By Kristina Lewis, Blitz Organization, www.blitzedh.com

IG: @blitzedh, FB: @Blitz-Organization

 

Spring cleaning is all about tackling the areas you forget about during the rest of the year. Here are 10 easy tips for cleaning & decluttering your home!

 

1. Start with one room at a time. Can’t clean the whole room? Start with the closet or a small part of it. Always look for the things you can do with the energy you do have. Little

wins make way for bigger wins!

 

2. It’s a good time to update those cleaning supplies. Pay attention to anything you’ve had for a long time. Just like other products, cleaning supplies can degrade over time. A good rule of thumb is if you’ve had them longer than two years, it may be time for a revamp.

 

3. Clean in a circle—top to bottom & left to right. Dust, dirt, and crumbs fall from top to bottom when you’re cleaning, so start with going up high and to the left. For example, clean the top left cabinets before your counters in case anything falls down. Same goes with the counters and floor. It’s the most efficient way to clean so that you’re not redoing the work you’ve already done—because no one wants to do that!

 

4. Want to get rid of clutter? Take everything out of the area, group similar items, and put each item into five piles: keep, donate, recycle, throw away, or belongs-in-another-room.

Once you’ve gone through each category, make sure to get those items into their proper place.

 

 

5. When putting items where they belong, organize in such a way that you’re able to see as many of your items as possible. Store items as close to where you will typically use it: put your most accessible items at eye level, file fold your clothes in drawers instead of stacking them, and place labels outward so that you can see where everything is.

 

6. Open the windows as you freshen up your home. Bringing the fresh air in naturally circulates the air and improves indoor air quality by removing stale air.

 

7. Caddies can make things easy for you to clean and declutter in an instant. Need to clean the bathroom? Grab that caddy full of cleaning supplies. Don’t want a lot on your bathroom counter? Bring out the caddy when you need to use your make-up or hygiene supplies then put it right back in the bathroom cabinet when you’re done to free up counter space. They’re also great to use for kids’ art supplies. The uses are endless!

 

8. Make it fun and play your favorite jams. Listening to music improves your mood and makes tasks way more enjoyable!

 

9. Make that house smell so fresh and so clean. Whether it’s essential oil diffusers, room sprays, candles, houseplants or stovetop potpourri, find what you like and narrow down any culprits that make your house smell less than amazing. The garbage disposal, carpets, trash cans, the washing machine, and drains are all good places to look.

 

10. Lastly, know when to ask for help. If you have physical/mental limitations or are in a busy season of life, consider hiring a cleaning company or professional organizer to help give you a fresh start. No matter if you do it yourself, get some help, or hire a company, having a clean slate will make you feel SO good!