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Spring Cleaning Checklist: 24 Spring Cleaning Tips to Refresh Your Home, from the Experts
by DecorMatters|updated Mar 05, 2024
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.
We've gathered expert spring cleaning tips to help you clean more conveniently and effectively. From decluttering to deep cleaning and organizing, our room cleaning checklist 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 This includes everything from outdated clothing and shoes to unused furniture and decorations.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 of Real Estate Bees. "This creates a safe space. A space one loves and cherishes and can thrive in.”
Fill your home with only the items you love. Donating or throwing away unnecessary items will make your spring cleanup and spring decorating so much easier.
2. Create a Checklist
Ryan Knoll from Tidy Casa suggests, “Before cleaning, make a checklist of all the areas that aren't normally cleaned. A list will help you stay on track and make sure you clean everything.
House cleaning checklists organize and make the process more productive and satisfying. With so many spaces in our homes, it is easy to forget some spots. Spring cleaning lists break down a big task into smaller chores that can be prioritized based on personal schedules.
3. Involve the Whole Family
Another spring cleaning hack from Knoll is getting the family involved. “Spring cleaning doesn't have to be a solo mission.” The entire household, even the little ones, can become spring cleaners and help quickly and efficiently clean the home.
“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 for spring, probably because we forget to look up! When cleaning a room, starting from the top and working your way down is important.
Light fixtures can hold a lot of dust and grime. It's best to clean the lighting first to avoid dust falling onto already-cleaned surfaces. Use a microfiber cloth or duster to clean them and a glass cleaner to make glass fixtures shine. To simplify the task, use a vacuum cleaner with a dusting attachment for ceiling fans.
5. Thorough Floor Cleaning
“After you’ve decluttered, give your home a thorough cleaning,” suggests Artem Kropovinsky of 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."
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.
Ariana Lovato of Honeycomb Home Design says, “Donate any clothes you haven't worn in the last six months. Store your winter clothes in a spare closet to make room for your spring/summer wardrobe.”
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,” encourages Lovato.
Unfinished tasks can be stressful, and we don’t want you to deal with that stress during the work week. Therefore, giving yourself realistic cleaning tasks is key when creating your weekly cleaning schedule. Don’t try to clean the whole house in a couple of days unless you can.
8. Clean Up Kids' Toys
If you have kids, spring is a good time to donate toys your child no longer plays with and throw away broken toys. Give your kid's plastic toys a wipe-down and throw stuffed animals in the laundry (if machine washable). You can use mesh bags and pillowcases to hold stuffed toys on a gentle cycle.
Rotating toys is a great spring cleaning hack. Cleaning expert Katie Berry explains, "Rotating toys is another excellent way to reduce toy clutter.
I did this by dividing my kids’ toys into three piles. Then I put two piles in storage boxes in the closet. When they lost interest, we’d rotate."
9. Freshen the Air
Change the room's smell with air fresheners like oil diffusers, candles, or herbal bouquets to create a new atmosphere. These items will give your home an inviting and fresh aroma while using natural and non-harmful ingredients. They also have therapeutic benefits and the ability to alter moods.
10. Spray Down Windows and Blinds
Over time, windows get dirty and streaky, which can reduce natural light and worsen allergies and other health problems. A spring cleaning essential is spraying and wiping the windows with a glass cleaner, then dusting 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 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 I often see drawers filled with multi-colored bins and trays, and it looks 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. You can donate old books and magazines still in decent condition to local stores or libraries.
As a weekend project, clear your bookshelf, thoroughly clean the shelves, decorate them with fresh decor items, and switch out books. Play around with the design of your cozy reading nook. You can get creative with vertical or horizontal rows, and organize by color, size, and more.
13. See-Through Storage Bins
You may not use seasonal items, holiday decorations, winter coats, or rain boots for a long time. Store items in clear bins to keep your home organized. This makes it easy to find things and reduces clutter.
Another spring cleaning idea is using labels. Labels help you easily locate items in your home without needing to open every box. Label makers are affordable and aesthetic, so we encourage you to use them and stay organized in style.
14. Deep Clean the Refrigerator
The refrigerator is often one of the most intimidating appliances to clean because it can become very cluttered. Still, kitchen deep cleaning should be included in your spring cleaning check list.
First, remove everything and trash the items that you won’t use. Then, wipe down the fridge's interior and exterior. Shelves and bins can be deep-cleaned in the dishwasher or with soapy water in the sink.
To keep things neat, put old groceries in front and throw out expired food regularly. Limiting your 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 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 Lovato.
One helpful tip for spring cleaning is to use baskets in cabinets to store similar foods together. For example, you can keep candies, chips, and other items in separate baskets.
16. Steam the Microwave
Cleaning expert Ryan Knoll suggests cleaning your microwave by heating a cup of water and lemon on high for 1-2 minutes, then leaving the door closed for 10 minutes. The steam will loosen any mess, making it easy to wipe away. If needed, try white vinegar to remove food stuck in the microwave. It's an affordable and natural solution.
17. Sanitize Washing Machines
Our dishwasher and laundry machines do the cleaning, but how often do these appliances get cleaned themselves? Add it to your deep cleaning checklist to avoid soaking clothes in unsanitary water or eating on plates with bacteria.
You can run a cleaning cycle using specialized detergent and pods to keep your dishwasher sanitized. You can disinfect a laundry washing machine using distilled white vinegar and baking soda. Add these cleaning agents to the machine and let it soak for 30 to 60 minutes to keep it functioning well.
18. Bring Mirrors to Life
Fingerprints, streaks, and dust can prevent mirrors from reflecting light and creating the illusion of space. Adding polishing mirrors to our cleaning routine can help them reach their full potential.
To remove dust, wipe down mirrors with a microfiber cloth and Windex. There are plenty of other DIY cleaning solutions, such as vinegar and water. Take the time to clean all mirrors in the home, including those in the bathroom, bedroom, or living room.
19. Organize by Size, Color, and Function
Don’t just throw multiple pieces of decor into a storage bin or basket and call it a day. That is not how to declutter fast. The goal is to organize the chaos. Marie Kondo believes, "The objective of cleaning is not just to clean, but to feel happiness living within that environment.”
Organize items by size, color, and function. Keep blues with blues, short items with short items, and artwork with artwork. This creates a clean aesthetic and a functional home with purposeful storage.
20. Wash Pets’ Beds
As pet owners, one of our biggest concerns is how to clean our pets' beds. First, check if it has a removable cover that's machine-washable. If not, vacuum the bed to remove hair and debris.
Soak the bed in warm soapy water with unscented detergent. Sprinkle baking soda, scrub thoroughly, rinse until all soap is gone, wring it out, and leave it in the sunlight to dry.
21. Refresh Doormat
Your doormat should be added to the deep cleaning list as everyone steps on it before coming into your home. To refresh your doormat, shake it out, vacuum, and handwash it if needed. Use baking soda to remove stubborn stains.
You can also rotate in new styles or colors for the season or stage of life. For instance, replace the holiday doormat with a vibrant and warm doormat to represent Spring and Summer.
22. Freshen your Drains
Jen Nash of Magnet emphasizes, "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."
Spring cleaning day is the perfect time to freshen your drains. Clean your drain by adding baking soda and vinegar. Wait 15 minutes and rinse with hot water. Add lemon to the mix for a fresh citrus scent in your kitchen for spring.
23. Arrange Bathroom Drawers
If you’re a human, then your bathroom drawers and cabinets get messy from time to time. A seasonal cleaning is very beneficial.
“Most beauty products have expiration dates,” says Laura Price of The Home Organisation. “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.
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