We are in the final weeks of spring and headed hard and fast towards summer! Time for vacations, leisure time, and all that summer brings. Let’s get the house ready for summer guests and summer activities that you can enjoy guilt-free because you are working so hard to clean and organize your home!

Kids will be out of school before you know it so we are going to focus on getting their spaces decluttered and ready for a technology light summer- indoors and out! This list will help you get ready for summer!  [Read more…]

Summer is bearing down on us and it’s time to start getting everything in order for entertaining and of course winding up tax season. Let’s work our way through the office (or at least the office area), the bedroom, bathroom, and end up outdoors to polish up the living space we will likely be spending a lot of time in for the next several months. This is my favorite time of year and updating and cleaning will make downtime much more enjoyable.

Take it one small task at a time throughout the year with our series and you can tackle it all easily! We want to help you clean and organize your home the way that works best for you!

Most tasks should take 15 – 30 minutes. If it works for you do each task on the corresponding date, if not just use it as a list of tasks, some days you may get more than one done. You may wish to take off the weekend and double up on weekdays or vice versa. I want you to be successful so do what works best for you.

My friend’s over at Grove Collective made a special Spring Cleaning Offer for my readers with Mrs. Meyer’s is featuring three limited-edition scents for spring: mint, peony, and lilac.

You can try the scents for yourself FREE from Grove Collaborative when you place your first order of $20 using my link.

Here’s what you’ll get:

• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring hand soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring dish soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring multi-surface spray
• Grove Collaborative bubble-up brush
• Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges

Existing customers will get free Grove walnut scrubber sponges, which are perfect for all your spring cleaning.

Check out this special cleaning offer

It is so handy to have cleaning products come right to your doorstep and they make it easy to cancel auto shipments so you can just order whenever you want or you can easily cancel.

Sign up to get your free Clean and Organize List for Every Month This Year

Be sure to see the full list and helpful hints below the printable sign up!

 

 

Here is the full list of tasks with some links to tools that will help!

 

In the office…

 

1. Give your desk drawers a good end of tax season purging- If you don’t have a lot of time just spend 5 minutes on each drawer making quick decisions on what stays, goes, and reorganizing.

 

2 . Shred paperwork and bills you no longer need- Invest in an inexpensive shredder or you could also rip them up a bit and burn them in your fireplace/firepit.

 

3. Go through your email – Unsubscribe from at least 5 things to clean up that inbox, try doing this once each week for the month and you will have it cleaned up in no time.

 

4. Blow out keyboard- Hit the tower, printer, and any other electronics in the room with compressed air to keep your computer in top working shape.

 

5. Sort through pens and pencils on the desk-Toss out any that are no longer functional, a quick scratch on a piece of scrap paper will tell you if they are working.

 

6. Finish sorting and filing last-minute tax documents- Papers and receipts can be put in the tickler file, the last several years of returns can be stored away.

 

7. Swap out winter shoes for lighter ones- Make way for tennis shoes, sandals, and strappy heels in your closet.

 

8. Grab a garbage bag, set a timer for 10 minutes- Make a quick sweep through the house filling it with items to donate- hit the closet, kitchen cabinets, wherever you need to purge.

 

9. Change your bed linens for lighter- No only is it nice to use spring weights in warmer weather bright or clean colors add a touch of spring to your room.

 

10. Wash and store heavy throws in the living room- Add a few light ones in spring shades

 

11. Spray shower tile well with cleaner/mildew remover- Wait 15 minutes, then rinse well. Repeat if there are tough spots that are not coming clean.

 

12. Clean out your makeup- Toss old or broken makeup, treat yourself to a new bronzer or another item for your summer makeup bag.

 

13. Go through your purse- Purge out unnecessary items, swap out for a pretty spring/summer bag.

 

14. Replenish guest toiletries in bathroom and guest room- Make a nice basket under the sink with travel or full-size shampoo, soaps, razors, etc. In the guest room leave lotions, sprays, and other creature comforts for visitors.

 

15. Take 10 minutes and go through toiletries- Toss out nearly empty shampoo bottles, out of date creams, etc.

 

16. Toss ice, lemon peels, and baking soda in garbage disposal- Run it through a cycle, this task is best repeated monthly to sanitize and sharpen blades.

 

17. Spend 15 minutes playing with your kids-  Help them choose 5 toys to donate to charity or toss out.

 

18. Go through board games- Toss out those with missing pieces, donate no longer used ones.

 

19. Descale coffee pot with vinegar- Run several water cycles through to rinse well afterwards.

 

20. Change out air/heat filters-Replace them with good new hepa air filters. Consider calling in a professional to check and service your system before the hot season.

