Blog > Spring Cleaning Quarantine Guide
While stay-at-home orders remain in place in across the country, many people are finding themselves with a lot of extra time on their hands, and frankly, running out of things to do. Maybe you’ve taken up a new hobby, binged a few Netflix series, or even adopted a new pet. Others are taking on new projects, large and small. There are hundreds of ways to take advantage of this extra time, so why not get ahead on your spring cleaning?
While a large project can seem daunting, added stress is unnecessary. Taking on a project like spring cleaning step by step can help it feel more achievable. Make a list of what you want to take care of, section by section.
Here is our list:
- Kitchen – deep clean floors; clean out fridge, cupboards, and pantry; organize freezer items; deep clean appliances
- Bathrooms – deep clean toilets, sinks, under the sink, shower, bathtub, walls, floors, and light fixtures
- Interior – wash interior windows; sweep, mop, and shampoo carpets; clean baseboards; dust all surfaces
- Laundry – deep clean washer & dryer
- Systems – change air filters; check furnace, smoke detectors, and carbon monoxide detectors
- Backyard- sweep patio and walkways; clean furniture; update light fixtures; wash exterior windows
Once you’ve made a step by step list for each part of your home, you can create a to-do list for the members of your house and spread the items out over the next week or two.
This is also a great time to get rid of clutter. If you are spending more time in your house than usual, it may become more obvious between what is clutter, and what is necessary. This week, take time to deem items as “clutter” and store them away. If you didn’t miss them over the week, it may be time to toss or donate them once you can leave your house again.
For closets, we use the hanger trick. Go to your closet and hang your clothes with all of the hangers reversed. As you pull out clothes to wear throughout the year, put them back on hangers in the normal position. At the end of the year, you will know what you can part with if their hangers are still reversed!
As you continue to clean, you may be concerned about a shortage of cleaning products. Even if the shelves are running low on Lysol, you can create your own DIY disinfectant. The CDC recommends mixing 1/3 cup of bleach with a gallon of water. Another popular combination includes rubbing alcohol, essential oils, and water. You can also use vinegar and dish soap to clean glass!
Lastly, make it fun. Open the windows if the sun is shining and play your favorite music. Make yourself a yummy smoothie or spritzer and dance around your clean house once everything is checked off! Being stuck inside doesn’t have to feel so terrible:)
