If you look at your entire house, the thought of spring cleaning can be a little daunting.  I mean, the thought of keeping it clean on a daily or weekly basis can be daunting, much less the extra work involved in a seasonal cleaning.

I find that the best way to do it is to take a room at a time.  I may or may not do it all in one day or one weekend, but if I have a plan of action for each room, and I actually start working, then it will get done.  Once one room is fully spring cleaned, I can’t wait to get to the next room and the next until I know my house is as clean and fresh as it can be.

Break it down by room.  These are the rooms in my house.  I know some of you have play rooms, sun rooms, offices — make your own list tailored to your home.

Kitchen

• Clean the oven.  Clean the stove top.  Move the range away from the wall and clean the floor and cabinets around it.
• Empty out the food cupboards.  Throw away old food and old spices.  Wipe down the shelves.  Reorganize and restock.  Make a list of items needing to be replaced.
• Empty out the refrigerator.  Wipe down the shelves, wash the drawers.  Throw away old food and condiments.   Make a list of items needing to be replaced.  Clean the outside of the refrigerator.
• Remove everything from the counter tops.  Wipe down the counter tops, backsplashes, appliances.
• Wash the front of the cupboards.
• Polish all of the stainless steel.
• Break the garbage can down.  Clean and sanitize.
• Pull furniture away from the walls.  Clean the walls and floor behind the furniture.
• I have a large bookshelf with cookbooks:  Pull cookbooks off shelf.  Wipe down shelves.  Dust cookbooks.  Restock and reorganize.
• Get on your hands and knees and scrub the floor, baseboards, corners, etc.
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Wash curtains.  Wash windows.
• Clean the walls, door frames, door handles.
• Remove the light fixture.  Wash the covers and replace.

Dining Room:

• My homeschool supplies are stored in the dining room.  Go through homeschooling supplies.  Throw away old stuff.  Make a list of things to restock.
• I have shelves of kitchen appliances, equipment, and accoutrementsin my dining room.  Empty the shelves.  Clean the shelves.  Clean all equipment, etc.  Replace on the shelves.
• Our coat closet is in the dining room: Empty coat closet.  Donate coats that don’t fit or haven’t been worn this winter.  Clean out the floor of the closet.  Empty the shelf.  Wipe down the walls, floor, and shelving.  Replace what goes back and donate the rest.
• Scrub the table.  Polish the wood.
• Use the steam cleaner to clean the upholstered seats of the table.
• Clean the walls, doorframes.  Clean the door.
• Wash the curtains.  Clean the blinds.  Clean the windows.
• Dust the pictures hanging on the wall.
• On your hands and knees, clean the floor, the corners, the baseboards.
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Remove the light fixtures.  Wash the covers.  Replace.

Bathrooms:

• Empty the linen closet.  Donate items that don’t get used anymore.  Inspect towels, sheets, blankets and determine what needs to be replaced.  Wash the shelves.  Replace the items.
• Empty the drawers and cupboard of the sink.  Discard items that are old, broken, or not used.  Clean the shelves and the drawers.  Replace and reorganize items.
• Clean out the medicine cabinet.  Discard any expired medication and items that won’t be used.  Wipe the shelves.  Replace and reorganize items.
• Replace the shower curtain liners.  Wash the shower curtains.
• Clean and sanitize the garbage cans.
• Polish the mirrors.  Clean and polish the wood border of the mirrors.
• Inspect caulking and determine if any need to be replaced.
• Scrub the bathtub.  Discard old soaps or shampoos.
• Scrub the toilet and sink.
• On your hands and knees, scrub the floor, cleaning the corners and baseboards.
• Scrub the walls
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Remove the light fixtures.  Wash the covers.  Replace.

