Although winter just began, spring will be here in no time. And with that season comes inevitable general cleaning. According to the American Cleaning Institute, 78 percent of American households engage in spring cleaning every year. Considering how busy everyone’s life has become, that number is surprisingly high. This is because, coincidentally, also 78 percent of households believe that their homes aren’t as clean as they want it to be on a typical day.
Since you are statistically likely to agree with the statement above, you’re probably also considering doing some general cleaning in the coming spring. And although it’s still a ways away, you can always make sure that everything’s set when the day comes. This article will help.
Here are the spring-cleaning preparations you can do now, ahead of the season.
Start Listing Things Down
You’re going to be incredibly busy once you start cleaning. During that haze, it won’t be surprising if you missed a couple of tasks because there’s just too many to mentally keep track of. Enter your spring-cleaning checklist.
By starting your list as early as now, you’ll have enough time to really think about the things you want addressed. Even just jotting down tasks as you remember them when you go about your day will is great practice. Just make sure you do a once-over maybe a week before your actual cleaning date. This ensures that you’ve covered everything you need.
Making a list now will also help you categorize and prioritize. This will make sure that your spring cleaning is as efficient as possible. Going back and forth between the basement and the attic, for example, because you don’t have a clear cleaning plan guarantees a tiring and tedious time.
Check Your Tools, Materials, and Equipment
Everyone has a stack of cleaning materials gathering dust in a cabinet somewhere. And although you’re pretty sure they’re all there, it pays to check. You might find that there’s not enough soap or scrubs or anything. This way, you can make your purchases as early as now. It’s not a fun time when you need to rush to the store on cleaning day just because you didn’t check your supplies.
You should also make sure that all your cleaning equipment are in good condition. Did you know that, according to the National Fire Protection Association, there are an estimated 15,970 fires occurring in American homes every year because of poorly maintained washers or dryers? Yikes. Have everything checked and serviced ahead of time. If you notice that your vacuum cleaner is underperforming, for example, don’t hesitate to bring it to a vacuum repair shop as soon as possible. Don’t wait for it to completely stop working.
Declutter
Apart from coming up with a checklist and going through everything you’re going to need for the big clean, decluttering is also an incredibly helpful step. No, you’re not yet actually cleaning, you’re just putting things back to where they belong, taking out all your recycling, removing old food from the fridge, and a whole host of things that you can easily squeeze into your every day.
This doesn’t only clear the way for the actual spring cleaning, it also gives you more insights when you’re populating your list.
Set the Mood
Okay, so cleaning may not be the most exciting thing in the world. But if you psyche yourself up for it, you’ll be amazed at how motivated you can become. Look at old photos of your home when it was cleaner. Make a cleaning playlist on Spotify. Imagine how great everything would feel and look once you’re done. These small things help you build up your motivation to take on spring cleaning.
Follow the tips on this list and not only will spring cleaning be much easier, you might also find yourself looking forward to it.
