Jump Into Spring Cleaning With These Time-saving Tips

Spring is the reward for being patient through the winter. In Charleston, it’s really not that hard to do. The colder weather—notice I didn’t say “cold”—is a welcome seasonal shift. Still, spring arrives and there’s this innate urge to refresh your life. Get your yard and garden ready. Make the vow to get out and be more active. Are you also tackling the annual cleansing of your home? Jump into spring cleaning with these time-saving tips from Hunter Quinn Homes.

Think before you jump.

Don’t just barrel ahead with a bucket of supplies and the mindset of a cleaning commando. Get organized first. Map out your strategy and make a spring cleaning checklist, room by room. Look for those tasks that are overlooked most of the year, like cleaning around the door trim and baseboards, scrubbing the cabinet doors, purging the closets, washing the screens on the windows and doors, cleaning inside your appliances, washing windows, cleaning out the gutters, and scrubbing doors, switchplate and outlet covers, and light fixtures.

Are you exhausted already?

Think about how wonderful your home will be once you’ve put all this effort into creating a healthier, tidier, and less cluttered environment.

As you make your plan, schedule yourself and your helpers to each do one room at a time. Avoid the temptation to bounce around. Detours will delay your progress and the immense satisfaction that comes with looking at a fully-cleaned room. 

Prepare for landing

Go through your checklist and make a list of supplies you’ll need. Save money by using microfiber cloths instead of paper towels; they’re more absorbent, and can be washed and reused. 

You can also cut your budget by replacing cleaning solvents with simple ones you can make yourself. Buy a bag of fresh lemons, a gallon of white vinegar, and a few boxes of baking soda. With various combinations of these ingredients, you can clean most surfaces—including grout—remove lime build-up on your faucets, clean and disinfect the interior of your appliances, and get a streak-free shine on windows and stainless steel. The added bonus is that you’re not using chemicals, solvents, and air fresheners that emit potentially hazardous toxins that reduce your indoor air quality. At the end of each cleaning day, rinse and squeeze out your sponges. Then place them in the microwave on high for one minute each to disinfect them.

Once you have all the cleaning supplies (don’t forget the trash bags), place a bucket or bin of them in the rooms you’re ready to target. For purging any closet or storage spaces, set up bins and boxes for sorting out items to be donated, discarded, or given a new lease on life when spring cleaning is done.

Pace yourself.

All the dirt, dust, and clutter has collected over a long period of time. Don’t expect to get all your spring cleaning done in one weekend. Make a schedule of what you can realistically complete and when. Maybe you can organize your pantry and clean the appliances on weeknights, when you don’t need the help of sunshine to light the way.

Then, treat yourself to a reward for your accomplishments. What would be a welcome treat after each room is spring-cleaned? How about new bedding or towels? Maybe you can let your kitchen appliances enjoy their shine for a bit by going out to dinner or getting takeout. 

Here’s an even greater reward. Now that your home is clean, sell it! Make your move to a brand new home or townhome. That’s REALLY starting fresh! Hunter Quinn Homes invites you to see what’s new in new construction in and around Charleston. Our communities offer desirable locations and the homes are beautifully styled, energy-efficient, and fully warrantied. There’s nothing to clean, update, or repair.  Talk to us now to make the most of your clean home and truly refresh your life.