We all know that longer days and warmer temperatures just get us in the mood to spring clean! We start sweeping porches, cleaning windows, and organizing garages. I love to clean, and I love getting my home in order, too. Perhaps you’re like me and you love spring cleaning and organizing. Or maybe you just can’t wait to get outside, and you can’t be bothered by all of the cleaning and tidying.
Here are eight tips to get you started on simplifying and cleaning out your home AND lifestyle this spring!
1. Routines
With spring and summer come longer days and more time outside, so adjust your routines to add the things you love during this season. Add a walk with the family after dinner, or a quick jog in the morning. Whatever brings you joy, make sure you shake up your routine in time for spring so you don’t miss the season in the midst of the busyness and hustle of every day.
2. Freezer and Refrigerator
We all have good intentions for our fridge and freezer! We buy in bulk, we meal prep, we even promise ourselves we are going to try that “fun, new” recipe. Take this opportunity to clean out the freezer and fridge of all the things you’ll never eat, and make room for popsicles, ice cream, and fruit. I always check my freezer for freezer-burned meat, veggies I won’t actually eat, and desserts that didn’t really satisfy. Make sure you take everything out, clean with a warm, wet cloth, and use cheap plastic bins to help you divide up the abyss that is your fridge and freezer.
3. Junk Drawers
Oh, they are everywhere! I’ve got a junk drawer in my kitchen, a miscellaneous drawer in my desk, and a couple catch-all baskets around my house. Spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity to reassess and straighten out those spaces. First, take everything out and put items away in their proper homes, if necessary. Then, clean the space or bin, and refill it with things that only make sense for that drawer or space. If you make time to take care of these often enough, these catch-all places will remain useful and organized.
4. Pantry
The pantry can get really crazy after the winter season! By the time we get to spring clean our pantry, we find old Halloween candy on the top shelf, too many cans of pumpkin filling left over from Thanksgiving, and that Christmas stocking candy that didn’t make the cut. Use this opportunity to take everything out and be ruthless with what you can actually keep and what you will really eat. I promise you will not want that ginger bread kit next year, so please throw it away now so it’s not collecting dust and ants until December.
5. Digital Files
Yup, I know you don’t want to do it. However, you have to go through your digital files and organize them appropriately. Yes, it will take some time, but you will be thankful you organized your pictures and files. You never know when you will need that invoice or when you’ll need recent pictures for your next family album. I am a big believer of Inbox Zero when it comes to my emails and using Google Photos to curate my collection.
6. Resolutions
It’s been a few months now, so it’s a good time to check in with your New Year’s resolutions! How are you doing? Are you feeling like you already failed? Are you realizing that maybe your goals were too hard or too easy? While you spring clean your environment, why not reset your goals and ambitions, too! Go back to your New Year’s resolutions and delete goals that are simply not a priority right now. Then, double down on the resolutions that you’re doing well with, and adjust the ones that are more challenging. It’s only spring, don’t give up yet!
7. Pillow Covers and Throw Blankets
The cute pillows that serve you so diligently every night on the couch, or the blanket you always reach for to feel extra cozy during a movie night, deserve some TLC during your spring cleaning routine. Make sure you take off all pillow cases and wash all of the throw blankets. It will be the best thing you do for your living spaces.
8. Social Media
We all spend too much time on our phones, and we can’t help but be influenced by what we look at. Make sure that your social media is adding to your life and not taking away; unfollow people who invite negativity into your life or who trigger you on a personal level. As we make goals to be outside more and truly present with our families, make sure you’re putting a limit on your phone usage. I find alarms and app limits very useful when I want to cut down on my social media consumption.
I hope you’ve enjoyed these tips and will implement them in your home and life! Let me know in the comments, what is your favorite part about spring cleaning?
