Happy Spring Cleaning!

A look at the weather for the upcoming week had me dancing around my house—finally it looks like spring temperatures are settling in for good. That means spending days outdoors basking in the warmth of the sun’s rays… and spring cleaning! Here are a few tips and suggestions to use to spruce up both the inside and outside of your home.

Inside

• Start by straightening up each room in your home, and eliminating the clutter. Use designated bins for items you know you want to keep, donate, or include in a yard sale. (Which, by the way, yard sales are a perfect spring activity, and help you with the cleaning!) Also, put things you’re keeping in their right places, in the right rooms. You can take this time to organize closest as well, removing any clothing items that are unworn, and storing your winter clothes.
• It’s been a long winter, so those walls, door frames and base boards could use a good scrub! Try using a clean cloth or sponge and water. If the dirt is stubborn, mix water with a mild dish washing liquid. That should do the trick!
• Freshen up bedrooms by flipping the mattresses, and washing the blankets and comforters, mattress pads and bed skirts. Give your pillows new life by having them professionally cleaned, hanging them outside, or toss them in the dryer on the “no heat” cycle.
• You already clean your bathrooms on the regular, but during this spring cleaning frenzy, take it to the next level! Go through medicine cabinets and toss any products that are outdated. Wash bath mats and shower curtains (if able), and change out shower liners. Or, if you want, give your bathroom a whole new look!
• Clean everywhere. Literally. Vacuum, dust, sweep, mop under all furniture and appliances, so that even the nooks and crannies in your home will feel refreshed!

Outside

• If you are able, give the exterior of you house a face lift with a fresh coat of paint. And to really make it shine, give your house a good power washing. If you’re unsure whether your home can take the force of a power wash, hire someone to do it for you.
• The gutters. They need TLC too. These are especially important to clean and repair to make sure they can withstand the heavy rains that come with the Autumn.
• With the warm weather come all the outdoor gatherings held on your deck or patio. That means your outdoor furniture needs to be at its best! Make sure you take into consideration the material your furniture is made from, and care for it properly.
• The grill will also be coming out of hibernation, and could probably use a good cleaning before it’s put to work cooking all that delicious food. You can buy a grill cleaning tool to help make this an easy process.

Spring cleaning is also the perfect time to do a safety inspection in your house. Check the batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they are still good, and replace them if necessary. If you find you don’t have a fire extinguisher, this is also a good time to purchase one of those, too. Happy Spring (cleaning)!

Check out The Ultimate House-Cleaning Guide for some more ideas and tips!!