Spring Into a Deep Clean

Need a way to deal with the chaos surrounding you right now? Take control of your immediate environment and give your house a spring deep clean.

Cleaning and organizing your home right now offer many benefits, including physical activity, which can reduce stress and anxiety. Cutting down on clutter also helps people focus, which can make you more productive. It’s also a great way to prepare your home for visitors once things get back to normal.

Here are some tips for cleaning your home inside and out.

Getting Started

Don’t think of it as cleaning your entire home, that can be overwhelming. Instead create a to-do list of all the things you want to accomplish while you are stuck at home. Spread the tasks out over days or even weeks. A typical schedule might look something like this:

• Monday: Clean out closets, cupboards and the pantry
• Tuesday: Deep-clean appliances and under the kitchen and bathroom sinks
• Wednesday: Wash the windows inside and out
• Thursday: Change filters, check carbon monoxide and smoke detector systems
• Friday: Clean the floors and dust the baseboards
• Saturday: Organize and deep clean the kitchen
• Sunday: Sweep the patio, walkways, clean exterior light fixtures and patio furniture.

Embrace Your Inner Marie Kondo

Now is the time to go through the junk drawer, the spare bedroom and the closet you thrown stuff into when you don’t know what else to do with it. There is no need to ask if an item sparks joy. A better question to ask is why you have it in the first place. If you can’t answer that, it’s time for it to find a good home with someone else.

Deep Clean the Kitchen

It’s important to give the kitchen a thorough clean because it is probably the one area of the house that still has contact with the outside world. The kitchen is where we keep our groceries and dish up our take-out orders. Don’t have cleaning supplies? You can easily make your own.

Make It Fun

Cleaning doesn’t have to be a chore. Turn on some music, bake up some spring-cleaning treats and ask the kids to come up with their wackiest ideas for getting things clean. Some great ideas include:

• Set up a cleaning relay race where one member gets instructions to do a chore and when that is finished hands a different chore to another family member.
• Hide prizes around the house for family members to find as they clean.
• Set a timer and see who can get done the fastest.
• Play Pictionary or another game, the losers have to take care of an agreed upon chore.