It’s Spring Cleaning! Time to make your house look like the model homes you dream of… for about 2 hours. It is now time to clean out the closets and junk drawers we shove everything into whenever company comes over. No more tripping over the shoes you have asked everyone to put back on the rack or pick up all the toys and items left on the stairs that ‘will be taken up next trip’. So, send the children to school or on a playdate, turn on your favorite music and complete the daunting task of cleaning our homes… because let’s face it, who else is going to.
To get this cleaning party started, let's put a small game plan together. To make this lovely time alone go smoother, start with some tasks that you can do all over the home before we start breaking it down by room.
General Cleaning
1. Putting Items Where They Belong
After the millionth time of asking your children or partner to help put the dishes away or to pick the blankets up off the floor, it magically happens in about 10 mins or less when you do it. While having help is nice, you never know where things are being put away. By putting away the shoes, you may find that missing fork. Once everything is put away, it will be easier to declutter.
2. Declutter
It’s now time to find the misfits spots that have accumulated a plethora of unknowns. Here is where you will make more of a mess trying to clean out the clutter. Tackle that stack of mail and paper that you have been hoarding in the corner of your kitchen. Give yourself some sanity back by throwing away that mixed-matched Tupperware. Time to finally see all the treasure and small clothes lost under the bed…. Oh, look! It’s that missing sock from October! Finally, get rid of all those small toys that are used as landmines around the house. When decluttering, don’t forget to not only throw away but try to sell the items in good condition online or donate.
3. Laundry
Whether you are doing laundry for one or twelve, it is a chore that can make you feel like a multi-tasking wizard! Throwing in a load in between the smaller clean-up tasks can give you a sense of accomplishment and that you are chipping away at the beast you have brought upon yourself. Don’t forget to add in the sheets that might have mystery chocolate stains from those midnight cookies your children thought you didn’t know about! Time to hunt for all those socks that are taken off literally everywhere.
Break Time!
Now it’s time to take a deep breath and grab a drink before you roll up those sleeves and get into the true grit and grime. After deep cleaning your house for the next several hours or even days (depending on your pace) you may feel very disgusted by your habits. You may even swear you will do deep cleaning every month and never let it get like this again. Don’t worry, this thought will only last for maybe the next week or so.
The moment you have been waiting for, deep cleaning.
In this portion of your cleaning, you may find that you only have the mental capacity and arm strength to do one room per day. It is also okay to ask and arrange for any help that may be needed.
Deep Cleaning
1. The Kitchen
A place where food and homework crafts collide. While cleaning the kitchen you may find that you are scrubbing two-day-old jelly off one corner of the table and Elmer’s glue of the other. You may open your oven and find small bits of food that map out all last week’s meal plan. After discovering the evidence that you live in your home, it is time to make it into a model home again. Bring out the bucket, vinegar, bleach, sprays, and gloves. Areas you should focus on are the oven, microwave, fridge/freezer, and pantry. Be sure to sweep and mop the floor after you have cleaned your appliances and counters so you aren’t having to wash the floor multiple times.
2. The Living Room
Now take a few steps in whatever direction will take you to those lovely couches. Now is the time to fight the urge to answer the call of the couches to sit down and keep powering through. If you can remove your cushion covers, go throw them in the laundry pile for the next load, or break out whatever cleaning supplies you need to do a good wipe down on the couch. Once the covers are cleaned, it is time to break out the vacuum and find all the treasures the couch has held for who knows how long. After all the goldfish, popcorn, and bobby pins are no longer under, behind, or in the couch; now let’s move to the carpet. Like the kitchen, it makes the most sense to clean the floor last with whatever care it requires. Don’t forget to dust those overpriced family pictures and clay mounds your child swears is a submarine underwater.
3. The Bedroom
You aren't done finding the dumping grounds for the random. Whether you are cleaning your child’s bedroom or your own, there is inevitably that space that houses last week's clean clothes, the macaroni artwork your four-year-old won’t let you throw away and a few random socks you aren’t sure belong to your family. Since the sheets have already been taken care of, it is time to deal with the dark void under the bed. If you have children, you may be aware that ‘clean your room’ means shoving everything under the bed. Now time to sift through and see what random garbage there is, what clothes that are too small, and put the ‘awesome rock collection’ back outside. Once you are officially grossed out by the endless under-bed possibilities, time for a deep clean of the carpet; you can either do it yourself or hire someone. Remember to dust the flat surfaces and move on.
4. The Bathroom
Here is where the elbow grease may come into play the most. From getting the bubble gum toothpaste art out of the sink and counter to wondering why everyone misses the trash can with the band-aid trash, you may feel your work is cut out. It can make someone wonder why a small space can demand so much scrubbing. Areas most missed or avoided are at the base of the toilet, the tiles in the shower, and whatever surface is around the bathtub. Since a bathroom is one of the worst spaces to clean, you may need an adult beverage.
Spring Cleaning Your House = Complete!
You did it! You have successfully made it through the excruciating process of finding out how good your daily cleaning routine is. Unfortunately, this is also when you may need to go back through your house and pick up all the little piles that may be leftover from decluttering and deep cleaning. Now is when you post items you wish to sell and make a trip to Goodwill for donation. It is now time for you to sit down and enjoy your newly minted model house but remember to try not to get frustrated with the inevitable mess around the corner since unlike your dream house; your home is lived in and loved.
For a more in-depth analysis of the market, please reach out to schedule some time to chat about your home buying or selling needs.
Additional Sources for Spring Cleaning:
Century 21: How to Clean Your House to Sell: Deep Cleaning Checklist
Better Homes & Gardens: Room-by-Room Guide for Deep Cleaning Your House
Have a question about your home buying or selling options or the Real Estate market in general? You can schedule a Zoom Meeting with Grimm Realty Group to discuss your housing needs, lifestyles, & future goals!
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