Blue skies and sunshine signal the beginning of warmer weather, and it also means people start thinking about the dreaded task of spring-cleaning.
There are a lot of tasks to consider when freshening up the home after a long winter, but it doesn't have to be as daunting as it sounds.
Local experts have a few tips to make the job a snap.
Dulcee Stoodley, of Swept Away Green Cleaning in Okotoks, has been in the business for 12 years and said there are a number of detailed tasks that should be taken on in the spring. If the work seems overwhelming it can be broken down over the course of a month or two, she said.
“Spring-cleaning is a big task, so maybe take 30 days and pick 30 tasks,” said Stoodley. “Go into one room in particular and write down things you would like to clean, and go from there.”
A 30-day program makes major cleaning work easier to swallow, she said, rather than trying to get everything done in a couple of days.
There are certain tasks she recommends people tackle twice per year, during a spring clean and then again in the fall – washing windows, scrubbing out appliances and pulling them away from the wall to clean behind them.
Cleaning out the fridge is an important job, she said, to dispose of expired items and ensure the inside of the refrigerator is wiped out. Cabinets should also be cleared of expired medications and washed clean, she said.
Stoodley recommends either scrubbing the inside of the oven or using the self-clean option twice per year to avoid build-up of food spills, which can cause smoke every time the oven is turned on.
“There are lots of little detailed things we like to do in a spring clean,” she said. “Just working from room-to-room and picking out things you wouldn't clean on a regular basis.”
Working from top to bottom is key, she said, and paying attention to things that wouldn't be cleaned on a regular basis – like vacuuming or washing drapes and blinds, or washing or replacing shower curtains.
“Your mattress might need a good vacuum, as well as taking off your pillowcase and everything else and actually washing your pillows or taking them into a drycleaner,” said Stoodley. “Those types of things that we never really do on a regular basis that should be done on a spring clean basis.”
Drawers should be cleaned out, she said, and then vacuumed to remove any dust and dirt build-up from a year's worth of use.
It's important to make sure you have all the right tools for the trade – good cloths, good cleaning products and a high-quality vacuum – to ensure cleaning is not frustrating, Stoodley said.
“I always say it's very important to invest in a good vacuum,” she said. “There's nothing more frustrating than dealing with a vacuum that's not sucking up properly when you've got so much to do.”
For cleaning odd items like light fixtures and children's toys, Stoodley recommends a often overlooked tool – the dishwasher.
“Things like that, that you might not think to put in your dishwasher, maybe your toothbrush holder from the bathroom,” she said. “You can put it on a light cycle, a gentle cycle, and those things can be cleaned quickly.”
At the end of the day, she said spring-cleaning is all about taking on one task at a time to make it feasible. She said the work can be made enjoyable if you remember the purpose is to liven up the home after a cold winter.
One of the most important things to do while taking on a spring clean is to open the windows, she said.
“Enjoy the beautiful day if it's nice out, wiping the interior of your windows is a great idea,” said Stoodley. “Make sure you're catching the sills, that will make everything sparkle so it feels fresh, and having fresh air come in as well.”
Spring-cleaning can also be a more manageable undertaking if the home is organized, though spring is a great time to sort and toss unused items and begin the road to home organization.
Professional organizer Robin Platz, of F3 Organizing, recommended starting slowly and breaking the job into a series of smaller projects is the key and it can also be done alongside daily spring-cleaning tasks.
“For most people, it's really hard to find a day, a weekend, even a block of three or four hours,” said Platz. “I always recommend breaking it into smaller projects.”
She said beginning with some drawers or cabinets as they are being cleaned out can ease someone into their home organization.
The most important thing to keep in mind, she said, is whether items are functional and if they should be kept. For example, if bills are paid monthly there is no need to collect a year's worth in the home office so they can be shredded to reduce paper clutter.
Closets should also get some attention during the spring, she said, to save space by removing clothing that has not been worn over the past year.
Similarly, going through the pantry to toss expired items will not only make it easier to keep organized, but can provide insight as to which ingredients or products are actually used in the kitchen and which ones do not need to be replaced. Clear bins and labeled containers help keep pantry items organized when they go back on the shelf, she said.
“Ideally when it comes to organizing, we're looking for everything to be readily accessible and visible, as opposed to stacked and buried,” said Platz.
It helps to designate a particular space in the home for each type of item, she said, such as Christmas decorations, candles, toilet paper or tape.
“When we do assign those homes to our items, it makes purging excess or unwanted items a lot more feasible and it can be done very quickly,” said Platz.
The garage is a key component to spring-cleaning and organization, she said. It should be swept and cleaned out to remove winter debris, but storage of items in the garage is also important.
Platz recommends saving floor space for vehicles, kids' bikes and garbage bins only, and storing anything else on proper shelving, in cabinets or on wall hooks.
“By keeping my garage organized, I can do a quick tidy-up in the spring within about an hour, versus a whole-day project,” said Platz. “I'd rather get out and enjoy the weather.”
