Many of us are still wrapped in fleece and trudging through snow piles, making it difficult to imagine the budding trees and warm breezes of spring. But it is coming… and soon (Daylight Savings is March 9th!).
To spark your spring fever, nothing works better than throwing open your windows and letting the fresh air blow away the winter doldrums you’ve been collecting. I’ve compiled some of the best Spring Cleaning Checklists out there for you. Granted, the “spring” part of these lists may be more interesting than the “cleaning” part, but I promise you that preparing your home for the change of seasons is a great way to kick start your personal transition into spring, the season of rebirth.
The links below will take you to comprehensive, room-by-room guides, which I admit, may be a bit daunting if you try to take them on all at once. Instead, assess which are your home’s biggest trouble areas (like that closet that is so full its door is starting to bend, or the living room that has evolved into a makeshift mudroom during the relentless snowstorms this winter), then break down the list in order of priority. Schedule time to attack one, two or three rooms at a time, until every room is cleared and ready for spring.
The Best Spring Cleaning Checklists from Around the Web:
Martha Stewart offers her incomparably thorough checklist that includes three pages of detailed instructions for cleaning just about anything and everything in your home. If your windows or screens are too dirty to let the spring sunshine in, then Martha’s window cleaning guide is perfect for you!
An in-depth approach to the spring cleaning checklist is available here, and includes convenient lists of all the supplies and tools you’ll need, as well as ideas about how to get your family involved, and how to maintain your freshly cleaned space after spring has come and gone.
Thank heavens for Oprah! Her checklist is for those of you who want to get it all done in no more than eight hours. She’s even taken care of your scheduling for you, blocking out the appropriate amount of time to accomplish the specified tasks for each room on her list.
The Imperfect Homemaking blog offers a pretty perfect checklist from a self-proclaimed spring cleaning enthusiast.
Organized Home takes a unique approach, prompting you to seek out nooks and corners inside and outside of your home where the cobwebs of winter may be hiding.
With an eye toward frugality, Living Well and Spending Less helps you approach spring cleaning in sections: over your head, eye level, waist height, and floor level. Sometimes looking at things from a different angle is the best way to see what you’ve been overlooking all along.
Whatever approach you favor, whether you take it all on in one day, or spread it out over a couple of weeks, spring cleaning is a great way to open your home – and yourself – to the fresh opportunities that arise with spring. If you have any ideas for maximizing your spring cleaning efforts, or any challenges that aren’t addressed in the checklists above, please share your questions and comments below.