 

21. Grab a cleaning cloth – Wipe down all interior doors and doorknobs, don’t forget the trim ledge above!

 

22. Clean oven- Spray with cleaner, leave overnight and wipe it out in the morning.

 

23. Do a quick walk through in your garage- clear out empty paint cans, oil bottles, etc.. Be sure to dispose of them properly, items like this can’t just be thrown in the trash. Your local dump usually has areas for such items and they can process them the right way.

 

24. Fertilize- Add fertilizer and grass seed to your lawn with a spreader or by hand if it’s a small space.

 

25. Go through outdoor equipment-Bikes, balls, swing sets, etc… and make necessary repairs or toss items out.

 

26. Clean leaves and other debris from your ac’s evaporator/condenser- Turn power off at the breaker and give it a rinse with the hose as well.

 

27. Give the kids outdoor toys some attention- Spray with bleach let it sit 10 minutes, hose clean. Items like playhouses, sandboxes, and other large items tend to get dirty and often covered in mold from sitting outdoors. Looking for some more fun outdoor toy for kids check them out here. 

 

28. Start packing up spring/Easter items in storage- The end of the month is a good time to start packing these items back in storage to get ready for summer time.

 

29. Pull out your stored patio cushions- Give patio furniture a good scrubbing, replace cushions that need it, and reset your outdoor sitting areas.

30. Place 1/2 dozen pretty new plants in the ground- Or in containers to brighten your yard. Annuals from home improvement stores or your local nursery are cheap and add a pop of color to the yard.

More great info here

Simple Steps to Help Keep Your House Clean 

Routines to Help you Get Your Home Organized 

Get Organized with a Nightime Routine

 

 

Get your own Deep Cleaning House Checklist to help you organize your spring cleaning.

With the weather warming up, you may be considering tackling some spring cleaning. There is something about warmer weather, sunshiney days, and things growing beautifully outside that gets the cleaning bug really going. Here are a few things you may want to tackle when you get ready to spring clean your home. Additionally, we made a deep cleaning house checklist for you that you can print and mark off after you finish the tasks. There also is a deep cleaning calendar if you want to assign certain tasks to certain days. 

Here are a few more details for the spring cleaning list

Furniture

If your couch cushions have removable covers, take them off and throw them in the wash. Otherwise, use an upholstery cleaner to clean them well. Then remove the cushions and vacuum all of the crooks and crannies. This Portable Carpet and Upholstery Cleaner looks like a great tool for this type of job. 

Strip your beds and vacuum and flip the mattresses. Now would be a good time as well to wash the dust ruffle and other decorative linens. While the bed is stripped, check underneath (if you dare) and see if there are dust bunnies that need to be evacuated. This is also a good time to replace your bed pillows. The rule of thumb is to replace your pillow every 1 to 2 years. Certain types of pillows last longer than others, due to the quality and construction of their materials.  

You most likely polish your wooden furniture with cleaner or a duster frequently, but now is a good time to remove everything from your shelves and furniture and thoroughly clean. Take a furniture pen and buff out all of the scuffed and marred areas. 

Kitchen

Kitchens are a great place to focus your spring cleaning efforts. Start with your pantry and food cupboards. Go through and check expiration dates and throw out foods that are no longer good. Donate foods to a food pantry that you don’t think you’ll ever use.

Tackle your utensil drawer – you know the one. The one that has a specialty tool for every kitchen job. If you’ve only used that hot dog slicer or avocado caddy once since you bought it, get rid of it. Organize all of your cooking and serving utensils. Get rid of orphaned food container lids. 

Thoroughly clean all of your appliances, both small and large. From your freezer to your toaster, make sure to get everything really good and cleaned. Clean your oven and oven door to get your statement appliances looking great.

Clothing

Now is the time to put away the winter clothing and pull out all of the summer items. Go through your children’s clothing before packing them up and donate or hand down items that no longer fit. Get rid of the items that are worn or threadbare. With the adult items, get rid of clothing that hasn’t been worn in a long time.

A good tactic for the adult clothing is to turn all of your clothing with your hangers hooked the opposite direction than they are supposed to. When you wear that item, place it back in the closet with the hanger in the correct direction. At the end of the season, any hangers that are still facing backward, that item gets donated. You may want to consider a capsule wardrobe to lessen the number of pieces of clothing you purchase. 

