Clutter Busting: Spring Cleaning in July

It seems every time I blink, another week has passed. Summer is such a busy time for me, and I simply do not want to waste one precious moment cleaning when I could be outside enjoying all that summer has to offer. Little projects here and there get done, but there is never enough time to tackle the big jobs, like spring cleaning the entire house. Make it your mission this week to tackle the following 10 steps to achieve a spring cleaned home in July. Don’t allow yourself to obsess and get stuck on any particular step. You will feel amazing after you accomplish these tasks, and be able to enjoy all your summer activities guilt free.

Step 1: Open up all your windows and let the breeze flow in. Of course, if it is 98 degrees outside you may want to forgo step #1 and stick with your air-conditioning!

Step 2: You’ve got to deal with the clutter. Grab a couple bags and start packing up your unwanted and unneeded items for donation. Set your timer for 15 minutes for each room and purge as much as possible. In addition, have a box or laundry basket handy to place items from each room that belong in another room, and have garbage bags for recycling and trash. Once you clear out the clutter your rooms will look so much better. Make sure you remember to take your unwanted items to the donation center ASAP!

Step 3: Take curtains off the rod and shake them outside. If you have time this week to properly clean your curtains, great, but by taking them outside and shaking the curtains; you are cleaning the surface dust and making sure that any creepy crawlies are evicted from homes created in the pleats and folds of your window treatments. A few years ago I found a spider’s nest in the fold of my bedroom curtains. I am getting the willies just mentioning it! Clean inside windows by using a microfiber window cloth and your outside windows with a hose and attached window cleaner. This is not the time to be a perfectionist!

Step 4: Speaking of spiders – It is time to check for webs! I like to use a “Swiffer” dry mop for this job. Simply run up and down the walls. Literally takes about 10 to 15 minutes to do the whole house! Look for webs in ceiling light fixtures as well. If you don’t have a dry mop, simply wrap a microfiber cloth or dish towel around a broom and fasten with a rubber band or tape. This will do the trick just as well!
Step 5: Grab a microfiber cloth and all purpose cleaner and clean everything at once: furniture, radiators, window sills, switch plates, doors, knick knacks, etc. I like to use Shaklee’s Basic H for this, but feel free to use any general purpose cleaner that is safe for all these areas.

Step 6: Fluff those pillows! Take them outside and whack them together and fluff them back up to life, same thing with blankets, quilts, comforters, and area rugs!

Step 7: Kitchens and Bathrooms: grab your favorite germicide cleaner and go to town. Set your timer for 15 minutes per area and clean all the germs away. This is not a time for you to obsess about perfection. You can set aside a day down the road for a major bathroom/kitchen overhaul. For an easy way to make your bathroom smell extra clean, unwrap all your soaps and place in a small bowl. This makes the bathroom smell incredibly clean, and your soap is in easy reach when a replacement is needed!

Step 8: Thoroughly clean your floors. We’ve kicked up a lot of dust by now, and much of it has now found your floor.

Step 9: Make it smell clean! I love the smell of lavender so I take a small amount of lavender oil and mix it with water in a spray bottle and lightly spray all my curtains, pillows, rugs, etc.

Step 10: The final touches- check the entrances into your house and spruce up accordingly. A few vases of fresh flowers here and there; and you are all set to wow the masses (or your spouse)!

Betsy