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Spring cleaning and organizing go hand in hand.  With our move just around the corner, I have gotten a head start on spring cleaning as I have been decluttering, packing, and cleaning all of the spaces within our home.  Last week I made a big trip to the dry cleaners with my winter coats, comforters and bedding, and one of my wool rugs and it felt so good!

I am all about efficiency so while you are doing things like organizing your pantry and your linen closet, don’t forget to wipe out the shelves.  Here is a room by room spring cleaning guide to get your started, print this page and put it on your fridge to keep you motivated and on task.

Kitchen

• Move your appliances from the wall and vacuum and mop the floor under them.  Using your vacuum attachment clean the coils and the nooks and crannies on the back of your oven and fridge.

• Defrost your fridge and freezer, wipe it out with Clorox wipes.

Toy Room

• Sort through all of the toys and games, purge things that don’t get played with or that are missing pieces.

• Disinfect all of the toys with your favorite cleaning products and don’t forget to wipe out any bins and baskets.  Remove fabric liners and through them in the wash.

• Rearrange the toy room setup,  the change of scenery will excite your kids and give them a new interest in the toys they haven’t played with recently.

Living Room

• Remove the cushions from your sofa and chairs and vacuum them.  Vacuuming your upholstered furniture is the best way to preserve it and help it last.

• Wash or dry clean your heavy blankets and throws, store them in vacuum sealed closet bags to save room and keep them fresh.  Swap them out for light weight options.

• Vacuum your and dust your window treatments.  If they are machine washable throw them in the washing machine.  If parts of your room get more sun, rotate the window treatments to avoid fading.

• Wash the windows, inside and out.

Dining Room

• Remove the china and dishes from your hutch or china cabinet, dust the shelves and wash items that haven’t been used in awhile.

• Shampoo your carpets or if you have rugs take them to the cleaners.

Bedrooms

• Turn over your mattress to distribute the wear evenly.  Replace cool-weather bedding with warm-weather bedding.

• Wash the pillows, whether made of natural fibers (such as down) or synthetic (often polyester),most pillows can be machine-washed. This rids them of mold, bacteria, and odors.

Bathroom

• Clean out your medicine cabinet and cosmetic drawers.  Check the expiration dates and toss anything that you don’t use anymore.  Most cosmetics expire after 3 months, if kept longer there is a greater chance of bacteria spreading (especially mascara and eye makeup).

Home Office

• Review insurance policies, contracts, and family documents.

• Scrub computer casings with a solution of 1 drop mild dish washing liquid per 1 quart of water and a lint-free cloth; dust crevices in keyboards with cotton swabs; wipe screens with a soft cloth or a dry screen-cleaning sponge.

Closets

• Swap out cold weather clothing for warm weather clothing. Get winter coats and sweaters dry cleaned and store them in a hanging garment bag.

• Go through your closet, any items that you won’t make it until next winter toss or put in a Goodwill bag. Try on all of your spring and summer clothes to make sure they still fit and are still in style. There is no use filling up your closet with ugly stuff that doesn’t fit. Make a list of items that you need to add to your wardrobe for spring and summer so you can stay on track when you are shopping. If you need help with this please contact me, I love helping people determine what they need to keep and what needs to go.

Outdoor Spaces

• Scrub decks, patios, sidewalks, and driveways. If needed rent a power washer.

• Wash outdoor furniture with a solution of mild dish washing liquid and water and a soft-bristle brush. If your furniture is looking old and tired, pick up some spray paint for a quick makeover.

Garages & Attics

• Sort through items that are piling up, donate all of the unwanted junk.  Sort the rest into sections so it is easy to find, put items that are not going to move anytime soon in the back and the items that are used more often in the front.  Toss old storage bins that are cracked or missing lids (you don’t want to risk damaging the items inside).  Use concrete bricks under bins to keep them high and dry.