Are you looking for some practical spring or fall cleaning tips? Don’t feel like analyzing each and every shirt?
Does it give you joy? Do you find it useful? Does it have a purpose? 😁
Yeah, I hear ya. I don’t talk to my shirts either. 😂 🤣 If they don’t fit, are worn out, or I haven’t worn them in the last year, I chuck them.
Pretty easy peasy.
Spring and fall cleaning can be pretty easy too! You don’t have to put a lot of thought into it, question each item, or make more of it than it really has to be.
And while spring and fall are a good time to clean and go through things, it doesn’t have to be a do-or-die kind of thing. I have skipped both, spring and fall cleaning many times over the years, and I promise you – all of my kids are still alive and healthy, and my house is still clean! 😁
So, if spring or fall cleaning is your thing, let’s do it! I’ve got some pretty practical deep-cleaning tips for you.
And if it’s not your thing, then don’t do it! The world won’t end, despite what your momma says. 😉
How to deep clean your home in the spring or fall
I take a no-nonsense approach to spring cleaning. Admittedly, I am a bit OCD – I have to start and finish in an orderly fashion. I can’t start cleaning one room and then jump to another before the first is done. I need to walk out of a finished room.
I’m also not superhuman. I can’t spring clean my house in one day – or one weekend! Unless you live in a tiny house and have very little belongings, it is pretty impractical to expect to get it done in one weekend.
Also, spring cleaning is what you make of it. If you want to dig down deep and be incredibly thorough, you can. If you just want to tackle closets and drawers, you can.
It’s all what you make of it!
So, let’s get started. Here’s how I deep clean my house. I hope it inspires you to tackle a bit of yours!
1. Go room by room, level by level
Like I said, I’m a bit OCD. I have to do things in a linear pattern, and one has to be finished before I start the next. I’m not one of those people who can, say, clean all closets in the entire house, and then oups, that drawer looks bad, so I’ll toss that in too, before moving on, and oh my look at that spider web!
Nope. I will literally ignore the closets, drawers, and spider webs in one room until I have finished the room I’m in.
I like to start on one level, way in the back of the house, and work my way through that level to the front of the house. When each room in the level is done, I move on to the next level.
Of course, this usually takes me more than one weekend. It can take two to four. You could set aside an entire month for spring cleaning, or just work on it as you have time.
2. As you clean, sort through your items – throw, give away, sell and keep
I like to sort and organize while cleaning. If I’m cleaning a drawer or closet, I’ll literally empty it, vacuum it out, wipe it down, and then return the items to their spots. Some will get shifted or moved to better spots.
Some will get washed, depending on what they are.
I like to wash anything made from cloth – scrunchies, bedding, curtains, stuffed animals, etc. I Just throw them in the washing machine.
I’ll wash combs and toothbrushes as well. I toss those in the dishwasher. You can also soak combs in a tub of water and dish soap.
Toys, shoes, you name it! If it’s washable, I wash it. Wipe things down with Clorox Clean Ups or a spray bottle and a rag. Or toss it in the washer if you can.
And if I don’t need it, I get rid of it. As I said, I don’t analyze things to determine if they bring me joy. 😁
I’m a bit more practical than that.
✔︎ have I used it in the last year?
✔︎ does it still work or fit?
That’s pretty much how I decide what I will get rid of. If I’ve used it and it still works or fits, then I keep it. If I haven’t, it goes.
But, then again, I am a thrower. I have very few things that I attach sentimental value to. If you are sentimental, you may want to consider whether or not the item is “special to you” and why.
If it holds any sentimental value, you may want to keep it.
And then, because I live in a rural area with no place to drop off donations, I usually just toss things. I could do a garage sale or sell it to a second-hand store, but usually, if I’m tossing something, it’s because it’s served its purpose.
There’s not much life left in it. 😂 🤣
If it is an item that is still good, then I just give it to someone I know could use it.
3. Start with the closets
For me, it’s easiest to start by cleaning out the closets. I clean out just the closets of the room I’m working in. So, say, if I’m in my bedroom, I clean and sort out the bedroom closets, going through the clothing and anything else in there.
Once you’ve emptied that closet, clean it! Wipe down the walls and the shelving. It also might be a good time to make any repairs that are needed, as well.
