The First Day of Spring Means Cleaning

Ah, spring! It’s the season of new beginnings, when the gloomy grays of winter surrender to sunnier weather, warm temperatures and new growth. The flowers are starting to bloom, the birds are chirping and the grass is turning green again. What’s not to like?

As you emerge from your wintry cocoon, you might notice that your home has also suffered from the winter doldrums. Things might look a little bit dingier and a little bit more cluttered than they were just a few months ago. That’s not your imagination.

Your home was shut against the cold, and as a result, it kept the dirt and clutter in. But as the season of renewal begins, you can also refresh your home in preparation for the warm months that lie just ahead. And to do a thorough job, you need a plan, Vogue says.

Start by decluttering. The holidays likely helped you bring a lot of new junk into the home; you don’t need it all, and after you weed through what you want to keep, trash or donate to ClothingDonations.org, you’ll be able to see what needs a good scrubdown.

Next, gather your supplies. You’ll need your favorite all-purpose cleaner, rubber gloves, glass cleaner, a sponge, a duster, and rags or paper towels. Put these in a carry-all so that you can transport them easily from room to room.

One by one, start at the top of each room. Dust the ceilings, picture frames, wall hangings, books and shelves. Get into spaces that rarely get cleaned — behind the toilet, under the bed and under the sink.

Finally, do the floors. Pick up and wash throw rugs and send the finer area rugs out for a professional cleaning. Sweep and mop hardwood and tile floors, and vacuum all drapes, carpeting and upholstered furniture.

Don’t forget the refrigerator. Toss expired foods, unused condiments and leaky containers. Wipe the appliance’s interior clean and any jars you plan to keep, wash the shelves and drawers, and finally, replace what you’re keeping.

When you’re done, celebrate your accomplishment by bringing the spring indoors. Display a bouquet of fresh flowers or bring a new plant into your space. There’s no better way to start the season.

Rainy Days Are a Natural for Spring Cleaning

Use rainy days to deep-clean your home this spring, Mom Intelligence says. Start with a top-down cleaning of the kitchen, starting with the tops of the cabinets and refrigerator to the floor, throwing out foodstuffs, spices and other items that are stale or unused. Don’t skip the oven, but wait until you can open a window if it is not a self-cleaning model. Next, use the top-down strategy for the living room and bedrooms, too: Sweep the cobwebs from the ceiling; dust the top sides of shelves, books and frames; and wash or vacuum the pillows, upholstery and floor. Finally, wash the windows; when the weather clears up, you can clean the other side and let the summer sun come streaming in.

Clean Your Storage Spaces Ahead of Spring

Is your closet, basement or utility room crammed with extra stuff that you don’t need or want? Target these areas first as you begin your spring cleaning, says Reader’s Digest, and arrange a donation pickup — or multiple pickups — with ClothingDonations.org so that the junk can’t stick around. By the time it’s time to swap out sweaters and scarves for shorts and swimwear, you’ll have tons of closet space for the items you really want to keep in your wardrobe for next year — and you’ll have cleared the path for a serious springtime scrubdown of your space.

Declutter and Sort Before You Spring-Clean

Decluttering is a hassle because clutter is such a burden, says The Humbled Homemaker, but it’s the first thing you should do when launching your spring cleaning. Use the “keep, donate, trash” system as you tackle each room of the home, and set aside boxes and bags of extra stuff you’d like to donate with a convenient pickup from ClothingDonations.org and get rid of that clutter out of the house once and for all. Before you put the “keepers” back in their proper places, however, remember to wipe down that shelf or drawer, and you’ll have a good start on a general deep-cleaning.

Take Your Spring Cleaning From the Top

The last thing you want to do when the weather gets nice again (and it will) is waste time indoors. That’s why you should start spring cleaning now, while you won’t be tempted to do something more fun or immediately gratifying. Start with a few simple tasks that you don’t do every week, such as cleaning out a closet. Or pick the most remote room in your home to start the deep-clean and work inward, the New York Times suggests. And when dusting or washing surfaces, always start at the top of a given room and work downward to get a gravity assist.