The new year is only a few days away. The Year 2020 beckons with a breath of fresh air, new perspective and goals, and renewed hopes. And what better way to start anew by spring cleaning our home. Below are our favourite spring-cleaning tips and tricks that will transform your home from dusty and musty to fresh and fabulous.
1. Clean from Top to Bottom
This spring-cleaning tip is very useful because it makes cleaning more efficient. The logic is simple: Dust from the top may fall onto your furniture and floor while you are cleaning the ceiling.
So, if you have started vacuuming your floor and wiping your kitchen countertops before cleaning the ceiling fan, you may need to reclean all the surfaces again.
2. Vacuum the Hard to Reach Places
Dust can accumulate under the bed, behind large cupboards and furniture, and every nook and corner where mops and brooms cannot reach. Sometimes they hide behind large wall picture frames too. So be sure to flip your wall photos and art pieces. These places are the perfect haven for cobwebs and dust bunnies. If your furniture is heavy, spring cleaning is a day to flex your muscles.
3. Spring Cleaning Tips for the Refrigerator
First In, First Out
When it comes to storing food, many of us tend to fall into the habit of last-in, first-out (LIFO) because of convenience. As such, we end up discovering rotting food or food that is way past its expiration date each time we organise our kitchen. Practise storing your food using a first-in, first-out (FIFO) method.
Label the Expiry Dates
Another tip you can follow is to organise and label your food by expiry dates. Invest in a Sharpie marker pen and write the expiry date in large fonts on the food packaging. Rewriting the expiry dates helps because it is more visible and catches our attention fast. For fresh produce, try consuming it within a week before buying more.
Meal Planning
Have you tried meal planning? Meal planning allows you to plan your grocery purchases. That way you won’t end up buying unnecessary food items only to be chucked to the back and forgotten. Besides encouraging less waste, you will be more aware of the ingredients you put into every meal you cook. Now, that’s a win-win!
4. Air Your Kitchen Cabinets
The kitchen is one place that may trap moisture because of all the washing and cleaning. Airing your kitchen cabinets, especially the cabinet underneath your kitchen sink, allows better ventilation and releases trapped moisture.
This is also the time to check if there are signs of sink leakages and water condensation due to silicone erosion that may create a damp environment inside the cabinet. Undetected leakages may encourage mould to proliferate, and if not treated early, may cause your cabinet wood to rot.
5. Spring Cleaning Tips for Your Bathroom and Kitchen Sink
It’s good practice to keep your sinks fresh and clean, not just on the outside, but also on the inside. We swear by the vinegar and baking soda tip when it comes to unclogging and keeping the kitchen drain fresh. With a little help of the plunger, you’ll be amazed by the level of grime that you can potentially dislodge. Yuck!
6. Konmari Your Wardrobe
You can try the Konmari method of spring cleaning your wardrobe.
Start by removing your entire closet worth of clothing into the open space. This is the best way to take stock of what you actually have. Who knows, you may find that long-forgotten tee stuffed underneath all that pile of clothing.
Organise your clothes into 3 piles: Keep, donate or discard. While it is very easy to want to keep everything you own (we blame it on attachment), you know very well which items will end up never seeing the light of day again. If you have not worn it in the last 6 months, it’s best to donate it to someone who will wear them. By letting go with gratitude, you will be able to appreciate the journey you embarked with each item.
7. Mirror, Mirror (and Windows) on the Wall
Don’t neglect your windows and mirrors when you’re spring-cleaning your home. Have you noticed that if you used a cloth to wipe your windows and mirrors, there are still visible specks of dust stuck to the surface?
The newspaper cleaning trick is a sure way to keep your windows and mirrors sparkling clean. Instead of a cloth rag, you use old newspapers to wipe the glass surface. Trust us, the good old-fashioned newspaper picks up dust like magic!
Usher in the New Year with A Clean Home and a Clear Mind
Spring cleaning isn’t just about cleaning and purging. You can also take this opportunity to reorganise your space and spruce up your home décor to give it a fresh new vibe.
The satisfaction of cleaning out your closets, reorganising your home and running your fingers along squeaky-clean surfaces is priceless. To some, spring cleaning is a great therapy for the body, mind and soul. Every purge is a cathartic process that signifies the first step of taking control of life.
So, are you ready to usher in the New Year with a fresh start and a clean home?
