Spring Cleaning is what I call General Cleaning. Another term would be “Deep Cleaning”. I also say that this is the time where I throw a lot of things out, as well as doing my annual donation of clothes.  

So….I need to be in a good mood for this! I start the day with a cup of coffee, dress up for the job, mask on (since I’m allergic to dust), I put on my favorite playlist and definitely have the attitude of a warrior. 

When I get into it, nothing stands in my way. My neighbor would even say to my kids, “Hey boys, you better stay away from mom or else you’ll be placed on the curb to be picked up by the garbage men ? “ 

The everyday cleaning maintenance of my house doesn’t include tackling major areas. It is light and manageable. But when I say “Spring Cleaning”, this requires a call to the VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America). It’s where I donate my stuff! 

Oh did I say STUFF? 

It’s amazing how much we accumulate “stuff “ over the years. Even clothes that have been outgrown by the children, they need to go!

Clothes that have not been worn in years, and ones that look old because of over wearing. How about just stuff around the house that accumulates dust! 

I can go on and on. As I get older, simplifying things is my motto. Everyone is different. I just need to be aware of the extent of cleaning I can handle. 

I believe everyone has their own personal opinion on what is clutter and what isn’t. 

I’m talking about this first because this is a big part of cleaning. The stuff you have around the house determines what kind of cleaning will be required.

These are just a few of the big projects I do around my house. I start by tackling my ….

Curtains: Wash or just toss in your dryer to totally get rid of dust and dirt. You can also use a vacuum- to vacuum fabric shades and drapes. 

Windows: Time to bring out your Windex, rags, and paper towels. I use Wowables™. It’s a reusable, biodegradable paper towel. I pay attention to the top, sides, and bottom part of my window frames, as well as my window sills and window tracks. 

The Front Door and Doormats: I usually take out my hose and hose down my entire door. It gets rid of cobwebs and dust. I also get a rag and wipe down the door handle. I use windex to clean the small glass windows that accents my door. And for the doormat, I again hose it down, and air-dry my rubber mats. 

Junk Drawer: Dump everything out and wipe down the bottom of the drawer. Get a fresh new liner. Be creative in placing shallow trays, containers, and dividers that will help in organizing your stuff. And don’t forget, this is the time to toss out things that no longer serve a purpose in your life. 

Shower Curtains and Shower Liners: I regularly change my plastic curtain liners. But my actual fabric shower curtains need to be washed or better yet replaced (depending on how worn out they look) during a general cleaning. 

Blankets, Comforters, and Pillows: I regularly wash blankets that we use in our TV room, and our comforters as well- but for Spring Cleaning I am going to include my throw pillows and bed pillows. Always read your pillows’s care label. This will determine whether you can toss these in your washing machine. I wouldn’t crowd the machine, so 2 at a time would be ideal. Tumble pillows on low heat setting. Checking regularly. For big throw pillows that are delicate, I would use either a fabric freshener, leave them out under the sun for hours to get rid of dirt and bacteria, or better yet for these decorative  pillows it’s best to send them out to the dry cleaners.

Change Your Filters: This is a time to remind ourselves that Heat and Air Conditioning Filters need to be replaced.

Dryer: I clean the lint off my dryer screen every time I use it. I’m very paranoid with possible fire that might come from lint. So again for Spring Cleaning, I move my dryer away from the wall and get deep into the hose that’s on my wall. I vacuum it all out and around the area of my dryer. I also clean the back, and around my washer. 

Patio Furniture and My Deck: I usually just hose it all down. If there’s build up with green mold, I then put one part baking soda and one part water, and mix it in a spray bottle. I spray it on the surface that needs cleaning and leave it for 5-10 minutes. I also use a pressure washer to rinse it all. 

My Garage: This is always an ongoing project for me. But once the nice weather hits, I get to open both garage doors and move everything out of my garage so I can hose down the floors. I then go through everything again and decide what’s worth keeping and what’s going to be tossed out or donated. Unfortunately, I don’t use my garage to park our cars. It has been an extended part of my house’s storage room. I have color coded Rubbermaid totes for Christmas Decors and I would label everything! 

Behind Headboards, Under Beds, and Furniture: Hard to reach places that we generally clean need special attention. Moving furniture as we clean, not only under it , but behind it by wiping down walls that aren’t exposed. 

Baseboards: This is definitely the time I go through every room of the house and wipe down my baseboards. You’ll be surprised to see how a clean shiny baseboard compliments your floor. And sometimes if I’m feeling really good, I will apply a coat of paint just to let the white color of my baseboards pop out! 

Closets: This is very simple. Get rid of clothes that you have not worn in the past year! Ok make that 2 years ?, coz you might have outfits that are for special events and you may want to rotate them. My tip, keep the classics! This I’ve learned working at the “Ralph Lauren Mansion” for many years. To update looks, just add to your wardrobe that will compliment these timeless pieces. Get a basket, and make a “donate pile”.

Reorganize Under My Kitchen and Bathroom Sink: Take everything out and wipe down the surface with a damp cloth. Get old vases or other containers you can use to put dish brushes and sponges. I get rid of old cleaning products. I then line up my everyday cleaners that I use around the kitchen – I organize them in a way that I can easily see them and reach them. Now under my bathroom sink, I store all my hand towels. So I re-fold all towels and place extra hand liquid soaps for easy access. 

These are pretty much some of the major projects I would tackle during spring cleaning of my house. 

Organization is always an ongoing project. It just never ends. Just like the saying goes…. “A Woman’s Work Is Never Done!” ??‍♀️