Spring-Cleaning 101: How to free space in your home
Spring-cleaning exists across countless cultures. And while the term “spring-cleaning” may be a relatively modern term, the concept of reorganizing and refreshing one’s living space and/or new home at the start of a season is not.
Spring-cleaning is more than just tidying up and deep cleaning — although it is very much those as well — it’s about starting anew. Cleaning your house is a way of symbolically decluttering yourself. Plus, studies show a direct link between home cleaning and mental and physical health.
Here are the best methods to start your spring-cleaning journey!
Start with the trash
We’re being literal here. Start your spring-cleaning by taking out the garbage/recycling, which includes picking up those random scraps of paper and cleaning out the vacuum bag/dust filter.
Pick a room to start in
It may be tempting to bounce around the house, cleaning a little bit here and there. But it’s a lot easier to see your progress when you clean one room at a time. Suggestion: Start with the bathroom and bedroom. Once you’re done spring-cleaning, you’re going to want a hot shower and a cozy blanket, and it’s that much easier to cross the finish line when you know both are already clean and tidy.
Surface clean, then organize
The only way to fully clean a surface is to remove anything on top of it. This means taking everything off your bathroom or kitchen counters before you clean them. Once the surfaces are clean and you’re putting items back, it’s much easier to decide which items you want to keep. And, how to organize them.
Laundry and donate
Cleaning out your closet and doing laundry are essential parts of spring-cleaning. One of the most efficient ways to go about it is to do your laundry and then organize your clothes. Start with your go-to clothes like work clothes, lounge wear, etc. Isolate the clothes that you never wear for any reason, and consider donating them to your local Goodwill or selling them to your local second-hand apparel store to make a few extra dollars.
Redecorate
Redecorating is reorganizing furniture, adding new art and everything in between. And honestly, it can be a lot of work. But doing it as a step of spring-cleaning makes it much easier. Why? Because it’s easier to visualize your dream decor without clutter in the way. And since cleaning is a part of redecorating, you’ll have already done half the work.
Double-check cleaning supplies
This is a small but meaningful tip. A lot of cleaning supplies have chemicals that can be dangerous to inhale and that cause allergic reactions and other unwanted consequences. Consider children, pets, roommates and yourself when reviewing cleaning supply solutions.
Homeowners
For homeowners, especially those that are new to homebuying, there’s one more essential step to spring-cleaning: home inspections. Unlike renters, homeowners are directly responsible for the major repairs and upkeep. And with that in mind, it’s a lot cheaper to do preventative maintenance than major repairs after failure — not to mention a lot more convenient. That’s doubly true for homeowners that have fixer uppers. All homeowners will need to do an annual inspection on plumbing, the roof, cooling systems, and much, much more. And while preventative maintenance is less expensive than repairs, it can still get costly. Consider a home equity line of credit, also known as a HELOC, to take equity and help pay for home expenses.
Open an OCCU home equity account today to make the most of your home.
Start your season right!
Spring-cleaning is a great way to make the most of your living space. And it can be the first step you take to boost your productivity long-term. No matter your reason for spring-cleaning, you’ll thank yourself once you see the results.
