The Ultimate Inside Spring-Cleaning Guide
It’s time for spring cleaning and if you haven’t started yet that’s okay! We can spring clean together. By the end of these seven days our homes should be ready for the spring season!
7 Day Inside Spring Cleaning Challenge
Day 1 - Get Rid of the Clutter
Grab a box or a bag spend 15 minutes in each room of your house gathering up broken and unused items. There’s no sense in moving around items that are just taking up space so get rid of them on day 1.
Now, go through everyone’s closets. Sort through items that are outgrown, aren’t worn anymore and are winter season. Pack up the winter season clothes in storage totes to store away for next year. Get out your spring wardrobe so you can put those items in drawers and closets as you clean this week.
Reach out to people that may be able to use the items you gathered, list them online and/or take them to the donation center TODAY! I know you were thinking about leaving them in your trunk for 4 weeks (we’ve all been there) but we’re not doing that this time. Remember, today is about getting rid of the clutter now. Any items that need to be picked up should be put in totes in our mudroom, basement or garage.
Spend time this evening relaxing and think about ways you can clear the clutter internally. Whether that’s self-doubt/negativity, too many obligations or not prioritizing the important things.
Bonus Challenge: DO NOT buy anything new this month until everything in your house has a place and/or purpose. Storage solutions are okay of course if they have a purpose.
Day 2 - Zone 1: Your Bedroom
We’re starting here because your room should be your oasis but often it becomes a drop zone. Clean off and organize your dressers and nightstands. Don’t forget to move them and clean under them (try to do this weekly).
Take the linen off your bed and curtains down to wash them. I like using a cup of baking soda or some OxiClean to deep clean them (check the material first to make sure this will not damage your linen). While these are washing clean your windowsills and deep clean your bed. Take your mattress off your bed and clean under it (try to do this monthly). Here’s my favorite cleaning solution to clean and brighten our mattresses.
Wipe down your walls, baseboards, doors and light switches. Disinfect handles and switches. Clean the dome of your lights and fan blades. Replace any bulbs that are burnt out. Dust for any cobwebs in corners or on ceilings.
Clean out and organize your closet. Have a section and place for everything. All of your shoes should be in one area, your purses in a specific area, accessories/ jewelry in an area and so on. Consider hanging your clothes up by color or item. Leave a space in your closet you can hang up outfits for the week to keep your morning going smoothly.
Vacuum your floors and shampoo your carpets. If you have hardwood floors sanitize your floors.
Make your bed and hang your curtains back up.
Now that your room is nice and clean, spend time tonight relaxing on your bed while you read a book or listen to your favorite music! Day 3 - Zone: Bathrooms
Each task you will do in each bathroom in your home. First remove your shower curtains and throw them in the wash. Replace your shower liner if it’s looking gross.
Wipe down the walls, doors, baseboards, cabinets and light switches. Wipe down your wall lights. Replace any bulbs that are burnt out. Dust for any cobwebs in corners or on ceilings. Disinfect your door handles.
Take everything out of your cabinets/drawers, clean them out and reorganize everything. Everything should have a place. I recommend plastic bins to keep your items organized. Labeling the bins in your kid’s bathrooms will help them know where items go.
Clean the sinks and tubs. Deodorize drains by putting baking soda and vinegar down your drains. Remove your drain stops and scrub these before deodorizing. Scrub your sinks, showers and tubs. Clean faucets and shower heads by filling the appropriately sized baggy with white vinegar. Put the baggy over the faucet or shower head and secure it with a hair tie or rubber band. Let this sit while you complete the other cleaning tasks.
Remove the seat from your toilets. Scrub and disinfect the whole toilet including the seat. Replace the seat when you're finished.
Repair any caulking that has come off in your bathroom.
Wipe down mirrors.
Sweep & mop your floors with a disinfectant cleaner. Take a toothbrush and clean the grout of your tile. Replace your toothbrush with a new one and if you use a plastic bath sponge swap that out too.
Remove the plastic bags from the faucets and wipe them down removing all the gunk. Take a toothbrush and scrub around the bottom of your faucet then wipe down.
Today was a long cleaning day. Take a bath or a relaxing shower, you deserve it!
Day 4 - Zone: Living Room/Foyer
Start by taking your curtains down and putting them in the wash. Deep clean your windows/ windowsills.
Dust your furniture, pictures and decor. Clean your glass items and mirrors. Organize cabinets and drawers.
Wipe down walls, baseboards, light switches, clean dome lights, fan blades and replace burnt out bulbs. Dust for any cobwebs in corners or on ceilings.
Clean out your fireplace and mantle if you have one. Wipe down electronics.
Move your couch and clean under it. Pull the pillows off your couch and remove the covers of the cushions if you can. Deep clean your cushion covers & pillows. I like to use OxiClean or baking soda and Persil Detergent (check your fabric to make sure these will work. Vacuum your couches and chairs then shampoo them or clean according to the instructions. Make sure to spot clean first for the best results.
