The Ultimate Spring Cleaning Plan + FREE Checklist

Spring, thankfully, is right around the corner. This winter hasn’t been the worst but if you’re anything like me, you’re ready to be able to go outside without freezing. Another part of spring that isn’t exactly my favorite part, (but a necessary one), is spring cleaning. I know – it sounds a bit old school. However, deep cleaning really ups the energy in your home and promotes organization – both very important!

I used to get overwhelmed about spring cleaning to the point where I sometimes just quit – (no good!) Like everything else, it’s best to have a plan when it comes to spring cleaning. I find it best to break up all the tasks over an entire week. When Friday comes along, the house is spotless and you can enjoy the good vibes that come with it. So, where to start with spring cleaning so you don’t end up overwhelmed? I like to break it down into various tasks that make it easier for me to get it all done.

DeCluttering

We accumulate a lot of shit – and I mean A LOT; clothes we never wear, random crap we’ll never actually use, things we’ve tried once and didn’t like and so on. Things get cluttered. I used to be THAT person who would store everything, thinking, “one day I might have a use for it.” That kind of thinking ended up taking up a lot of space!

I like to start with de-cluttering when it comes to spring cleaning. Get rid of the shit you aren’t going to use and make room for those things you will use.



Here are all the areas you should focus on de-cluttering: (+ some tips on how to narrow some areas down)

  • Your Closet (anything you haven’t worn in a long time – put it in a bag and donate it. It’s just wasting space.)
  • Dressers (Same idea – anything you don’t wear or see yourself wearing – ditch it!)
  • Under All Sinks (Ditch anything that needs to be replaced or isn’t needed at all.)
  • Jewelry Box (Anything broke, unfixable or unwanted.)
  • Bathroom (Any unused/unwanted products, old towels, old makeup, expired products/medicines, anything that’s almost empty – anything unneeded.)
  • Refrigerator (Expired foods, anything you won’t use.)
  • Kitchen Cabinets (Tupperware with missing lids, expired food, unused cookware, damaged dishes, old appliances you don’t use, cooking tools you don’t use – anything that has no use to you while you’re in the kitchen needs to go!)
  • Desks
  • Storage/Bookshelves/etc. 

Miscellaneous Items to toss: (or donate – if applicable) 

  • Old Magazines, Books you’ll never read and random papers you no longer need (put them to the shredder).
  • Old Bedding
  • Old Calendars
  • Candles that are nearly burned out
  • ANYTHING in the ‘junk drawer’ that will never serve a purpose
  • Junk Mail
  • Socks without their match
  • Cords/Wires without a use
  • Old Electronics
  • DVDs that you have digital copies of
  • Old Toys
  • ANYTHING broken that you won’t/can’t fix
  • Warranties that are outdated
  • Product Manuals

Anything you have no future use for should be out of your space. You’ll be happier for it & feel much more organized!

Kitchen Deep Clean

Getting to the kitchen which, for some, can be the most intimidating part of spring cleaning. Remember, spring cleaning is deep cleaning so no corner is left untouched. Here’s a list of to-do’s for spring cleaning your kitchen: 

  • Clean the Oven
  • Wash Cabinets Inside & Out
  • Clean Refridgerator & Freezer (Move the fridge and clean behind and under it).
  • Clean any windows in the Kitchen
  • Sweep and Clean floors
  • Clean Baseboards
  • Clean Microwave Inside & Out
  • Clean all other appliances inside & out
  • Clean Garbage Can
  • Clean Knife Block

 

The absolute BEST multi-purpose Cleaner:

Living Room/Dining Room/Common Spaces

Common spaces are any place in the home where people ‘gather.’ (Yeah, I hate those signs but I guess they speak the truth.) Here are all the things that should be taken care of in the common spaces during spring cleaning: 

  • Vacuum All Carpets & Rugs (Adding a bit of scent sprinkles is a good idea too!)
  • Vacuum under all cushions on Furniture
  • Clean All Windows
  • Remove Clutter from all Surfaces
  • Clean Tops of All Surfaces
  • Dust
  • Clean Picture Frames
  • Clean All Light Coverings
  • Clean Off All Electronics (TV, gaming consoles etc.)
  • Wash Blankets
  • Wash Throw Pillows

 

Home Office

If you have a home office, (or more than one), you know how easy it can become an absolute mess. We gather unnecessary papers and often neglect organization when we’re at home.

