by A. South

Created on: March 23, 2010

Spring is the perfect time to shake off the dust of winter and prepare for warmer days. This spring, use spring cleaning as an opportunity to freshen up your entire home, inside and out.  The best way to do this is to make it a family affair.  Include family member, and divide chores up.  Remember, you only do most of these things once a year, so do a good job.  And don’t be overwhelmed, these things can be done over a few different weeks. Knock out some on nice weekends when you can get outside and enjoy some fresh air, and save others for rainy days when you’ll be inside all day.

This list is broken up by areas of the home.  Just tackle each item once at a time and before you know it, your home will be ready for spring.

The kitchen
- Run lemons through garbage disposal to eliminate odor
- Wash trash can and recycling bins
- Wipe off cabinets and appliance fronts
- Clean oven
- Clean inside of refrigerator, throwing away any expired items
- Sweep and mop behind fridge, stove and other hard-to-reach places
- Organize pots and Tupperware (throw away pieces with missing lids)
- Clean microwave, toaster oven and other small appliances
- Wash doorknobs and drawer pulls
- Organize recipes

The closet
- Swap summer and winter wardrobes
- Give away any items you didn’t wear this season
- Mend or repair missing buttons or torn hems
- Sweep back of closets

Living spaces
- Vacuum behind heavy furniture and other hard-to reach places
- Dust baseboards and other woodwork
- Clean curtains, drapes and blinds
- Wash inside and outside of windows
- Clean upholstery and make repairs if needed
- Rotate furniture cushions (including your mattress!)
- Change batteries in smoke and carbon dioxide alarms
- Sort files, bills and mail

The bathroom
- Throw away rarely used toiletries
- Throw away expired medications
- Replace shower curtain liner
- Clean under bathroom sink

The great outdoors
- Sweep garage and hose if necessary
- Clean gutters
- Fertilize lawn
- Start seeds for your garden indoors
- Prepare soil for planting
- Tune up lawn mower
- Clean off lawn furniture and wash seat cushions
- Cut back bushes after they bloom

Spring cleaning can seem daunting a the beginning of the season, but the payoff is worth it.  Plus, after staying indoors all winter, it usually feels good to throw open the windows and prepare for the coming spring. 

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