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It’s that time of year again!  Time to deep clean the house and get into all the nooks and crannies.  While spring cleaning can take some time and work, there is nothing like the feeling of a freshly cleaned home.  Here are some tips to help you dig deep and an opportunity to get my Spring Cleaning Checklist:

Declutter, Declutter, Declutter

Before you get into nitty, gritty of scrubbing baseboards and ceiling fans, you need to do a thorough decluttering.  One of the best way to do this is using the box method.  Take 3 boxes and label them as follows:  Keep, Toss, and Give Away/Sell.  Place your boxes in each room as you declutter and toss items into the appropriate box.  Only toss items in the Keep box if they are not already in their final resting place.

Make sure to go through drawers, closets, cabinets, under furniture, etc.  After you finish each room, throw away the stuff in the Toss box and put Keep items where they belong.  If your Give Away/Sell Box is full, set it to the side and get a new box.  The only exception to the box method would be in the kitchen.  You will want to go through the refrigerator and pantry and throw out expired products.

Once you have done this for each room, tackle your Give Away/Sell box(es).  If you are planning to give it all away, go ahead and tape up the boxes and place them in your car.  Next time you are out, stop by the donation center of your choosing and drop them off.  If you would like to make a little extra income, go through the box(es) and separate out the items you can sell.  You can sell just about anything but the best items will be ones you can easily sell at a consignment shop like clothing, toys, etc.  This is the fastest option and it gets the items out of your house more quickly.

Dust in Order

Dust starting at the top and working your way down. Going room by room, which is recommended, or tackling the whole house at once, start with the highest points and dust.  Going from top to bottom ensures that you don’t spread the dust around and you actually get it all.  Make sure to tackle easily forgotten places like ceiling fans, crown molding, window treatments, ledges or shelves of any sort, corners, baseboards, etc.  Some of these places just need a simple wipe with a microfiber cloth but you may want to use a vacuum cleaner with an attachment for others.  Also, for furniture, use an appropriate furniture polish.

Go Deeper

Deep clean starting at the top and working your way down. Once again, starting with the highest points, do a more thorough cleaning of the same places.  Some places like crown molding will just need a wipe down with a damp cloth.  For others, you will want to use an appropriate cleaner, whether chemical or just soap and water.  Some of the dirtiest places can be your window treatments and baseboards so make sure you clean these well.

Throw It in the Wash

Wash bedding and other linens. Don’t just wash your sheets and pillow cases.  This the time to wash your comforter, shams, window treatments, etc.  While you may wash your sheets and pillow cases often, your comforters, curtains, couch pillow covers (if possible), etc. also need a good cleaning every once and a while.

Focus on the Floors

You will want to vacuum every room.  I recommend emptying the canister often as you do this.  You will pick more up.  Follow this up with mopping the hard surfaces.  Finally, deep clean the carpets by renting your own equipment or paying a company to do it.  As a side note:  If you have the time, clean out your vacuum and wash the filter before you get started.

Head Outdoors

Clean and organize the outside. Wipe down patio furniture, wash any cushions, and sweep the porches.  Power wash the sides of the house, your sidewalk and driveway, and any other areas that can be power washed.  Wash the outside of the windows and the screens.  Make sure your garden areas are weed-free, dead plants are removed, and plant new plants if you want to.

These basic tips will help guide you to a deeply cleaned home.  For a detailed cleaning list, sign up below to receive a copy of my Spring Cleaning Checklist.  This checklist give you general cleaning details that should be done in every room and then goes room by room to give you room-specific cleaning tasks.