20JUL
Get a Head Start on Spring Cleaning
Winter Spring Cleaning Tips
It may seem like summer is a long way off, but now is a great time to prepare your house for the warmer months. If you get those big chores out of the way now, you get to enjoy more hours of those long warm days when summer finally arrives.
Here are a few simple ideas that you can get accomplished in a weekend or two.
Make more use of your dishwasher
A dishwasher isn’t just for dishes.
Old glass lampshades, plastic toys, toothbrush holders, garden containers and other items can be popped into the dishwasher. Give them an easy, gentle clean and sort into “re-use” and “throw away” boxes. Hopefully, you’ll find more items to reuse than throw-away!
Clean “throw-away” items can be given to charity shops or put out for recycling.
Clean and check your mattress
When was the last time you gave your mattresses a good, deep clean?
It’s important to have a clean mattress to avoid the chance of pest infestations, especially if you have pets. Vacuum and scrub both sides. You can use a commercial upholstery cleaner or enzyme-based pet-odor remover or you can try a simple solution of one teaspoon of mild dish detergent and one cup of warm water. Test a small area first.
It’s a good idea to rotate a mattress often to ensure wear is even but check your manufacturer’s instructions for their recommendations. Check for wear and damage, particularly areas where the springs are failing or the mattress is sagging as this can lead to back problems and interrupted sleep. Mattresses typically last eight to ten years, so if it is getting towards the end of its useful life, consider a replacement.
Deep clean cupboards and drawers
The things at the back of cupboards and drawers are the items that you probably use least often. If you’ve got clothing items you haven’t worn in the past year, it might be time to throw them out and make way for some new summer clothes – or just to experience more cupboard and drawer space!
Having more cupboard space available makes it easier to adopt a more minimalist aesthetic. Minimalism involves removing things from view, not necessarily removing them from your house, but you need to free up space first.
Check out Project333, a minimalist fashion challenge that invites you to dress with 33 items or less for 3 months.
Take the 12-12-12 challenge
As you’re cleaning your house, take the 12-12-12 Challenge. Locate 12 items to throw away, 12 items to donate, and 12 items to be returned to their proper home. Great! You’ve just dealt with 36 things in your house. The kids can do it, too. It’s a fun and structured way to sort out what you really need and what is just taking up space.
Create a “tub of summer”
Designer Benita Larsson suggests dividing a galvanised tub into discrete compartments for all your summer unfindables. Store your summer essentials together, such as sunscreen, goggles, and bug spray, and put them all in one, easy-to-find container.
Get rid of unnecessary items
How many of those old magazines and books do you re-read? Are they just adding to the general clutter? Do you sometimes feel that you have too much stuff?
There are many advantages to adopting a more minimalist lifestyle. It’s more environmentally friendly, aesthetically pleasing and easier to keep tidy. Choosing to accumulate only the essential items can result in more financial freedom and less stress.
Prepare your outdoor furniture
Does your outdoor furniture need re-staining? Now might be a good time to take care of it. Check for damage and fix or replace as needed. Often, summer outdoor furniture is discounted in winter so it can be a good time to pick up a bargain.
Clean the BBQ and check the gas bottle for signs of wear and gas leaks. To test for leaks, put some soapy water in a spray bottle or a dish, turn on the LPG gas bottle and spray the entire valve, regulator and hose assembly with the soapy water. Do not fire up the flames on the BBQ If there is a gas leak, you will see bubbles forming and smell gas. If you do, turn it off immediately and replace any faulty items.
Indoor painting
Obviously, it’s not a great time to paint the outside of the house but might be a good time to get some indoor painting done. Perhaps some fresher colours for summer will help improve the mood?
Now might also be a good time to go through your garage or shed and dispose of any partially used paint tins that have passed their use-by date.
Disposing Of All This Stuff
Had a good clean out and feeling virtuous? Nice work! Now you just need to get rid of all that unwanted stuff. Junk2Go can take care of it all with our rubbish removal service for you and will even sweep and tidy up afterward.
All that’s then left for you to do is look forward to those long, lazy summer days!