The first official day of spring is finally here! For some reason, the idea of tackling spring cleaning somehow doesn’t seem as daunting when the weather turns nice. It’s time to open the windows and let in some fresh air (or not so fresh with all this pollen in the air).

To begin, stand in the doorway of each room and make a check list of everything you want to accomplish. Making a list ensures that everything you want to do- gets done. It also helps to keep you on track with your busy schedule. Just because you think of something now, doesn’t mean you’ll remember it later.

Spring Cleaning Tips & Tricks

Below are some things to help get you started!

• Thoroughly dust and vacuum all surfaces, from crown moldings to baseboards and under furniture. Carefully dust light bulbs, chandeliers and wall sconces.
• Use all those funny little attachments that came with the vacuum cleaner to do lampshades, pictures, upholstered furniture, shelves and chair legs.Take down sheers and curtains and wash or send out for dry cleaning. Wash interior windows as well as windowsills.
• Wash the walls. This is easier than you think, if you use a sponge mop, a bucket of diluted all-purpose cleaning solution and start at the bottom, not the top; drips are easier to clean when they run onto an already-cleaned wall.
• Organize bookshelves and storage cabinets; if possible, remove and dust or vacuum books and knick-knacks, and thoroughly clean the shelf before putting the books back.
• Roll up area rugs and vacuum the floor beneath them; then vacuum both sides of the rug thoroughly. With valuable rugs such as Persians, send them out for professional cleaning, or hang them on the line and beat with a broom or rug beater.

Tackling the Kitchen

• Thoroughly vacuum tops of cabinets, fridge coils and stove vents. If possible, move appliances out and clean or vacuum under them. Wash outsides of appliances; shine up stainless steel with a few drops of vegetable oil on a paper towel.
• Clean out the fridge. Throw away never-used jars of food and then thoroughly clean the interior with baking soda and water, or use an all-purpose spray cleaner (rinse afterward). If possible, remove shelves and wash in the sink with dish detergent.
• Clean cabinetry inside and out, one cupboard at a time. Remove contents; wash interior, then replace the contents, throwing away or recycling all those strange things you’ll never eat or use. Then wash the outside of the cabinet. When you’re done, wash tops and bottoms of cabinets.
• Scrub floor with an all-purpose cleaning solution and a scrub brush to get out ground-in grime. Vinyl floors can be sprayed with a foaming cleanser, left for a few minutes, then wiped clean with a damp mop. Use tile cleaner to clean grout on ceramic tile and some stone floors.

Bettering Your Bathroom

• Scrub around faucets with bathroom cleaner and an old toothbrush to get rid of built-up soap scum. If mildew on tile is a problem, use the toothbrush and tile cleaner to get rid of it.
• Take down shower curtains and plastic liner and wash.
• Clean and wash cupboards, throwing away expired medicines and cosmetics you’ll never use.

Creating a Cozy Bedroom

• Strip all bed linens, including bed skirt, and wash. Vacuum mattress and box spring and spray lightly with fabric freshener.
• Unless your mattress is the no-flip kind, flip and rotate the mattress.
• Open and clean out closets and dresser drawers. Give away clothes you haven’t worn for a year; dry-clean or launder what you’re keeping.

And last but not least, spring cleaning can get pretty tiring so set yourself up for success by getting music that makes you happy and energetic to listen to while you work!

If you’re spring cleaning to sell your home, you may need to add a few more tasks to your checklist. Join the conversation to chat with our real estate team to get reccomendations that will help you sell quickly.