paper towels? Do you have enough floor cleaner and dish soap? Do you need a new vacuum filter (which is something I’m always forgetting to replace)? Run out and stock up on those things beforehand to save yourself the inconvenience of a mid-cleaning frenzy.

Deep Clean

With your checklist in one hand and cleaning supplies in the other, it’s time to get to work! And believe it or not, all of that preparing prior to cleaning is going to make this process a whole lot easier and faster. You’ll be smoothly sailing through that checklist, room by room, chore by chore. Before you know it, you’ll be done! But make sure you do a good, deep cleaning. Get behind the furniture, scrub everything down, and maybe even rent a carpet cleaner. By the end of the day or weekend, you’ll be glad you did it.

Declutter Closets

A lot of people tend to skip this step, but if you’re going to commit yourself to spring cleaning your house, you might as well do it all. Personally, I try to go through our belongings at least once every season, but it’s during our big spring cleaning when I finally open up the garage door and truly declutter every part of our house. Gather up the clothes that no longer fit, the toys that aren’t played with anymore, and that DVD collection you haven’t touched since Netflix. Then, donate it. (At the same time, you can store away the hats and mittens, the winter boots and fleece PJs, and bring out the spring jackets, dresses and rain boots!)

Organize Pantries and Cupboards

No doubt, going through your belongings can be time-consuming, but it needs to be done and what better time to do it than when you’re already spring cleaning anyway? Take an hour or so to go through your kitchen and bathroom cupboards. Be sure to properly dispose of any makeup, medicine, and vitamins that are expired. Then, check your non-perishable expiration dates too, and rotate them accordingly. While you’re doing this, it gives you the opportunity to easily wipe down the inside of your cupboards.

Article Source: http://www.doityourself.com/stry/spring-cleaning-strategies