What You Should Do BEFORE You Start Spring Cleaning

Just like that, Spring has arrived! This time of year provides a variety of blessings, like warm weather and blooming flowers. Spring also gives us the urge to clean and freshen our space. While the actual act of cleaning is essential, I truly believe that the steps you take before cleaning are just as important. Keep reading for a few of my pre-Spring cleaning crucial steps to make for an efficient process with transformative results.

Make Realistic Goals

I have noticed a recent tendency to romanticize Spring cleaning. It’s easy to have the mindset that one day can completely clean, freshen, and upgrade your entire space. Unfortunately, that isn’t typically the case. Set a pace that makes sense for you, your availability, and your home! There are three months of Spring so if you need every second of those months until Summer hits, that is absolutely ok. I recommend establishing a realistic timeline that you can commit to, without overwhelming you. This will make the entire Spring cleaning process far more sustainable and enjoyable.

Sort Through Children’s Spring & Summer Wardrobes.

I should start this by saying I am a firm believer that everyone should go through their spring and summer clothes this time of year. With that, with how quickly kids grow and how often their interests change, I suggest putting an especially large focus on going through their clothes. Cleaning will be ten times easier if you declutter before even starting. Whether the clothes are in storage or simply separated to one side of the closet, take the time to remove all of them. Go through each item and ask yourself (or your child) is this something that currently works for you (or them) size and interest wise. If the answer is no, it’s time to discard or donate (pending on the quality status). If the answer is yes, replace the items into your closet in an accessible and efficient manner. If you are looking for my top tips on organizing your closet for each season, make sure to read my recent blog on closets.

Sort Through Bathing Suits

Now I know what you are probably thinking, “wouldn’t this fall under the category of sorting through your Spring and Summer clothes?” The answer is technically yes. With that being said, I always consider bathing suits to be an entirely different entity. If you are anything like me, it can be so easy to start hoarding bathing suits (I blame SoCal). Because of this, bathing suits can often be a whole beast of their own. Take out all of yours and your family’s suits. Give them a thorough review (maybe even try them on to make sure they still fit the way you want them to) and then decide what stays and what goes. This might now lead you to the question of how to fold your swimsuits in a way that is aesthetic and saves space. Don’t worry, I have you covered! Take a peek at swimsuit folding reel for all of my top tips!

Pack Up Winter Gear

If you have been following Life In Jeneral for awhile now, you probably know that we swear by prime real estate. If you aren’t familiar, prime real estate are the areas in your home that are the easiest to access and the absolute most convenient for you to get to. Whether you are working with a large walk-in closet or something far smaller, there are always ways you can prioritize seasonal clothing. If you have a larger space, consider storing your winter clothes in either clear bins that are perfect for under-the-bed, or in uniform shirt boxes, that you can store on a high shelf. If you don’t have the space to store winter clothes in either of these areas (or another area convenient for you), consider organizing your closet seasonally. Even by prioritizing your Spring and Summer clothes in a prime real estate region of your closet, can make all the difference!

Shift Your Kitchen For Summer Focus

Speaking of prime real estate, take this time to set up your kitchen in a way that prioritizes your summer menu. For example, my family and I are consistently rotating between homemade pizza, smoothies, and grilled veggies over the warmer months. Therefore, I am going to rearrange my kitchen cabinets to keep crock pots and teapots in the back, while blenders, our Ooni, and grilling essentials can come to the front.

This is also a perfect time to wipe down and edit. Since you are removing all the products from your shelves and drawers already, it’s easy to give each surface a clean wipe (aka one less step when you actually start your “Spring Clean”). As you probably anticipated, I love to use this time to evaluate my kitchen inventory and what I am ready to edit out. In other words, if you haven’t used it all year, it’s probably time for it to be donated or discarded. Remember, have your space reflect where you are in the present moment. For example, if you don’t cook much at this point in your life, consider donating anything that doesn’t feel like an absolute essential.

Write A List

One of the final steps I recommend before starting your cleaning to-dos, is to write a clear and concise list. Write out your general timeline and the steps you need to take for each category. For example, maybe you are planning to do one room a week. If that’s the case, write down the room name and then below it, write out each task that needs to be fulfilled within the room (scrub toilet, thoroughly clean shower, wipe down baseboards, disinfect light switches and door knobs etc.). You might be thinking that the steps would be obvious, so unnecessary to write down. What we don’t often realize is, when we are tackling the major task of Spring cleaning, we often put our entire focus on the “big picture.” We get caught up on one thing and in doing so, can easily miss the minor details. Write it all down so you can be sure to hit all the nooks and crannies.

Prep Your Cleaning Supplies

The final step that I recommend you take to set yourself up for success is to have your cleaning kit ready to go. There is nothing more disappointing than starting your cleaning process, only to realize you are out of window cleaner, or your toilet brush is broken. Make sure you have all the supplies you need for a thorough job. Here are a few of my cleaning must haves: