I’ve finally decided to tackle the big spring-clean this weekend. After five days of planning, gathering energy, and negotiating with my sister to distract the kids for a day, I’m finally ready to get my home ready for the upcoming months.
Take down draperies, curtains and sheers on your windows. Give them a good shake outdoors first, and then throw them in the wash while you break out the vacuum cleaner. (Note that vacuuming is listed first, before you dust, because the vacuum will stir up plenty of dust mites. My recommendation here is in direct contradiction to Martha Stewart’s advice; maybe you all can try it both ways and report back to me with your evidence?)
Transition your vacuum to carpets next; extra points for moving furniture and sweeping underneath, and pay special attention to the corners and baseboards with your vacuum’s hand attachments, and remove cobwebs from around the legs of dressers, and the upper corners where the wall meets the ceiling.
It’s high time to get rid of the spider’s nest that appeared between your bedroom window and the screen. Remove the screens and clean them outdoors, with a soft scrub brush and a solution of soapy water. Wash the windows per usual, removing any bugs or debris that may have found its way to your windowsill over the winter. As a side note, if your spider/pest problem is too much for you to deal with, here are some good DIY tips to try before you call up the exterminator.
I’m not much of an interior designer and am on a pretty small budget when it comes to decorating, but I do try to spruce things up a bit once a year. My husband and I have a deal that we can each splurge a bit on things we need for the home after we’ve done some major cleaning. This year, I’ve got my eye on some really nice things on the housewarming page at Personal Creations, although I’m not sure it’s what my husband had in mind.
The bathroom has always been my least favorite place to clean. I focused first on de-cluttering: remove the personal hygiene products and other supplies from the vanity, the closet, the shelves, and the tub. Disinfect and scrub all the appropriate places and use a bit of calcium, lime and rust product to de-clog the showerhead. I added some new wicker baskets to my vanity storage and the closet shelves, and labeled them so the kids wouldn’t have to rummage through them.
Spend time disinfecting and cleaning your desktop computer and/or laptop. I use Clorox disinfecting wipes on the keyboard and mouse more frequently, but here’s a DIY screen cleaner recipe that is great for getting rid of fingerprints and dust on computer and television screens.
The final step was putting away the dark winter clothes and bringing out the warm colors. Keep your off-season stuff in a well-labeled box near the attic or basement entrance. Enjoy that sun, everybody!
