24 Spring Cleaning Tips to Refresh Your Home, from the Experts

Spring is the season of renewal, the time to refresh and reorganize your space after a long winter! This is why Spring cleaning is such a popular tradition. However, with so many areas, rooms, and appliances to revitalize, it is overwhelming to know where to begin.

📸: @akbdesign

We've gathered expert spring cleaning tips to help you clean more conveniently and effectively. From decluttering to deep cleaning and organizing, these ideas will certainly leave your home feeling refreshed and beautiful. So put on some comfy clothing, turn up the music, and let's get cleaning!

1. Start with Decluttering

Revamping your space, regardless of season, always begins with removing clutter. This includes everything from outdated clothing and shoes to unused furniture and decorations.

“Get rid of anything in your home that doesn’t thrill you!” says Alexis Peters, Strategic Interior Design Advisor at Real Estate Bees.

📸: @shelleybateshome

Fill your space with only the items you love. “This creates a safe space. A space one loves and cherishes and can thrive in.” Donating or throwing away unnecessary items will make your spring cleaning process so much easier.

2. Create a Checklist

Ryan Knoll, the owner of Tidy Casa, suggests, “Before cleaning, make a checklist of all the areas that aren't normally cleaned. A list will help keep you on track and ensure everything is cleaned.”

Checklists provide organization and make the process more productive and satisfying. With so many spaces in our home, it is easy to forget some spots. Lists transform a big and daunting task into realistic, smaller chores that can also be prioritized according to personal schedule.

3. Involve the Whole Family

Another amazing tip from Ryan is that “Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a solo mission.” The entire household can play a role in quickly and efficiently cleaning the home, even the little ones.

Ryan continues, “Assign tasks based on age and ability and consider turning cleaning into a fun game or challenge. Rewarding them with a trip to the movies or other activities they may enjoy and don't get to do often.”

4. Dust Lighting Fixtures

Lighting fixtures and ceiling fans are often overlooked when it comes to cleaning, probably because we forget to look up! These items are no joke, as they can hold surprising amounts of dust and grime. Cleaning rooms from the top down is key. If you take care of the lighting before the rest of the room, dust won’t fall on already-cleaned surfaces.

Turn off the power beforehand, and then clean the fixtures with a microfiber cloth or duster. Glass fixtures can be made shiny and streak-free by using a glass cleaner. Ceiling fans are a bit trickier to clean, but using a vacuum with a dusting attachment can simplify the task.

5. Thorough Floor Cleaning

“After you’ve decluttered, give your home a thorough cleaning” recommends Artem Kropovinsky, Interior designer and founder at Arsight. This can include sweeping and mopping floors, wiping tiles, and vacuuming.

“Use a steam cleaner to clean your carpets and upholstery. This will get rid of dirt, dust, and allergens, and make your home feel cleaner and fresher,” Artem says.

6. Donate Clothing

Go through your clothes, shoes, and accessories, and have yourself a purge. Chances are, there are a ton of pieces that could be donated or thrown away. Any items that are stained, outdated, worn out, or simply not your style anymore fit the criteria. Recycling clothing at second-hand shops is also sustainable and friendly to the environment.

📸: @mariekondo

Ariana Lovato, Owner, and Principal Designer at Honeycomb Home Design says “Donate any clothes you haven't worn in the last 6 months. Includes shoes too! Store your winter clothes in a spare closet to make room for your spring/summer wardrobe.” Storing items not in season improves your dressing routine, and leave space for warm-weather clothing.

7. Go Room by Room

“Start with one room at a time and try to do it on the weekend so you have an extra day to pick up anything you couldn't finish,” suggests Ariana Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design.

Having unfinished tasks can be stressful, and we don’t want you to have to deal with that stress during the work week. Therefore, giving yourself realistic cleaning tasks is key. Don’t try to clean the whole house in a couple of days, unless you can.

8. Clean Kids' Toys

Give your kid's plastic toys a wipe-down and throw stuffed animals in the laundry (if machine washable). Mesh bags and pillowcases can be used to hold stuffed toys on a gentle cycle.

“If you have kiddos, it is the perfect time to clear out old toys,” Ariana emphasizes. Spring is a great opportunity to donate toys your kid may have grown out of, and throw away broken toys that no longer have a use.

9. Freshen the Air

You can drastically change the atmosphere of a room by using air fresheners, such as natural oil diffusers, scented candles, or herbal bouquets.

These items will give your home an aroma that is inviting and fresh while using natural and non-harmful ingredients. In addition to giving your room a pleasant smell, they also have therapeutic benefits and the ability to alter moods.

10. Spray Down Windows and Blinds

Over time, windows accumulate dirt and streaks that affect natural lighting and contribute to allergies among other health issues.

Combat this by spraying and wiping the windows clean with a glass cleaner, and then dust the blinds. For stubborn grime, you may need to remove the blinds from their brackets and clean them with mild soap and water.

11. Use Matching Organizers

Alexis Peters of Real Estate Bees advises using matching organizers for a clean and cohesive look. “I know how tempting it is to opt for the cheap multi-colored, different-height organizers. But what I see often is drawers filled with multi-colored bins and trays (in different heights as well) and it ends up looking even more chaotic than without them.”

12. Reorganize Bookshelves

The books we read change as we go through different seasons of the year and stages of life. Reorganize accordingly by adding books that fit your personality and mood. Old books and magazines still in decent condition can be donated to local stores or libraries.

📸: @mariekondo

“We'll empty out our bookshelf as a weekend project, deep clean the shelves, and then start to style them with new decor pieces and rotate out books.” shares Ariana Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design.

