It’s that time of the year again, the sun is shining (hopefully), warmth is in the air, and it’s time to open the windows and get some fresh air into the house. It’s also time to give your house a good spring clean and declutter.
Spring cleaning can sometimes seem overwhelming but if you take a few easy steps at the beginning and prepare yourself correctly, you’ll have it done in no time. You can then kick back and enjoy your summer in your clean and easy to maintain house.
The key to a successful Spring Clean is the preparation. Take some time before starting to make some lists. Whether you are a ‘Room at a Time’ or a ‘Task at a Time’ cleaner this step is equally as important.
If you prefer to do your cleaning a room at a time, start by listing all the rooms in your house. Under each room list all the types of cleaning that need to be done in that room. This will include things like, cleaning windows and coverings, dusting and polishing ornaments and benchtops, decluttering cupboards and draws, wiping walls and skirtings, and vacuuming and mopping floors. Tailor this to suit your individual needs. If this is not your cleaning style and you like to do one cleaning task at a time through the whole house then start by listing all the tasks that need to be done and then under each of these write all the rooms they need to be done in.
Either way, after you have these lists the next step is to break it up into achievable days or hours of work. Ideally Spring Cleaning is best to get done over several days but if you only have a couple of hours at a time this isn’t a problem, take as long as you need. No matter what your situation there is nothing worse than looking at a list and being overwhelmed by how big it is and being disheartened before you even begin, so this step of breaking it down to smaller achievable lists is pivotal.
Nearly there, and time to get cleaning but before you start one more list will ensure your time is spent efficiently. Look through your list of tasks and write down all the cleaning equipment and products you will need. Get these organised before you begin so you don’t have to break the cleaning momentum to run to the shops to buy something you have forgotten.
Ok, start cleaning and decluttering, making sure you cross off each task on your list as it is done. A good rule of thumb for decluttering is that if you haven’t used it in the last year, it’s time to go. Bag up your old clothes and pass on to one of the many goodwill shops or find out when your local clothes swap meet is on and book a stall. Old ornaments, toys or kitchen items can also be donated to charity shops for resale or if you’re up to the challenge why not have a garage sale at home. Dispose of any out of date items in your fridge, freezer of pantry, making sure to recycle packaging where possible. Out of date medicines should be taken to your local pharmacy to be disposed of correctly.
One last thing to do while Spring Cleaning is note down any maintenance work which needs to be done at a later stage. This will include things like paint touch ups and tile re-grouting.
Remember if you come across any mould in your bathrooms, walls or ceilings it’s important to have this looked at by a professional to have the source determined and treated. If your property is located in the Sydney, Central Coast or Newcastle areas contact Mould Removal today on 0408 681034 or email info@mouldremoval.net.au.
