Oh I do love springtime.

The days get longer, the sun gets warmer, cherry trees explode with blossoms and tulips push their green tips out of the grey earth. It is a time for new beginnings, fresh starts and possibility. And perhaps most importantly, it is a time for THE SPRING CLEAN!

Spring-cleaning is my favorite way to welcome the change of season. A little cleaning, de-cluttering and freshening up my space, clears my head, makes my heart feel lighter and re-energizes my creativity.

Go on, give it a try. Put on some music, pour yourself a coffee, and get started. You don’t need to clean everything at once, start with a cupboard or a drawer. Before you know it, your space is sparkling and you are out the door to enjoy the marvelous weather.

Here we go with the basics:

Scrub it.

• On a warm day (we’re managing a few of those), crack those windows open and give your place a good airing. Hey, while you’re there, wash the windows and screens to let that spring sunshine in. You won’t believe the difference it makes.

• Lift the dust from furniture, picture frames and don’t forget those baseboards. A micro-fiber cloth works well.

• Wipe down the mirrors. Vinegar and water does the trick nicely.

• Pet lovers, wash your pet blankets and bedding. Your furry friends will thank you.

• Sweep and wash your wood/tile floors. Don’t forget under the beds, couches and dressers. There are lots of great natural cleaners on the market these days I would recommend using one of them.

• Vacuum and/or steam clean your carpets and send small area rugs to the cleaners.

• In your bedroom: wash all of your bedding. Got a washing line? Let the sun dry your sheets outside. They will smell incredible!

• In the kitchen: clean your fridge and stove inside and out.

• Wipe out those crumb-filled cutlery drawers, cabinets and give the doors a wipe.

• In the bathroom: give your tub, tile, sink and toilet a good scrub and send those towels, shower curtain and bathmat to the laundry. I won’t lie, this room is not my favorite to clean but the results are deeply satisfying.

De-clutter.

• Recycle your old magazines, newspapers and phone books. Shred papers that have piled up in your home office.

• Replace burnt out light bulbs and dead batteries and drop them off at a safe disposal site (don’t put them in the garbage).

• Go through your DVDs, books, Tupperware and return borrowed items to the lenders. Be a class act and add a thank you note!

• Have kids? It is a great time to pass on toys, clothes or games they have outgrown. Launder clothes, clean toys and pass them on to friends or to your local shelter.

• Speaking of clothes, isn’t it time you got into that closet and got serious about what you wear and don’t wear? Have a clothing swap with friends or send your gently used items to your local shelter or sell stuff on e-bay and Craigslist or have the first garage sale of the season and make a bit of dough.

• Put your summer clothes in the most accessible place in your closet.

• Take your Christmas decorations down. Really, it’s time.

Freshen up.

• Patch small holes in your walls and touch up the paint around the house.

• Re-pot those old plants that are in need of some love.

• Replace your winter rugs with summery sea grass carpets, coco mats or cotton rugs or keep your floors bare for the summer. A cool floor on your hot feet can be pretty darn heavenly in an August heat wave.

• Exchange your dark, cozy pillows and throws for brighter accents in the living room and bedroom.

• Reconfiguration the furniture. It can give it a whole new life to a room with no cost attached.

• Re-arrange. Items moved from one room to another will look brand new in different surroundings.

• Color-coding your books adds a fresh, modern look to your bookshelves.

• Nothing adds life to a room quicker than a bunch of fresh cut flowers.

Storage.

• Clean and store heavy winter rugs, blankets and pillows.

• Take your winter coats to the cleaners, your boots to the cobbler, and send hats and mittens to the wash before storing them for the winter. You will thank me when that first cold day hits.

• Tempt fate and exchange the shovel for the rake!

Odds and ends.

• Cyclists get a spring tune up for your bike.

• Drivers take the snow tires off your car.

• Now is also a good time to replace batteries in your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors.

Great job!

Looking for a longer room-by-room checklist? Hit this link.

Happy Spring and happy cleaning!

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Author Victoria Adilman-Chan can be found being her fabulous self over at suitablycool.com.

Tags:Cleaning, De-clutter, Eco-friendly, Environment, Home, Lifestyle, List, Organization, Spring, Spring clean, Victoria Adilman-Chan