This is a good time of year to tackle any mending that needs to be done. Turn on your latest Netflix binge, or some great music, and sit and relax while mending hems and replacing buttons. Another clothing item that you may need to tackle is the dreaded sock basket. The same theory can apply – make it enjoyable with a movie or music. 

Miscellaneous

Decorative linens are another thing that you may not think to clean on a regular basis. A great way to clean curtains is just to take them down and toss them in the dryer with a dryer sheet for about ten minutes. It will get all of the dust off, the wrinkles out, and give them a fresh look and smell.

Make sure to wash all of your decorative throw pillows and blankets as well. This is a good time to get rid of any of those pillows and blankets that have become badly stained or worn throughout the year.

Electronics could also use a spring cleaning. Get a pack of canned air and use it to blow out all of the vents of your gaming consoles, television, and computer tower. Use the same product to clean your laptop keys as well. Use electronic cleaning wipes to give all of your devices a good wipe down.

These are just a list of some items that you may not have considered tackling during Spring Cleaning. Be sure to sign up below to get your printable spring cleaning checklist.

 

As I’ve gotten get older (and busier), I’ve learned that spring cleaning doesn’t have to to be a huge, time-consuming affair in order to be effective.

Even if you don’t have time for a deep clean, something as simple as throwing open the windows or wiping down the countertops with a spring-scented cleaner can breathe new life into a tired space.

 

To help you refresh your home, my friends at Grove Collaborative are offering a free spring cleaning set with your first order of $20:

• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring hand soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring dish soap
• Mrs. Meyer’s Spring multi-surface spray
• Grove Collaborative bubble-up brush
• Grove Collaborative walnut scrubber sponges

Existing customers will receive free Grove walnut scrubber sponges — they’re sustainably made and perfect for all your spring cleaning tasks!

After a dreary winter, I always look forward to the return of spring and Mrs. Meyer’s spring scents: Mint, Peony, and Lilac. Mint smells just like the real thing — sweet and cool. Peony and Lilac are subtle floral scents that remind me of a spring garden in bloom.

To me, a clean home begins with the products you use — so I’m always looking for ways to eliminate toxins in my cleaning routine. All of Mrs. Meyer’s products are made with plant-derived ingredients and essential oils, so I can feel good using them around my family.

In addition to Mrs. Meyer’s soaps and multi-surface spray, the spring cleaning set comes with a limited edition Grove Collaborative bubble-up brush with a beautiful wildflower print. Not only does it look beautiful sitting next to my sink, it also makes the task of doing dishes much more enjoyable!

Now that sunny days are in the forecast, I’m all for anything that helps me get things done faster and have more time to enjoy the outdoors.

That’s where Grove Collaborative comes in! Grove makes creating a healthy, beautiful home effortless and affordable. They hand-select the best natural products and deliver them (carbon offset) right to your doorstep, on your schedule. Grove has you covered for all your spring cleaning needs.

After your first order, Grove will recommend a personalized monthly shipment so you never run out of the products you love. You can add or remove products or change your shipment schedule with a few clicks.  You are not required to get a shipment each month. You can change the shipment date to whatever works best for you and you can cancel at any time. 

When you sign up for Grove using my link, you’ll get the spring cleaning set for free with your first order of $20. Plus, if you spend at least $39, you’ll receive a beautiful stoneware tray for free! It’s the perfect size to hold your hand soap, dish soap, and bubble-up brush.

Once you’ve submitted your Grove order, you’ll be signed up for the free 60 day VIP trial.  I love being a VIP because I get perks like free shipping, free gifts, price matching, exclusive sales and personal service.

I absolutely love their kitchen towels. There are so well made. I want to throw out all my other kitchen towels and just use these.

Here is a great sample cart to get you to your $20 so you can get all the other items free. (You will need to just search kitchen towels and countertop cleaning set to find the items on their site)

• Two pack of kitchen towels – $9.95
• Countertop cleaning set – includes 28 oz Antibac All Purpose Spray, Set of 3 Microfiber Cloth – $11.99

When you sign up for Grove using my link, you’ll get the spring cleaning set for free with your first order of $20. There is no obligation to buy anything more and you can cancel at any time. I am hooked though and order every few months 🙂

I hope this helps you make spring cleaning easier.

If you are interested in getting cleaning checklists sent to your inbox each month, you may want to join our cleaning and organizing challenge. Where we give you simple cleaning and decluttering tasks to complete throughout your home each month. Take it one small task at a time throughout the year with our series and you can tackle at it all easily! We want to help you clean and organize your home the way that works best for you! Most tasks should take 15 – 30 minutes.