Why Doing It Every Month is Better Than Just Once In the Spring.
Are you as stressed out about the idea of spring cleaning as we are? We know the year has only just started, and it’s only just winter, but it’s this great giant threat that’s looming on the horizon for us. We’ve been mostly in our homes for the better part of the last year. Unless you stayed on top of it, that means there’s dust in all sorts of weird spots and all sorts of other tasks that need to be taken care of. What if we told you that there’s an easier way though? Rather than getting it done all at once and working to exhaustion, you go month by month?
Spring cleaning VS Month By Month
This isn’t meant to replace a regular cleaning schedule by any means. But doing a deep cleaning for a brief time in spring is stressful. You feel as though everything has to be done right then, and there’s so much to do. Doing certain tasks throughout the year means that you are mentally prepared for each task, rather than being faced with a giant list. We’ve broken down the different major tasks so that they relate to what is happening in the world around you. Hopefully that will make it easier for your to remember different tasks over time. You can always rearrange the list if something else makes more sense.
January - Furniture - You’ve just had family and friends over for the holidays, now is the time to clean up anything that spilled or was lost by little grabby hands. Cleaning your furniture is also a way to check in with your home and see what needs to be done in the year ahead.
February - Laundry Room - February is, for many of us, when we are wearing the largest number of clothes. It’s the deepest part of winter and the wind makes sure to let you know. Why not take the time to clean things up in your laundry room? This is everything from cleaning the outsides of your machines, to giving the washer a deep clean and emptying out the dryer duct. There’s much more than that to take care of, but those are a few that you’ll want to pay special attention to.
March - Ceiling Fans and Light Fixtures - Spring is starting to show up this month! That means it's time to open up the house and get the air flowing. This also means it's time to start cleaning ceiling fans and the light fixtures attached as well. An easy trick is to use a pillow case when you clean off a fan. If you open the pillowcase and pull carefully towards yourself, it captures the majority of the dust inside the case. Lights are easier to handle with a Swiffer or something else that is both soft and light.
April - Blinds & Curtains - Now that we have the air flowing, let's get the light coming in. Sure it's going to be raining off and on all month, but at least you'll have bright spring light pouring in. Which means cleaning your blinds and curtains and mending any rips or tears that might have happened. Blinds are most easily cleaned with a Swiffer if all the have is dust. If they're covered with more of that, check out this post from over at Architectural Digest. For curtains we suggest washing gently by hand or taking them to a cleaner.
May - Windows - Now that the majority of the rain has passed, we hope, it's time to clean the windows. You'll want to clean them on a day that's bright and warm, which shouldn't be too hard in Texas. While you can use a commercial cleaner, we suggest using a solution of vinegar and water to clean them for a greener recipe. Yes, it’s going to smell, but it’s not going to harm you, your pets or your water. Also take the time to look around the window seals and the frames for the windows closely. You want to make sure that everything is still sealed tight, and there aren’t any signs of termites or damage.
June - Carpet & Floors -The spring storms have passed and during them you probably ended up with a lot of mud being tracked in and out of the house. June is the time to tackle that with a carpet cleaner and a good floor polish. You can even go crazy and move the furniture around in different rooms as you do to create a fresh look. You’ll already be moving pieces to get around them to clean, might as well update the layout as well.
July - Kitchen - Most of us clean out our refrigerators on a regular basis, be that weekly or monthly. Cleaning your kitchen is more than just getting rid of moldy food though. It’s moving around your cabinets and appliances to get rid of dirt, grime and dropped foods. It’s cleaning out your cabinets, matching containers to their lids, and throwing away spices that have lost their punch. It’s also checking your water lines, outlets and gas lines if you have them, to see if there’s any degradation or other issues. As to why you’re doing it in July rather than some other time, it’s a matter of making sure that your pipes aren’t going to freeze during the process of going over everything. In July you’re not going to have to worry.
August - Bathrooms- Now that it’s the hottest part of the summer, it’s a good time to clean your bathroom. There’s two reasons for that. One, you don’t have to worry about pipes freezing if you need to shut the water off at any point. Two, you can keep the water on cold while you’re cleaning and stick your head under the shower spray to cool off. Like the kitchen, your goal is purge old and out of date things, from makeup to medicine to cleaning supplies. Then go over seals and pipes both inside and out to ensure that there aren’t any leaks.
September - Vents- If you don’t have this as part of your regular cleaning routine, take this month to change out all of the filters in your house. With fall starting up this month, you’re going to have all sorts of pollen and dust in the air. Might as well give your filters a fighting chance and change them out ahead of time.
October - Closets - Now, technically, Texas doesn’t typically get that fall starts in September. If we’re lucky it might catch up to the idea by November. Regardless, use the dream of upcoming cooler temperatures to swap out your closet and clean things up. Start by getting rid of anything you haven’t worn in the last six months. Then move on to anything you haven’t touched in at least a year. We’re not saying to throw away everything, just consider items and what you want to keep versus what is just taking up space. While you’re moving things around you’ll be able to keep an eye out for any signs of pests.
November - Bedrooms - We know that the days are still plenty warm, but the nights are starting to get a bit nippy. That means it’s time to bring out your winter bedspreads and put away your lighter fabrics. While you’re doing that, why not move things around like we did in the rest of the house and keep an eye out for things like mice, bugs, and large quantities of spiders. The upside is that with all of the cleaning, your bedroom is going to feel fresh and comfortable afterwards. If you want to nap after all of it,we won’t tell.
December - Baseboards- This brings us back to the close of the year and right where we started, parties. Hopefully by this time next year you will be able to have parties in safety again. It also means that your baseboards need to get cleaned. Not just swept under/around because we all know dust and pet hair tends to collect there, but also scrubbing them down. While most people don’t stare at your baseboards during a party, having them clean will add to how bright a room appears.
What do you think? Do you have reasons that spring cleaning is better? We might not agree, but we still would love to hear from you either in the comments below or over on our Facebook page. After all, yours could be the argument that convinces us to reconsider.
If in the event of all this cleaning you find out that your appliances aren’t working right, be they in the kitchen, the laundry room or your den, let us know. We want to help you keep your home running and that means keeping your appliances running. We aim to be the best in appliance repair in Allen and the surrounding areas. You can call us at ((214) 599-0055) or reach out to us via our webpage.