April Cleaning Brings May Organization

In many households, springtime is synonymous with cleaning, especially after all the pollen has stopped falling. Spring is the perfect time to freshen up the whole house and to dust away the cobwebs of winter.

Here at Ditch the Clutter, we like to do a thorough deep clean every spring to start the season of freshness and growth on the right foot. We find doing this deep clean helps pave the way for better organization throughout the spring and summer. If you’re looking to do a deep clean and organize this spring, check out some of the areas to focus on.

The Kitchen

We spend most of our time in the kitchen so it’s no surprise that this room will need a lot of attention. There are a few specific places to focus your attention in the kitchen.

Appliances

Be honest, you hardly ever clean your oven, microwave or fridge. That’s ok, most people are like that. However, if you’re going through the process of deep cleaning your home, definitely give these bad boys some attention.

For the oven, chip off any burnt pieces of food then sprinkle baking soda and a few drops of white vinegar to loosen residual grease. Scrub everything with a sponge.

For the microwave, fill a microwave-safe bowl with water and a few tablespoons of vinegar. Microwave on high for several minutes then wipe the sides down with a sponge.

Finally, for the fridge, remove the shelves and drawers to wash in warm soapy water. Give the interior of the fridge a wipedown with an antibacterial wipe. Be sure to let the shelves dry completely before putting them back in the fridge.

Countertops

Sure, you might wipe down your countertops every other evening, but giving them a deep clean can help make them shine. You might also only focus on one part of your counter where you do most of your food preparation. For deep cleaning, clear everything off all your counterspace and go over everything with a disinfecting spray or natural cleaner.

Cabinets

Your kitchen cabinets and pantry can get messy over time. While you’re focused on the kitchen, take the time to take everything out of your cabinets, sort through everything to see what’s expired or can be thrown away, then replace everything in an organized way.

The Closets

When we transition from winter to spring, we also have to do our seasonal closet rotation. This means packing up fall and winter clothes to make way for spring and summer clothes. As you do your closet rotation, think about the fall and winter items you didn’t wear and if they’re worth selling or donating. If you plan to sell winter items, put them in a separate bag to pull out to sell when fall rolls around.

The Windows

After a long season of pollen raining down on everything, your windows are likely in need of a good wash. Depending on your house, you might be able to clean the outsides of the windows yourself. Grab some Windex, a squeegee, and some paper towels to make everything go faster. While you’re at it, go ahead and clean the insides of your windows, too. That way you can maximize the sunshine coming into your house.

The Silver

Since spring is the time for plenty of showers, that makes it an opportune time to do the chores you’ve been avoiding forever like polishing the silver. One rainy day, grab up all the silver items in your house, turn on a movie, and polish everything. You’ll need a soft sponge, soft rags, a bowl of warm water, and your favorite silver polish. Once you’re done, you’ll love how all those silver objects sparkle around your home.

Of course, there are many more places you can deep clean in your home this spring but these are the few we chose to focus on this year. Some families need to deep clean a porch to get it ready for entertaining while others spend a bit of extra money to get their carpets washed. Whatever you choose to deep clean this spring, know you’ll feel incredibly accomplished with the results.