It’s finally time for some spring cleaning! I know it sounds crazy, but I honestly wait all year for this. Nothing feels better than donning a well-worn tee shirt, sweats, and a pair of rubber gloves, then setting to work with a spray bottle in hand. Wait, I take it back! There is one thing that feels better than that: looking around the house when you’re all finished and seeing the progress you’ve made. If this process seems a little daunting to you, though, here are a few ways to simplify your spring cleaning.
Image via facebook.com/LincolnGoodwill
Not a fan of marathon cleaning like I am? Maybe it’s best for you to split your spring cleaning up into bite-sized chunks. Goodwill Industries Serving Southeast Nebraska, Inc. (Lincoln) created their Seven Days of Spring Cleaning to-do list making this annual event much more manageable for anyone with limited time. Put in just a little work every day and at the end of a week your house will be sparkling! The way my schedule is going lately, I’ll have to give this a try.
Image via facebook.com/GoodwillKansas
Tip number one on the list is tackling the bedroom closet. They suggest that you can make a huge difference by removing anything you haven’t worn in the past year. This will clear out so much space! Over on the Goodwill Industries of Kansas, Inc. (Wichita) blog, Michelle Loss takes this idea even further with her detailed method for closet cleaning. I love her suggestion for reorganizing the things you plan to keep; take everything out piece by piece, donate what you can, and put the keepers back in order of what you need access to most often. Of course she also has one great solution for everything you are ready to part with: donate it all to Goodwill! Did you know that your stuff is the beginning of job creation?
Image via creatingreallyawesomefreethings.com
Number two on the list shifts focus to the kitchen. They suggest that while cooking dinner (waiting for water to boil or veggies to steam), you go through your cabinets and again prune away everything that just takes up space. That pasta maker you’ve never used? Toss it in the “Donations” box. The gaudy punch bowl your great aunt gave you? That goes, too. Keep only what you use and love. Then, reorganize that catch all utensil drawer into a fun DIY project like this one shared by the Storage Geek! I’m a huge fan of visible storage like this since it makes cooking and clean up go so much smoother! Spring cleaning, after all, isn’t just about sanitizing; it’s about trimming out the things you don’t need and beautifying the rest of your space.
So now your closet and kitchen are organized, but don’t stop there! Read the full list of Seven Days of Spring Cleaning for more inspiration. After all of your hard work, you’ll deserve a little something special. While at Goodwill dropping off your donations, swing into the store for a bit of shopping. Going through your closet, did you notice that you no longer have any skirts that you feel confident in? In the kitchen, did you finally retire that can opener that gives you a hard time? You’ve been through your home from top to bottom so you will now have a clear idea of what you need. Find it at Goodwill to put the cherry on top of your spring cleaning spree!
