Winter Months Gone and Spring is on the Way

We all know that with spring, comes spring cleaning. We all tend to feel a bit cluttered and unorganized after the winter months. With spring in the air, we get that cleaning spurt. We want everything super clean and all organized. So I have made a spring cleaning to-do list. This is the one I made for my spring cleaning. So I thought I could share it and hope that it can help others get their spring cleaning started and done.

We will be starting the spring cleaning to-do list with, cleaning out the garage. Now any of these steps that do not apply to your dwelling, than just skip it. After months of rain and all other winter weather, our garage is a complete unorganized mess. So this is where we will be starting the cleaning. First take everything out of your garage. Then you can draw out a plan of how you are going to want it to look and were you'll want all of it. Then out on your driveway go through all of it. Anything you do not need or want, put in a pile. Sweep, wash, dust,paint, anything it needs.Then put everything back in an organized way. According to your plan. When your all done with that. Step back and take a good look at all your hard work.

Now we'll be moving to number two on the to-do list. The next task will be moving on to our food pantry's. Through the months our pantry's get piled up. Stuff that has expired or that has just been sitting around a while, is cluttering our shelves. So what we will do is take all the food off the shelves. Go through it checking dates. Anything expired throw out and anything that has not expired but is not being eaten, donate to a homeless shelter. Wash and dust out the whole pantry. Stick what ever is left in an organized manner on the shelves. Organize by category and label for the children. What goes were, like canned foods, can be a label, and there your done.

Now here is our third task, similar to number two. It will be cleaning out the refrigerator. Inside and out! We will start by ,of course, taking everything out. Throw out all the old food. Any containers holding that last drop. All goes. Then scrub it all, in and out. Make sure to get underneath your refrigerator. Put it all back organized on shelves to were it fits.

A good thing to be cleaning, that doesn't get cleaned very often, is the walls, baseboards and frames. Wash them with warm water and a little bit of laundry detergent. Works Great! Then dust all the picture frames. Work your way from one end of your house to the next. When your done it will look and feel nice and clean.

Now we'll be moving to our office space. Go through all your papers and mail. Organize all shelves and dust them off. Throw out all papers and stuff you do not need. Anything, such as staplers, old binders, etc. If any of it is in good condition, put it in the pile outside. Be sure to vacuum, wash and dust everything.

Go to your filing cabinet. Go through every folder. Shred everything you wont need. Put it all back organized. This task, in my opinion, is a extremely needed to -do. Things tend to pile up in them fast. Which makes it hard to find things that are important when you need them.

Number seven and probably one of the most needed. Our children's rooms. With spring on the way. Our children are growing and are out growing a lot of things. Go through all the books, games, clothes toys,etc. Put whatever you wont be keeping in the pile outside. Vacuum, wash bedding, dust, etc. Put everything back. Organize by category. Little stuff together, big stuff together, books together, so on and so forth. My goal is to fit everything in the closets, with out overcrowding. Makes the room look and feel bigger.

Let's clean our rooms now, ya! Your going to start with going through all your stuff first. Any thing you don't need, get rid of it. Shoes , clothes, purses, whatever you having sitting around taking up space. Then have your spouse go through their stuff. Again, scrub , vacuum, wash all your bedding, etc. Try getting a new bed set to brighten and refresh your room for spring. Put all your stuff back in a organized way. Have sides his and hers, so thing don't get mixed up. Also makes further cleaning easier. Put all the stuff you will not be keeping out in the get rid of pile.

Something to clean that also does not get cleaned often, would be our rugs and carpets. After all the winter months. They may be a little dull and dingy. You can do this yourself, if you have a carpet shampooer, or have a company to come out and do it. A great way to get ready for a clean spring.

For the rest of our to-do list. We will be moving outside. For this one get some outside house cleaner for the walls. Do the whole outside. Get all the crevices and gutters.

Get glass cleaner, we're moving to the windows and glass doors. Will be getting all the fingerprints and dirt. Get them inside and out, Don't forget the screens! When your done, have the house outside pest control sprayed. You can have a company come out. Or you can do it yourself. If you do it, be sure to read all the warnings before you start.

If you have a deck box, clean it. Empty it out. Throw out anything you don't need. Put the rest in a pile. Scrub the deck box. Let it dry. Put back everything your going to keep. If you used it for wood during winter, move it all to a pile somewhere else in your yard. Use the box for garden stuff, kids outside toys, bird seed, etc.

Do you have a shed? Well I know a lot of us do. With winter comes a cluttered mess in my shed. So here is a great spring cleaning to -do. Take everything out. Throw out any old ripped,broken, unwanted items. Sweep and paint it. Put everything back that you kept. Organize by category. Once you have room to move in your shed, you wont be able to wait on fixing up your yard.

With rain and mud all around during the winter. Our cars can't stay clean. So here is our number fourteen. We need to scrub them inside out. Windows, tires, seats, kid's car seats, everything! Vacuum, dust and wash.Get your car or cars sparkling clean. You'll be able to drive in style knowing how clean it is.

Here is our last spring cleaning to-do. Have a yard sale. Sale all the items you put in the pile from all the cleaning projects. If your pile isn't very big, take it to the salvation army. We got many places clean and organized and get to make some extra cash!

After all of these fifteen to-dos for spring. We should be able to get started. Make sure you finish the projects you start or you wont get anywhere.I feel spring is the best time to get all the extras done. For my to-do list I planned this as a five day cleaning period. It will have to be three projects a day. You can do it in any order you want, but preferably in the order I wrote. I made it to be a simple way for me to clean. I hope it helps you and you can't wait to get started.

By Sarah Morris