Here are all the areas to focus on cleaning in your home office(s): 

  • Dust All Surfaces
  • Clean & Declutter Bookshelves
  • Clean & Organize Desk Drawers
  • Organize Desk
  • Clean Desk
  • Clean Desk Chair
  • Vacuum/Sweep Floors
  • Clean Electronics
  • De-Clutter Everything

Bedrooms

Our bedroom should be a sanctuary of relaxation. I have insomnia so this is particularly important to me. I always like to keep my bedroom organized but when it comes to spring cleaning, it’s good to go hard on the bedroom. Sleep is so important and we need that perfect place to catch our Zz’s.

Here are all the areas you should focus on cleaning in Bedrooms: 

  • Wash All Bedding (This should be done at least once per month but for spring cleaning, always wash every piece of bedding.)
  • Clean All Surfaces
  • Clean Essential Oil Diffusers (Do this in all rooms that have one – just run 1/2 TSP of white vinegar for 15 minutes along with the full capacity of water.)
  • De-clutter closets & Dressers
  • Vacuum/Clean Floors
  • Clean Windows & Window Panes
  • Wash Baseboards
  • Clean UNDER all furniture
  • De-Clutter

 

Garage

Garages have the tendency to be collectors of junk. De-cluttering the garage is the best place to start. Toss out anything that has no use and try your best to keep things organized.

Here’s how to tackle spring cleaning your Garage and/or Shed(s):

  • De-clutter
  • Organize tools
  • Power Wash Floor
  • Clean windows
  • Clean Garage Doors (Power wash if you can)
  • Wipe down All surfaces

Bathrooms

Eh, the bathrooms – possibly the worst part of spring cleaning. However, it is one of the areas that are most important to keep clean.

Here’s what to focus on when spring cleaning your bathroom: 

  • Clean Tubs/Showers
  • Clean Shower Curtains
  • Clean Sink & Surfaces
  • Clean Toilets
  • Clean Garbage Cans
  • Clean any windows
  • De-clutter
  • Replace Toothbrushes
  • Organize & Clean Under Sinks
  • Organize All Storage
  • Clean Mirrors
  • Clean Floors

Outdoor Space

If you have a garden, you’re going to want to get it ready for spring. There are some other areas of outdoor space you should focus on too.

Here’s where to put your focus when it comes to spring cleaning any outdoor space(s):

  • Pull Weeds
  • Prepare Garden for Winter
  • Remove any dead plants that aren’t annuals from pots
  • Clean outdoor furniture
  • Clean Firepit
  • Power Wash Deck/Porch
  • Make Plans to Repair any damage to Driveway
  • Add Spring Outdoor Decor

Miscellaneous

There are also a lot of other miscellaneous things you should focus on when it comes to spring cleaning to really, really get everything organized and clean.

  • Vacuum Cars Interiors
  • Wash Cars
  • Organize ALL Drawers (especially random drawers where junk can build up)
  • Clean out ALL apps from Phone you don’t use
  • Clean ALL picture Frames
  • DUST EVERYTHING that needs to be dusted
  • Wash Hand Towels
  • Clean Essential Oil Diffusers
  • Organize, Organize, Organize
  • Clean Vents
  • Clean Door Frames
  • Clean All Windows
  • Organize Holiday Storage Boxes
  • Purchase Organizational Tools for Rooms that really need it & use them
  • Clean out Handbags & Organize
  • Clean Out Jewelry Box
  • Clean Jewelry

A Clean & Organized Space will Make a Huge Difference

I hope this article is helpful to somebody who gets overwhelmed with the idea of spring cleaning. 🙂 Let me know any of your spring cleaning hacks in the comment section.

Spring Cleaning Checklist <—– FREE Download

 

3 Comments

  1. Thank you for this very helpful, detailed decluttering list! I shall save this!

  2. I love that you have a checklist for spring cleaning! It’s a neat idea and works perfectly for someone like me who can never get it together. And we do accumulate a lot of shit. I recently sold a lot of clothing on FB and saw that I still have every closet in the house stuffed full. Thanks for this list!

  3. I’m right there with you in the need for a deep clean. I know everything that needs to be done, but the doing it is the problem. Our closets and drawers are overflowing because I didn’t get to do the decluttering I would typically do when the season changed because we all got sick. I’m looking forward to following your tips and taking the house back.

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