Feel free to play around with the design of your reading spot. You can get creative with vertical or horizontal rows, and organize by color, size, and more.

13. See-Through Storage Bins

Seasonal items, holiday decorations, winter coats, or rain boots may not be used for a long time. Storing these items in transparent bins is a great way to keep your home clutter-free while making sure items are still easy to find.

📸: @ikea

Another option is implementing a labeling system so you can find things without having to open every box in your home. Label makers are affordable and aesthetic, so we encourage you to use them and be organized in style.

14. Deep Clean the Refrigerator

The refrigerator is often one of the most intimidating appliances to clean, because of how cluttered it can get. Still, we recommend taking full advantage of Spring cleaning and spending the necessary hours on this project.

📸: @connieandluna

First, take everything out and trash the items that you won’t use. Then, wipe down the interior and exterior of the refrigerator. Shelves and bins can be deep cleaned in the dishwasher or with soapy water in the sink.

To maintain this clean and organized look, develop a system of keeping old groceries at the front, and removing outdated food regularly. Limiting yourself in grocery trips and also keeping an inventory of already-owned items will help reduce food waste.

15. Don’t Forget the Pantry

In addition to the refrigerator, the pantry is where we keep (and sometimes forget) all of our dry food and snacks. “Time to empty out the pantry and throw out your expired food, deep clean the shelves, and organize your dry goods in clear containers,” says Ariana Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design.

Adding some baskets within our cabinets is a great way to store similar foods together, such as candies, chips, and other goods.

16. Steam the Microwave

“For the microwave specifically, partially fill a cup with water and add a slice of lemon. Let the microwave run on high for 1-2 minutes or until the water in the cup boils. Leave the door closed and let the steam loosen the mess for around 10 minutes. Open the microwave door, and all the debris should be easy to wipe away.” shares Ryan Knoll of Tidy Casa.

If you’re still having issues with food stuck in the microwave, Ryan recommends using white vinegar. “The acidity of white vinegar can be a powerful, affordable, and natural solution to harder chemicals, especially when cleaning areas like the microwave.”

17. Sanitize Washing Machines

Our dishwasher and laundry machines do the cleaning, but how often do these appliances get cleaned themselves? We want to make sure we aren’t soaking our clothes in unsanitary water, or eating on plates that still have bacteria on them.

For the dishwasher machine, you can run a cycle with special cleansing detergent and pods. Do this from time to time to make sure your silverware and dishes are getting proper treatment.

A laundry washing machine can be disinfected with distilled white vinegar and baking soda. By adding these cleaning agents and letting your machine soak for 30 to 60 minutes, you can keep it new and high-functioning.

18. Bring Mirrors to Life

Fingerprints, streaks, and dust are all common culprits holding back the potential of our mirrors. For this reason, we need to clean these items often so that light can be reflected and the illusion of space is grander in our homes.

📸: @iconjanehome

Mirrors can be simply wiped down with a microfiber cloth and Windex. Or, there are plenty of other DIY mixtures such as vinegar and water. Take the time to clean all mirrors in the home including the bathroom, bedroom, or living room.

19. Organize by Size and Color

Don’t just throw multiple items into a storage bin or basket and call it a day. “The idea is to organize the chaos!” Alexis Peters of Real Estate Bees recommends color coordinating and organizing items by size and color. “Keep blues with blues, pinks with pinks, short items with short items, you get the point.” This creates a clean aesthetic and a functional home with purposeful storage.

20. Wash Pets’ Beds

For all you pet owners, one of the biggest questions is how we can clean our pets' beds. Some come with machine-washable removable covers, so first check for that. On the other hand, we might need to hand-scrub our pets’ beds.

Start by vacuuming the bed to remove hair and debris. Then, soak the bed in warm soapy water with unscented detergent. Before drying, sprinkle on some baking soda and scrub thoroughly in every crevice and surface. Lastly, rinse the bed until all of the soapiness is gone, wring it out, and leave it in the sunlight to dry.

21. Refresh Doormat

Without a doubt, your doormat is filled with dirt and grime. It’s what everyone steps on before coming into your home. We recommend shaking it out, vacuuming and handwashing if necessary. Baking soda can be used to scrub out stubborn stains.

By refreshing your doormat, we also mean rotating in new styles or colors for the season or stage of life. The holiday doormat can be replaced with a vibrant and warm doormat to represent Spring and Summer.

22. Freshen your Drains

Jen Nash, Senior Design Lead at Magnet emphasizes that “Whilst most of us may remember to clean what we can see with the naked eye, drains can be forgotten. If left untouched, drains can leave a musty odor in your home as a result of built-up food residue and particles.

However, a spring clean is a perfect time to freshen your drains. Drop ½ cup of baking soda down the drain and then pour 1 cup of vinegar down it. Let it sit for 15 minutes and then flush the drain with hot water. Add some lemon to the mix and you’ll be left with a sparkly sink alongside a nice citrus scent filling your kitchen for spring.’’

23. Organize Bathroom Drawers

If you’re a human, then your bathroom drawers and cabinets get messy from time to time. A seasonal clearout is very beneficial. “Most beauty products have expiration dates,” says Laura Price, founder, and director at The Home Organisation. “Also check all medicines and take out anything that has expired. Unused medicines can be taken to your local pharmacy for safe disposal.”

24. Give Your Decor a Refresh

Get organized, declutter, and give any room a makeover with the ultimate interior design app, DecorMatters. Visualize your home without the clutter and design your space with real furniture and decorations. This is one of the best ways to find inspiration for your Spring refresh.

Try Your Own Design

📸: @helisa