Spring Cleaning Made Easy

Spring is well on its way and it’s that time of year again…spring cleaning time! A time to empty out those drawers and closets, tidy up the house, and get a fresh start to the season. Of course, this is easier said than done, but once you finish and see the end result you’ll feel great! The concept of “spring cleaning” can seem like an overwhelming task, but if you break it up, take it step by step, and get in the zone it can reduce the stress and be a pain free experience. 

First here are some basic tips to help make the process itself more manageable: 

• Make and stick to a schedule: tailor it to you, you don’t need to follow any specific guidelines or anyone else’s checklist!
• Focus on one task at a time, break it down to be as efficient as possible. consider going room by room
• Enlist the help of any family or friends available! 
• Play some good music to inspire you or lets some fresh air in make it a productive and happy experience
• Feel free to take breaks and reward yourself at the end, you deserve it!

Now tips for how to prep:

• Get all supplies you will need ready ahead of time so you don’t have to interrupt your rhythm when you need something
• Start by decluttering. Get rid of things you don’t use that are taking up extra space and creating more of a mess
• Work from top to bottom; you don’t want to do things twice!
• Use the internet! Want to make your own cleaning products? Don’t be scared to look things up. Let Pinterest be your best friend through the process. 

There are so many potential different tasks that could be part of your spring cleaning. From the obvious ones, like emptying out closets, to the more forgettable ones, like cleaning your cleaners (brooms, vacuum, etc.) themselves, now is the time to do it. Because who remembers to deep clean their oven the rest of the year? Here is a list of {some} the important things to remember to do while doing your annual deep house cleaning:

• Wash your windows (both inside and out). Don’t forget the screens too, which can be washed in soap and water. Tip: do this when it is cloudy so they don’t dry before you get to it
• Put things other than dishes in the dishwasher, things like toothbrush holders, soap holders, and other items that you might not normally think to put in there
• Remove pet hair by wetting some rubber gloves. Or of course use the good ole lint roller.
• Put things like pillows and drapes in the dryer to clean and rejuvenate them. Doing this can remove lint or pet hair, as well as fluff them up a little bit. For drapes. rehang immediately to avoid winkles. Remember to use a gentle, air only cycle! 
• Dust, dust, dust! Remember to get those spots you normally neglect, like lampshades, drapes, or hidden crevices
• Clean your dishwasher. Food can build up over time, so remove it from around the filter, take out the filter and rinse it, then run a cycle with dishwasher cleaner (you should try to do this every month)
• Don’t forget to polish your stainless steel, glass, and chrome. Use 1 part water, 1 part rubbing alcohol
• Clean your cleaners! Get your broom and vacuum in tip top shape for the best spring cleaning results!
• Throw away things you don’t use. If you haven’t worn something in over a year, throw it out. If something is broken, throw it out
• Clean out those drains. Baking soda and salt then vinegar work to do this (then follow that will throwing some lemon on at the end!)
• Deep clean your appliances, like your oven, microwave, and fridge. Use salt and soda water 
• Remember your vents! Have as good of air quality throughout the year as possible!
• Prepare for the good weather. Sweep your patio and get your patio furniture prepped for spring and summer

While you are spring cleaning it’s a great time to also do your annual home inventory. Take photos with your smart phone in every room you are cleaning. Don’t forget to open the drawers, cupboards and closets and take photos. Then most importantly make sure they are uploaded somewhere in the cloud. This is a great way to document the items you own. There are tons of home inventory apps you can download for your smartphone. Your insurance agent most likely has resources for you too so be sure to ask them about creating a home inventory. If the unexpected happens at least you have a place to refresh your memory on everything you own and you have photos to show your claims adjuster so your homeowners or renters insurance policy can cover your claim. Have questions about creating a home inventory? Just give Cliff Cottam Insurance Services a call at 916-488-4426 and we will be happy to help. 

Sure, spring cleaning can be a sizable task, but any progress is good progress. Do what works for you and don’t stress! You will be happy you did. Happy cleaning!