Spring Cleaning Calendar: A Task A Day Makes the Cleaning Go Away

With spring (and spring cleaning) in full force now, it’s time to dig deep and power through. Or, maybe not? When I see a large task that I have to tackle in a day or a weekend, I’ll often get very overwhelmed. Instead, I like to break it down into bite-sized, manageable pieces. So for the next four weeks, I plan to do one task a day!

Week 1 – Purging is the first step of spring cleaning.

As I mentioned in a previous article, purging can be a huge and important aspect of getting your home together. Since there is no sense in deep cleaning things I intend to get rid of, it’s first on my list.

• Day 1: Clothing – We all have clothing we don’t actually wear. ( Like that bridesmaid dress from your cousin’s wedding three years ago? Are you really going to shorten it and wear it again?) Make your goal to get rid of 5% to 10% of the clothes, specifically the ones you don’t wear. I don’t know about you, but my closet is definitely overflowing with old jeans that don’t fit, shirts I don’t like, socks with no matches, and leggings I’ve torn holes in. If you haven’t worn it in a year, say goodbye!
• Day 2: Bookshelves – Be it knickknacks or books, there are probably at least a handful of things on your bookshelves that you’re probably never going to read or use again.
• Day 3: Dishes – Between random Tupperware containers with no matching lids and those old plastic mixing bowls that are a little warped but still fine (even though I never really do use them), it’s time to purge the dishes I’m not going to use again. If you haven’t used it in 6 months, do you really need it?
• Day 4: Appliances – Both small and major appliances count here. When was the last time you used that panini press? Get rid of any appliances you don’t actually ever use. I’d say if you haven’t used it in six months, you probably don’t need it.
• Day 5: The Bathroom – This is the time to go through your medicine cabinet and get rid of expired medication or prescriptions you don’t need (to properly dispose of pills, most pharmacies will take them back to dispose of properly.) That box of hair highlights or that lotion you hate the smell of that’s been under your bathroom sink for two years? Say good adios!
• Day 6: Cords & Electronics – I am the worst for this one. Between old iPod chargers (for iPods I don’t even own anymore) and past laptops or broken phones, I am horrible at getting rid of old electronics and cords. But, there’s no time like the present!

Day 7: Toys – If you’ve got kids, it’s time to go through their toys and purge all the ones that they don’t play with anymore! Now, I know this step can be easier said than done, but if you donate the toys or sell them, tell them they’re going to children who may not have toys and that they’re going to a good place. Or, if selling, give them a couple of dollars out of the sales, so it feels like they’re getting something too! It may not be easy, but it’ll be worth it.

Week 2 – Organizing the clutter

Now that we’ve gotten rid of a lot of the stuff that we don’t really need, it’s time to dig deep and organize the clutter. As the saying goes, “Have a place for everything, and everything in its place.”

• Day 8: The Junk Drawer – I figure let’s start big. Or would that be small? The junk drawer. Pretty much every house has one, and sometimes more than one. Make today’s task going through that junk drawer, throwing out the odds and ends you don’t need, putting the tools in the toolbox, putting all those rubber bands in a contained ziplock bag, organizing all the batteries, you know, make it look good!
• Day 9: The Bookshelves – Now that we’ve removed the excess from the bookshelf, it should be fairly easy to go through and make the shelf look nice. While you’re at it, I’d recommend wiping down the shelf and dusting in the process.
• Day 10: Organize your closet. – Now is the perfect time to pack away your winter clothes, make sure everything is in the right drawer, and that all your socks are paired up.
• Day 11: Clear off the surfaces. – Most people have a ledge or counter that just collects junk. Things you intend to put away later, bills, junk mail, games, honestly, the lists are endless but focus on getting those surfaces clean today.
• Day 12: Desks and Offices – With many people having started work or school from home over the last two years, many people now have a desk or office in their home. Go ahead and organize that space up. The desk itself and the drawers.
• Day 13: Watch Netflix – You try to stay involved with spring cleaning for 13 days straight.
  

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• Day 14: Put away your kiddo’s toys. – Now is the time to help your kids clean their rooms and make sure all the toys are put away too. Make sure you wipe clean any toy bins before you fill them, so you don’t have to come back and do that later.

Week 3: Start the deep spring cleaning.

Now that we’ve got most of our things organized, it’s time to really go through and start cleaning.

• Day 15: Clean your windows. – This means wiping down the sills, I like to wash my curtains or dust my blinds, wiping down the glass on the inside, and I will also vacuum out the crevasses where the window slides open and closed.
• Day 16: Dusting the ceiling and corners. – I don’t know about you, but for me, after the winter, I always find those little collections of dust and spiderwebs in the corners of my ceilings. There’s no time like the present to dust those away.
• Day 17: Clean the linens. – When I say linens, I don’t mean the ones on your bed that you wash on a regular basis. I’m talking about throw blankets, pillows, and couch covers.
• Day 18: Vacuum the furniture. – This goes hand in hand with yesterday’s task. With those linens freshly cleaned, vacuum up all the couches and chairs, so they’re nice and clean. Make sure to get under the cushions!
• Day 19: Clean the fridge and freezer. – I especially like to do this right before I grocery shop, so there’s less to move, but now is the time to scrape out that ice in the freezer and wipe clean the whole fridge. And yes, that even means pulling out the drawers and washing in and under them too. It’s also the time to see if any of the condiments or sauces you’ve got in your fridge have gone bad. And, if you have leftovers in your freezer that are beyond freezer burned, or you know you’ll never actually eat, just get rid of them now.
• Day 20: Dust EVERYTHING. – As a kid, this was actually my favorite chore to do. I don’t know why, but I always found it so fun. Now is the time to dust the walls, any remaining shelves, the tops of cupboards and the fridge, and the mantle. Basically, any surface, because if it’s a surface, it can collect dust.
• Day 21: Clean the floors and baseboards. – Now is the time to break that vacuum and mop back out, and do a good thorough clean of the floors. Better yet, if you have a carpet cleaner, clean your carpets too.

Week 4: Clean anything remaining.

We’ve gone through a majority of the major tasks. There are just a few remaining that may take a little more time but also may not be applicable to everyone.

• Clean and organize the garage.
• Clean your car (inside and out).
• Prep the yard for spring – clean out dead plants and rake up dead foliage.
• Clean the gutters and ducts.
• Clean under the sinks.
• Wash the inside and outside of all the garbage cans. I recommend a hose outside.
• Clean and organize the attic.
• Clean and organize the basement.

The most important thing about spring cleaning…

Enjoy your home. You’ve worked hard to get it all sparkly clean and turn it into a place that makes you happy, so enjoy it. Have a nice dinner and maintain the cleanliness.

Did I miss anything? What is always on your spring cleaning list? How do you break down the tasks? Let’s talk about it in the comments.

About Chloe Morgan

Chloe Morgan grew up living with a tight budget. In her late teens and early 20’s all the lessons she’d learned started to slip, like it does for many college age students on their own for the first time, and with their first credit card. As she’s gotten older, she’s started to deal with the repercussions and has taken on a frugal way of living, keeping her costs low, as she pays off debt and saves for her future. Chloe lives in Northern Ontario, Canada, with her cute dog, Rhea.