Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Home
In the modern world, it’s all too easy to accumulate “stuff” in your home. Late-night online shopping sprees, unwanted Christmas presents, and a need for the latest tools and gadgets all conspire to fill your house with heaps and heaps of material goods.
No one wants to live in a cluttered home, but for many people, it is difficult to throw things out. You’re understandably reluctant to create unnecessary waste or to throw money down the drain, and it’s easy to tell yourself you might wear that two-sizes-too-small jumper at some point down the line. But cleanliness is one of the most crucial aspects of a beautiful home, even more so than interior design or extensive renovations. You could live in the most stunning mansion in the world with state-of-the-art kitchens and bathrooms, but if it’s packed to rafters with clutter and mess, you will never feel at home.
Photo by Daiga Ellaby – CC0 Licence
If you feel your home is too busy, or that you don’t have enough space, a thorough spring clean is your best solution. Going through every inch of your home and clearing out the non-essentials will completely transform your space into a beautiful environment you can be proud of. You’ll feel ten times lighter and your pent-up stress will instantly fade away. But it’s not enough to have a quick tidy up and throw away a single bin bag full of rubbish. If you want to see results, you need to be strategic about the process and strict with yourself. Otherwise, you will just fall back into your old, messy ways.
To get you started, here are four tips for spring cleaning your home.
1. Set Rules
Photo by Annie Spratt – CC0 Licence
Before you get started with decluttering, it’s important you set some rules. This will help you ascertain what to throw away and what to keep, and prevent you from being too lenient. Applying these rules to every single item will instantly tell you whether you should get rid of it or not. For every item, ask yourself:
- Do you use it often?
- Can you live without it?
- Does it make you happy?
- Would it affect your life if you threw it away?
Decluttering first will pave the way for spring cleaning your home successfully. It’ll also help declutter your mind!
Further Reading: Why You Should Prioritise Efficiency In Your Home
2. Work Room by Room
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To effectively spring clean your home, you should go through every single room, one at a time. This will ensure you cover every inch of your house, and give each space the complete attention it deserves. Consider creating a checklist for each room for maximum organisation.
3. Get the Whole Household Involved
Photo by Brina Blum – CC0 Licence
If your home is full of clutter, it could take a long time to bring it up to a suitable standard. But the more people who help you, the easier and more enjoyable it will be. Get your partner, kids, or housemates involved and make sure they follow your rules to the letter.
Further Reading: You Can Have A Beautiful Home With Kids, Here’s How
4. Avoid Future Lapses
Photo by Jonathan Francisca – CC0 Licence
Once you have decluttered your home, the last thing you want is for the mess to build up again in a couple of weeks. Set rules to prevent yourself from impulse buying and bringing unnecessary items into your home. Stick to a regular cleaning schedule, and invest in some smart storage solutions to keep your possessions out of the way.
Further Reading: Irish Interior Design Q&A with Creative Natasha Rocca Devine
Feature photo by Sarah Dorweiler – CC0 Licence
PIN: 4 Simple but Effective Tips for Spring Cleaning Your Home
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