Vacuum the floor, mop with disinfectant and shampoo all rugs and carpeting.
Day 5 - Zone: Kids Rooms (Kids should help with this one)
Clean off and organize their dressers and nightstands. Don’t forget to move them and clean under them (try to do this weekly).
Take the linen off their beds and curtains down to wash them. I like using a cup of baking soda or some OxiClean to deep clean them (check the material first to make sure this will not damage your linen). While these are washing clean their windowsills and deep clean their beds. Take their mattress off your bed and clean under it (try to do this monthly). Here’s my favorite cleaning solution to clean and brighten our mattresses.
Wipe down their walls, baseboards, doors and light switches. Disinfect handles and switches. Clean the dome of their lights and fan blades. Replace any bulbs that are burnt out. Dust for any cobwebs in corners or on ceilings.
Clean out and organize their closet. Have a section and place for everything. All of their shoes should be in one area, accessories in an area and so on. Leave a space in their closet for a hanging organizer to lay out a week of outfits. Plastic storage drawers work well for this too!
Clean and organize toys. You can do this in the dishwasher, washing machine or you can wash/ disinfect their toys in the tub. Stuffies should be washed and sanitized in the washing machine along with dress up items. All toys should be wiped down with disinfectant. Organize your kids toys in a way that they’ll be able to put them back easily. Labeling containers is a good idea.
Do more decluttering with toys if there’s too many toys to manage. Many times, kids can’t keep their rooms clean because they’re overwhelmed by the amount of stuff in there. Decluttering can help kids stay more on task with organization.
Vacuum their floors and shampoo their carpets. If you have hardwood floors sanitize their floors.
Make their bed and hang their curtains back up.
Now that their room is clean have an ice cream sundae party with the kids!
Day 6 - Zone: Kitchen/Dining Room
Start by taking the trash out. Take the kitchen trash can and all of the other trash cans in your house outside. Spray them with a disinfectant and hose them down. Wipe them down to dry them off and put them back where they go. For extra fresh trash cans, throw cotton balls with essential oils, small space or car air fresheners at the bottom of the can before you reline it.
In a separate trash bag clean out your fridge and pantry. Then wipe everything down. Check your water filter if you have one. Replace if needed. Deep clean your water/ice dispenser area and your ice bin with hot soapy water. Deep clean the bins in your fridge if they need it.
The next task is a big one. Take everything out of every drawer/cabinet one by one. Wipe them down, clean them out and reorganize it. I like to organize my kitchen in zones. I have a zone for baking items, one for prep/storage containers, one for food serving, one for baking/cooking items, and special occasion items. You will repeat this in your pantry as well. Making sure there is a section for everything and that it is well organized.
Next, deep clean your oven, microwave, stovetop and vent hood. Replace any bulbs.
Deep clean your sink and deodorize your drain if you didn’t when you cleaned your bathrooms. Clean your garbage disposal if you have one. Clean your kitchen faucet the same way you cleaned your bathroom faucet.
Wipe down surfaces. Repair any caulking around your sink that needs repaired.
If you have curtains in this zone, take those down and wash them. Wipe down walls, baseboards, light switches, light fixtures and replace light bulbs as needed. Clean windows and sills. disinfect knobs and light switches.
Run your dishwasher on a cleaning cycle with vinegar. Wipe it down once the cycle is finished.
Sweep, vacuum off the tops of your cabinets and fridge. Mop with a disinfectant. Don’t forget to shampoo rugs and fabric chairs.
Order out tonight, you deserve it and need to relish in your clean kitchen for a little longer!
Day 7 - Zone: Mudroom/Laundry Room/ Misc.
Clean and organize your shoes in the mudroom. Spray off boots/boot trays with your garden hose. Here’s how I like to clean my shoes.
Get rid of clutter on coat hooks/rack. Wipe down all surfaces, walls, wipe down walls, baseboards, light switches, doors/handles, light fixtures and replace light bulbs as needed. Clean windows and sills. Wipe down your washer & dryer.
Clean/wash rugs and mats.
Organize bins in the mudroom and laundry room.
Run your washing machine through a cleaning cycle. I like using white vinegar for this. Clean out the trap in your washer and dryer.
Move your washer and drying to vacuum/mop under it.
Check your outside dryer vent to make sure it doesn’t need to be cleaned.
Check the smoke detectors, carbon monoxide detectors and air filters in your home.
You did it! You made it to the end. Now is a good time to pull out your spring/Easter decor and start decorating your beautifully clean home!
I hope you found this cleaning challenge helpful. I’ll be sharing a list of cleaning task for our outdoor spaces soon so make sure you sign up for the email list so you don’t miss it!
