Few home projects can be more satisfying than spring cleaning. Done correctly, it feels like getting a new start after a tough winter. And given the issues we’ve all had to adjust to with the pandemic, it can even feel like a new lease on life given all the isolation and economic difficulties we’ve all had to handle.
But only if it’s done right. A poorly-implemented spring cleaning project can be beyond frustrating. It’s easy to feel like you’re chasing your tail and getting nowhere if you don’t plan and do some work in advance, so let’s take a closer look at some of what’s involved in that.
Do Some Pre-Cleaning Prep Work
For people who aren’t cleaning pros or regular cleaners, the idea of doing advance organizing work before the cleaning actually starts can seem distinctly counter-intuitive. It can also make the cleaning seem harder once there are two projects to handle.
In fact, the opposite is often true. Moving furniture and large objects out of the way can make access easier, which can reduce the time required to clean different areas.
Think of moving these objects as a way to cut your cleaning time, and you may get a whole new perspective on your spring cleaning project.
Divide and Conquer
Now that you’ve made it easier to clean, it’s time to double down on that basic concept. To do this, think about how you utilize each room in your project and where dirt and messes tend to accumulate.
This should be easier to do now that you’ve gotten all the major obstacles out of the way, and it, too, will change the way you clean. You can identify the worst spots in each room first and get them out of the way, then finish up the areas that are less problematic.
Rehoming your Belongings
The next stage of your spring cleaning is to reorganize everything you’ve stored. Think of this as starting over-if you were just moving in to your space, where would you put your most important things?
One way to think of this is to consider the problems you’ve had in the past with where you put different things. Was there a dresser in your bedroom that consistently got in the way? A coffee table in your living room table that was constantly causing bumps and bruises for both you and your guests?
This is your chance to rectify these things. You’ve already done the heavy lifting by moving things around and addressing your needs in each room individually, so take the next step and imagine an idyllic life in which everything was where it was supposed to be and your overall access increases significantly.
The Last Step
Once you’ve finished the cleaning and rearranged your things the way you want them, there is one last step that’s vital to the whole project:
Celebrate!
This may seem silly to some people, but it’s actually vital if you’re a reluctant cleaner. It will reinforce your sense of accomplishment, which will make it easier to maintain the amount of cleaning you’ve done.