spring cleaning

March has always been an unpredictable month, especially with the unpredictable weather we tend to have around here. Maybe schools will close because of massive amounts of rain the last day of February (hey there 2021). Maybe we'll get 6 inches of snow. Could be some tornadoes. Maybe it'll be close to 70 degrees most of the month. Kentucky weather is WILD. We dress for 30 degrees in the morning and by 3 pm we're stripping down to the bare minimum.

March has also come with surprises the last few years. Two years ago on March 13th we found out I was pregnant. Last March 13th the COVID shutdown began. I'm anxious to see what this March 13th brings.

This month is guaranteed to come with a couple of thrilling items: Daylight Savings time (helloooo sunshine!) and the first day of spring! With spring comes with the thought of spring cleaning. This gorgeous sunshine is even better than caffeine in motivating you to get the house cleaned out. Assuming basic household cleaning is taken care of, check out this list to get your spring cleaning done!

OPEN YOUR WINDOWS.

Before you start anywhere else, start opening your home's windows!

​According to the EPA, "Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors, where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations."

Did you catch that?? This is even in urban areas where we'd be concerned about smoke, smog, or car exhaust. Most of us have spent all winter with our windows up because nobody wants to let the cold air in. Even opening your windows for just 5 minutes a day can have a positive impact on the air quality in your home. If it's a beautiful, temperate day outside, crack those windows for hours! Air out as many rooms as you can: bedrooms, living spaces, bathrooms, and the kitchen.

I'll talk more about keeping pollutants out of your home later, but this is an important first step in your spring cleaning!

OUTSIDE

• Clean out your garage. Take everything out.  Sweep. Sweep the floor, the walls, the corners. Hose down shelving units. Clean the garage door. Check your garage door auto reverse feature.  Go through any freezers/refrigerators in the garage, to toss expired food and wipe them down.
• Refresh your flower beds. (This next part I didn't learn for a while into my home ownership. My parents owned a landscaping company growing up, so once or twice a year their 'guys' would come refresh all the landscaping. I consider it a little ironic that one of the consequences of their company was my lack of knowledge about home landscaping.) First, spray any weeds and trim bushes you didn't get to in the fall. THEN add the mulch on top. (I know, duh, but I learned this the hard way!)
• Powerwash surfaces- sidewalks, patios, porches, & siding
• Wash your window screens
• Wash off all your outdoor furniture
• Consider if it's time to reseal your driveway (every 1-3 years)

HOUSE-WIDE

• Scrub the baseboards (I use a cup of soapy water and toothbrush, then wipe with a dry rag. It is really super quick but wow, what a difference!)
• Clean carpets with steam cleaner (we use this one!)
• Wash curtains & clean blinds (close them one way and then the other for quick cleaning)
• Wash windows and window wells
• Vacuum air intake vents
• Clean ceiling fan blades
• Clean light fixtures
• Have your HVAC serviced

KITCHEN

• Clean the inside of your oven
• Do a major deep clean of the refrigerator if you haven't recently. Look over everything. Toss expired food (especially things like those salad dressings that tend to accumulate). Wipe down all the shelves and drawers. Add some bins and lazy susans if you haven't already to make life 1000% easier.
• Ditto for the freezer
• And the pantry
• Wipe the fronts of cabinets and handles
• Clean the insides of cabinets. Clean out drawers (vacuuming them removes so many crumbs very quickly)
• Clean your garbage disposal
• Move the fridge, sweep under it and vacuum the coils
• Wash out your trash can
• Clean your dishwasher

LIVING SPACES/OFFICE

• ​Clean upholstry- I use this bad boy with hot water, vinegar, and a little Thieves cleaner
• Wash all throw pillows and blankets
• Go through your medicine and first aid. Toss expired medicine and replace what you need.
• Go through papers and documents

BATHROOM

• Wash your shower curtain (which should ideally be done 4-12 times a year)
• Toss old/unused toiletries and makeup

BEDROOMS

• Rotate/flip your mattress
• Clean your mattress
• Wash all your bedding- mattress pad, sheets, comforter, pillows, dust ruffle
• Rotate seasonal clothes (goodbye snow pants, hello flip flops!)

LAUNDRY ROOM

• Clean your washing machine
• Clean the lint trap (wash it too!)
• Clean your dryer vent with your vacuum
• Consider if it's time to have your dryer vent professionally cleaned (once a yearish)

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I'm not going to lie, the mass amount of all of this can feel terrifying, especially if cleaning isn't your thing.  Before having a child I would have joyfully burnt through it all in a few weeks. Now, with a toddler running wild, there's precious few free hours. Tasks get accomplished while she sleeps, or when it's something we can do together.

The good news is that it really doesn't all have to be done in the spring. Spring is just a great time to remember that it's time to refresh everything. If you feel like you might drown in the midst of all of this, do what I do. Organize the big tasks on Google Keep by month. I know that in November we clean the dryer vents, and in April we test the garage door auto-reverse feature. I'll talk more about these lists and routines later, but they keep life from feeling so overwhelming with the amount of work it takes to maintain a home. Spread all of this out over the next few months if you need. After all, spring is three months long!

Use your fresh air, sunshine induced euphoria to get the house in tip-top shape this spring, and get ready to feel refreshed. Follow the tutorials linked, along with the printable checklist, to make sure you've got everything done and you're ready to relax this summer.