Spring is coming and that means time to clean! Organizing the kitchen junk drawer, uncluttering the closets, and tossing out old magazines can feel so liberating.
You don't need elaborate systems, philosophies, or special tools to get a good clean house.
Thinking about cleaning the whole house or apartment can seem rather overwhelming so it’s probably best to tackle one area at a time.
Start by taking inventory of all the areas you want to clean and organize. Clean one room or area at a time so it’s not too overwhelming. Here's a cleaning checklist to make it a little easier to make sure you cover all the areas, it's free an I don;t need your email, just click and print.
Gather up your cleaning supplies.
- Bon Ami is made with mild mineral abrasives to gently clean everyday surfaces without harsh chemicals. I use this for cleaning my kitchen a bathroom sinks.
- Vinegar has so many uses and cleans and deodorizes nicely. Use a plastic spray bottle to mix up a solution of vinegar, water, and a few drops of dish liquid.
- Baking Powder to tuck into the back of refrigerator and cabinets for a non-toxic deodorize.
- I use really inexpensive Cotton Dish Towels I buy at Ikea, they are 100% cotton and great for cleaning glass.
- Dish Soap
- Essential Oils are great for giving the room a nice light and clean fragrance.
- Us a Duster with a handle extension to dust those high and hard to reach places
- A couple of Spray Bottles to mix up a vinegar cleaning solution.
- Portable Steam Cleaner:
Clean Out Your Clothes Closet and Do A Quick Wardrobe Edit.
- Remove everything, yes, everything!
- Wipe down the shelves and install pretty shelf paper.
- Review and edit your clothes before returning them to the closet. Have a couple of trash bags handy, one for toss and another for donating.
A simple and easy way to spruce up your closet is to wallpaper the inside walls and hang up a few battery-powered lights under the top shelf.
Another cheap way to make your closet pulled together is using new hangers. I use thin flocked hangers for most of my clothes and jackets are hung on pretty light green wooden hangers. Stores like Marshall and Home Goods are a great place to find nice hangers for a small price.
Interested in updating your wardrobe without spending a fortune then check out this post
How to Clean and Reorganize Your Bathroom
- Empty drawers and shelves
- Take down the shower curtain and toss it in the laundry. If it's ratty or stained, replace it.
- Grab the Bon Ami and clean countertops, tub, and sink.
- Empty trash and replace the can liners.
- Add vinegar and baking soda to the toilet bowl and use a toilet brush to get under the rim. Lift up the seat and spray with vinegar, water, and dish soap solution.
- Use vinegar and water solution to wipe down the mirror with a cotton towel.
- Sweep or vacuum the floor. if you have a portable steam cleaner use it to disinfect the floor.
- In a small spray bottle make a mix of water and your favorite essential oil to spray around the room.
- Wash the bathroom rugs and towels.
- Return the contents to the bathroom but make sure to toss any old products or ones you NEVER use.
Clean, Unclutter and Reorganize the Kitchen
I usually go through process in section, first I tackle the pantry, then the upper cabinets and end with the lower cabinets.
- Grab two cardboard boxes or large plastic tubs, use one for trash and other for donation.
- Remove all pots, pans, skillets, baking pans, etc. from the cabinets and drawers. Once everything is outside of the cabinets, you get a more realistic idea of how much stuff you truly have.
- Give everything a nice cleaning with a sponge and lay down a afresh layer of shelf paper.
- Thnk about each item before returning it to the freshly cleaned space. Ask yourself how often do you use it and if it's useful then wipe it down and return to the kitchen.
More Tips
- Cleaning and organizing other areas of the home is easy. Remove items from closets and shelves, wipe everything down and clean and decide if the item is worth saving.
- Lots of small items tend to make an area look messy so contain small items in baskets.
- Open doors and windows to clean and air through the house.