Leaky ceiling? Chipping paint? Stained carpet? Busted door? Fix it all, before filling that closet back up.
And again, wash items before putting them back in and get rid of stuff you no longer need.
4. Move on to any drawers, cupboards, or insides of furniture
After I’ve finished the closets, I move on to any drawers or cupboards. Anything that has an inside that can be cleaned out.
And I do the same thing I do with the closets – completely empty it out. Vacuum it out, wipe it down and sort through the items that were in there.
Keep what you want, find new homes for the stuff that doesn’t belong in there, and get rid of the rest.
Be sure to wash what needs to be washed, repair what needs repairing, and better organize what needs organizing.
5. Clean the light fixtures, fans, and windows
Cleaning the lights and windows is usually my husband’s job. Not because I can’t do it, but because he doesn’t really seem to trust me to do it. 😆 I’m fine with that!
Take the covers off any lights you can and clean out all the dead flies and spider webs! If they are dirty, a little bath in the sink with some dish soap can go a long way. Otherwise, Windex works well too.
Clean both the inside and outside of your windows. My husband usually does all of the windows in the entire house while I am spring cleaning other things.
This is because you often have to take storm windows off and clean in between. He’s better at that than I am.
Plus, he thinks I leave streaks. So he cleans all windows. Always. 😆
And finally, be sure to clean all the dirt and grime off all of your ceiling fans. (Yes, that is one job he trusts me with!)
I like to use a duster or the hose of a vacuum cleaner. When the first layer is off, I use Pledge.
6. Clean the blinds and curtains
Quite a nasty job. Not my favorite.
There’s a couple of ways to do this.
You can grab a rag and some cleaner or soapy water, and literally wipe down each slat on the blinds.
Or you can toss them in the tub with some dish soap. Let them sit for a bit, and then come back and wash down the slats.
Let them dry, and then rehang them.
You can throw curtains in the washing machine or have them professionally cleaned.
7. Remove all wall hangings and clean them
Take them off the wall and wipe them down. Pledge the wood and Windex the glass. Then, put them back up.
8. Wash any bedding and clean under the beds
Ideally, you are washing your bedding once or twice a month. But if not, spring cleaning is the perfect time to get it done!
Strip the bed and throw the bedding into the washing machine. Or take it to the laundry mat if it needs to be professionally washed.
And then clean out underneath the beds. Literally, pull everything out.
Use the hose on your vacuum and vacuum under the bed. Then, sort your belongings.
Get rid of what you no longer need, wash what needs to be washed, and find new homes for the stuff that doesn’t belong under your bed.
All the rest, return.
9. Reorganize anything that can be organized better
As you clean things out, always reorganize before putting it back in. Fix what needs to be repaired. Return things to their rightful places if they weren’t where they belonged.
And if the drawer, closet, cabinet, etc. was utterly chaotic, then organize it better. Get some totes, racks, hangers, shelves, or any other organizer that can help you to organize.
10. Finish by dusting, vacuuming, or washing the floor
There’s no point in spring cleaning if the room still looks dirty when you are finished!
Wrap it up with your normal weekly cleaning.
Dust the furniture, return things that don’t belong in that room and organize anything that is on the floor, such as toy boxes, furniture, plants, etc.
If you have nic nacs, clean them. Use soap and water, pledge, or Windex, depending on what they are.
It’s also a good time to rearrange furniture if you feel compelled to do so.
Then vacuum. Or, if you have flooring, sweep and wash.
11. After you’ve completed every room, wash the carpet
When you’ve spring-cleaned the entire house, finish it off with a good carpet cleaning. You can buy a carpet cleaner, rent one, or have someone come in and do it professionally.
And that’s it! My spring and fall cleaning process.
It’s not quick, but it is practical!
At the end of the day…
At the end of the day, momma, a clean house makes it so much easier to raise your kids. Sounds odd, I know. But, kids thrive in a controlled environment. They feel safer, more secure if they have a scheduled routine and know where things are in their house.
They act out less if their environment is orderly.
It is calming, to have a clean house.
A messy, chaotic house will overstimulate your child. This leads to all sorts of behavior problems.
If you hate cleaning, maybe it’ll help to know it benefits your child’s development and behavior. Plus, you can use this time to teach them how to clean and pick up after themselves. Or, get them involved in spring cleaning!