Living Room

• Empty the bookshelves and movie shelves.  Dust the shelves, books, movies.  Replace and reorganize.  Dust nic nacs as they are replaced.
• Clean out the desk.  Discard items that won’t be used.
• Pull the furniture away from the wall.  Clean the floors and walls behind the furniture.
• Vacuum couches and chairs.  Using the steam cleaner, clean the upholstery.
• Clean the wood furniture. Polish the wood.
• Wash the curtains.  Wash the windows.
• Dust the pictures hanging on the wall.
• Clean out the fireplace.  Scrub the hearth.
• Clean the staircase banister.  Using the steam cleaner, clean the carpet of the staircase.
• On your hands and knees, scrub the floor, cleaning the corners and baseboards.
• Scrub the walls, doorframes, chair rail, doors.
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Remove the light fixtures.  Wash the covers.  Replace.  Clean the ceiling fan.

Master Bedroom

• Remove the bedding from the bed.  Flip the mattress.  Wash all bedding, including comforter, bed skirt, and pillow shams.
• Empty dresser drawers.  Donate items that won’t be worn anymore.  Clean the drawers.  Replace and reorganize clothes.
• Clean out the closet.  Donate clothes and shoes that won’t be worn anymore.  Clean off the shelf of the closet.  Replace and reorganize items.
• Pull all books off of bookshelf.  Dust the shelves.  Dust the books.  Replace and reorganize the books.
• Polish the wood furniture.
• Dust the pictures hanging on the wall.
• On your hands and knees, scrub the floor, cleaning the corners and baseboards.
• Wash the curtains.  Clean the windows.
• Scrub the walls, doorframes, chair rail, doors.
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Remove the light fixtures.  Wash the covers.  Replace.  Clean the ceiling fan.

Children’s Rooms and Upstairs Hall

• The children all have new beds and new bedding.  I don’t have to wash the bedding (other than the sheets) nor do I need to flip the mattresses.  However, I would if they were not new.
• Empty dresser drawers.  Donate items that are too small or won’t be worn anymore.  Clean the drawers.  Replace and reorganize clothes.
• Clean out the closets.  Donate clothes and shoes that are too small or won’t be worn anymore.  Clean off the shelves of the closets.  Replace and reorganize items.
• In the boys’ room, clean off the shoe shelf.  Donate shoes that are too small.  Clean the shelves.  Replace and reorganize the shoes.
• In the boys’ room, clean out toy drawers.  Throw out broken or incomplete toys.  Donate toys that aren’t played with.  Replace and reorganize toys.
• Pull all books off of bookshelves.  Dust the shelves.  Dust the books.  Replace and reorganize the books.  Discard any books that are ruined, donate any books that are too young for the children.
• Vacuum the carpet.  Using the steam cleaner, clean the carpet.
• Dust the pictures hanging on the walls.
• Wash the walls, doorframes, baseboards.
• Wash the curtains.  Clean the windows.
• Vacuum out the heating vents.
• Remove the light fixtures.  Wash the covers.  Replace.

Laundry Room/Pantry

• Wash the washing machine and dryer.  Vacuum out the dryer lint trap.  Sweep under the appliances.
• Empty the pantry shelves.  Discard old food.  Discard old cleaning supplies.  Wash the shelving.  Replace and reorganize items.
• Defrost stand-up freezer.  Clean the shelving inside.  Wipe down the outside.  Discard old food.  Clean off the top of the freezer.
• On your hands and knees, clean the floor, baseboard, corners.
• Wash the walls and doorframe.

Basement Office

• Clean off desk.  Wipe down computer items/printer/scanner.  Empty drawers.  Discard old items.  Replace and reorganize items.  Clean the furniture.  Polish the wood.
• Vacuum the carpet.  Using the steam cleaner, clean the carpet.
• Wash the walls, baseboards, doorframes.
• Vacuum the stairs.  Using the steam cleaner, clean the stairs.

When I finish this list, my house will be cleaned top to bottom, all of the shelves, drawers, and closets organized and cleaned out, and anything we don’t want, can’t use, don’t wear, etc., will be gone.

It would be impossible to expect myself to be able to finish this in a day.  But that doesn’t matter.  As long as it gets done, then it gets done.  My goal is to finish it by the end of March.  That is entirely reasonable, and will then allow me to focus on the outside of the house as the weather warms up.

Do you “Spring Clean”?  How do you do it?

Hallee

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