How to Reset Your Home for Spring: A Simple Spring Cleaning Checklist

Spring has been in the air…even if just as a tease (depending on your area of the country), and it reminds us just how excited we get for the change in season. The warmer weather, the blossoming flowers, budding trees, and the sound of the birds have us all feeling a special kind of way and ready for the new start we all need every year. Part of that fresh start we all look forward to is the motivation of doing that good spring cleaning of our homes. All that new sunlight beaming in our windows reminds us that those cobweb corners and dusty light fixtures do exist.

Spring cleaning can be super exciting to some, but to others it can be very overwhelming, and you may not know where to start. This article shares a simple list to help you accomplish all your spring cleaning goals. The items on this list are designed to not take long and you can pick just one or two a day if you don’t know how to begin. Don’t want to do everything on the list, no problem. This is just meant for some inspiration and you can certainly do as little or as much as you want.

As we begin the month of March, this is a perfect time to start the process. This way by the time the warm weather arrives, your house is cleaned, and you are ready to enjoy the warmer days without feeling the nag we all feel when we know we should be cleaning. The earlier you start to tackle the process, the less stressful it will feel!

Not only is spring cleaning important to our mental health, we all strive better in a clean home, but it consists of those tasks that aren’t on the daily and monthly cleaning schedule. Items we sometimes forget to clean. During spring cleaning season dirt and allergens that build up when the house is closed up for winter are removed. It is a simple and great way to reset your home for the transition from cold to warmer weather. And we all know, having a clean house relives stress and makes us happier!

Before we dive in, make sure you have a donation bag or bin ready. As the decluttering process begins, it’s no secret things to donate and get rid of always pop up.

This list is divided up by what to clean in each room in your home. The beauty of the list is you can DIY your own schedule doing either a room a day or a task a day.

Kitchen

• Pantry – Tidy and organize. Toss any food you won’t be eating or anything that has expired. You would be surprised at the number of expired items you will find that have gotten pushed to the back
• Fridge – Not only does this include the inside, shelves, and drawers, but always make sure you pull it out and clean off the top, the sides, the underneath and even dust off those coils
• Inside of dishwasher – There are plenty of products to do this, but if you are a more natural cleaner, there are several “recipes” online to clean the inside with vinegar
• Wipe down the cabinets
• Oven and stove top
• Disinfect the garbage can…disinfecting wipes work well for this
• Drain – Again, there are several products designed to clean the drain, but the internet is a great place to look for something a little more natural
• Microwave – Lots of vinegar and citrus hacks online for this as well
• Wipe down the walls – Cooking in the kitchen, the walls and backsplash are expected to collect a lot of dirt and grime. Vinegar and water work wonders on this task
• Rugs – If you have a rug in your kitchen, or kitchen mats and runners, make sure you wash them and get all the cooking residue out of them as well

Living Room

• Throw blankets – Wash. If you aren’t planning on using them throughout the warmer month, store them
• Vacuum upholstered furniture – Fabric is a wonderful keeper of dust
• Move your furniture pieces and make sure to dust underneath
• Rugs and Carpets – Make sure you not only vacuum them, but give them a good washing and/or shampooing
• Disinfect remotes
• Spot clean furniture stains

Laundry Room

• Washing Machine – There are tablets made to clean the washer, but there are several more natural recipes online
• Remove lint from the dryer hose
• Clean under and behind the washer and dryer
• Check your carbon monoxide detector
• Change the furnace filter

Bedrooms

• Wash the comforter or duvet covers
• Wash mattress cover
• Vacuum, flip and rotate mattress
• Change sheets
• Move the furniture and vacuum underneath
• Swap out winter clothes for summer clothes – This is a wonderful time to declutter that closet and dresser
• Declutter surfaces such as dressers and nightstands

Bathrooms

• Wash shower curtains
• Wash or replace shower curtain liners
• Clean grout
• Clean out the drains
• Wash Rugs
• Wipe down cabinets
• Disinfect garbage cans
• Disinfect toothbrush holder
• Change the toothbrushes
• Sort thru the medicine cabinet and get rid of anything that has expired

Around the House

• Disinfect and wipe down all the doorknobs and light switches
• Wash curtains
• Clean blinds
• Wash windows
• Tidy and organize the linen closet
• Wipe down baseboards
• Dust Ceiling fans
• Lint roll lampshades
• Wash light fixtures
• Cobwebs in the corners
• Replace any burnt out bulbs
• Shred unnecessary paperwork
• Check fire extinguishers
• Condition any leather furniture
• Change smoke detector batteries
• Decorate for Spring/Easter

This list is just a great way to find inspiration to get started on your spring cleaning. It may seem overwhelming at first, but if you just start small with a few tasks, or a room a day, you will be fresh and cleaned in no time with a house reset and ready for spring and summer. Depending on the style of your home, some of these may not apply, but the beauty of the list is just to remind you of the things we may forget to clean throughout the year, and you can do as much or as little as you feel.

Happy spring cleaning!

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Written by: Lauren Foster