Note: This article about spring tidying is by contributing writer, Tammy Strobel.
Embracing minimalism through decluttering, curbing shopping habits, and downsizing to a smaller apartment has significantly simplified my cleaning routine. Now, I no longer dread spring cleaning or my weekly chores—an unexpected perk of embracing a minimalist lifestyle! Below, you’ll find spring tidying hacks that have helped me declutter and refresh my home. If you’re just getting started, select one or two ideas below and incorporate them into your routine slowly. This approach will reduce feelings of overwhelm and infuse a sense of joy and fun into your cleaning endeavors.
Also, this piece isn’t an all-encompassing spring cleaning guide, and you aren’t required to follow the ideas in a specific order. Instead, think of this article as a starting point. And don’t forget to explore the resource list at the end of the post.
10 Spring Tidying Hacks for a Lighter Home
1.) Experiment with The 6/10 Cleaning List
“The 6/10 List is a simple, straight forward method of cleaning. It is in depth enough to keep your home clean, but not so detailed that you get overwhelmed and give up,” says The 6/10 List creator Audrey Barton. On the list you’ll find daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks. Barton’s list will help you establish a regular cleaning schedule, prevent clutter from building up, and enable you to break down cleaning tasks into management chunks.
2.) Stop following old laundry rules
Patric Richardson – self-proclaimed “Laundry Evangelist,” host of The Laundry Guy on Discovery+, and author of Laundry Love – encourages people to stop following old laundry rules. He also says, “it’s okay to put ‘dry clean only’ clothes in the washer.” In a recent interview, Richardson explained that we need “to stop following generations-old laundry rules. Over the past few decades, washing machines and dryers have become more efficient. And the dyes in our clothes today aren’t as prone to bleeding. So some of the guidance from our parents on how to do laundry — like washing dark-colored garments in cold water or using a super-long cycle to get your clothes clean — may not be necessary.”
Last spring, I started to follow Richardson’s tips and advice. As a result, I’ve saved time sorting and doing laundry. Plus, I use less laundry soap.
3.) Declutter your cleaning routine
“To most effectively declutter your spaces, you have to first declutter your cleaning routine itself,” says Brittney Ho, a writer with Wirecutter. I agree! I no longer buy single use cleaning products. Instead, I buy multipurpose cleaners. This change has saved me money, space, and time. Plus, my spring cleaning kit is paired down and it’s customized to my needs. As Ho said, “In a #CleanTok-driven world, where there’s so much noise—and where so many viral products make big promises—there is something comforting about paring down to the basics.”
4.) Try cleaning with baking soda
“Baking soda goes far beyond raising our favorite cake and cookie recipes. Baking soda’s naturally abrasive texture and chemical properties make it ideal for household cleaning uses as well, like scrubbing and scouring dirt, deodorizing bad smells, and lifting stubborn stains,” says Alexandra Kelly, a writer at MarthaStewart.com. In short, baking soda is a classic cleaner. It’s an inexpensive spring tidying hack, and it’s great for cleaning everything from kitchen sinks to bathrooms. For example, I’ve used baking soda to remove stains on my kitchen sink, shower head, and remove the grit in my water bottles. However, baking soda isn’t good for cleaning everything. It’s abrasive, so I avoid using it on mirrors, windows, stove tops, and other appliances.
5.) Disinfect your sponge
If you’re faced with a big cleaning task and only have one sponge on hand, rejuvenate it midway. Squeeze out the sponge in the sink, then microwave it on high for a minute or two. Also, it’s essential to keep your sponges clean. Otherwise, you risk spreading bacteria in your home. To disinfect a sponge you can use vinegar and bleach. Check out Better Homes & Gardens’ sponge cleaning guide.
6.) Dust with microfiber towels and cloths
Brittney Ho recommends dusting with microfiber towels and cloths. Ho explains, “they’re soft enough that they won’t ding up whatever they’re polishing. Our appliances expert swears that microfiber towels are the only tool you need to keep your glass cooktop sparkling. And I like to stash a microfiber cloth in my desk drawer to clean my perennially smudge-filled glasses. In one fell swoop, I also wipe the streaks off my iPhone and my laptop screen, and clean my keyboard caps after one too many crumb-heavy desk lunches.” I’m a fan of dusting with microfiber towels, too. Like Ho, I use microfiber cloths to remove the streaks from my iPhone and computer screens. They also keep my reading glass clean! This spring cleaning hack can be used in so many areas of your life!
7.) Remove your shoes
“Dust is made up of a lot of things: fibers from clothing and rugs, hair, dead skin cells and even chemicals from the grime that your shoes pick up from the street,” explain LifeKit reporters Becky Harlan and Malaka Gharib. To minimize the dirt entering your home, take your shoes off before opening your front door. I’ve followed this practice for the past decade, and it’s reduced the amount of dirt that sticks to my carpet. It’s also helpful to have a designated place to store your shoes. Otherwise, your shoes might get discarded in a pile by the front door.
8.) Steam clean the microwave
It turns out, keeping your microwave free from stains is simple. Writers, Caroline Picard and Amanda Garrity, at Good Housekeeping shared an insightful tip – steam cleaning the microwave. Picard and Garrity explain, “To clean your microwave, fill a large microwave-safe bowl with one cup of water and a lemon, lime or orange cut into thin slices — or several tablespoons of vinegar — and stick it inside. Turn the appliance on high for several minutes or until the solution boils and the window is steamy, then let it cool for five minutes before opening the door. Remove the bowl and wipe the inside and outside of the microwave with a sponge.”
9.) Wash your reusable bags
My reusable grocery bags are handy because they help me cut down on plastic waste. However, they can get dirty quickly. Luckily, most of our reusable bags are machine washable. After I come back from the store, I put them in my laundry. This spring tidying hack has helped keep our bags tidy and ready for reuse.
10.) The 10-10-100 Decluttering Challenge
Decluttering is a big part of my spring cleaning routine. For example, I like to declutter in short bursts because it helps me stay focused, build momentum, and avoid procrastination. “Procrastination will fight our intention to spend a full day decluttering, but 10 minutes? We can do anything for 10 minutes. Choose a space, set a timer for 10 minutes and put 10 items from each space in a box or bag. By the time you finish, procrastination won’t know what hit him. Use the momentum you create by tackling another space, or going for 10 more items in the space you are in,” says Courtney Carver. As you embark on spring cleaning, try Courtney’s 10-10-100 Decluttering Challenge. It’s fun!
Spring Tidying Resources
Give yourself time to tidy your home. Spring cleaning isn’t a race, so go at your own pace. Over time, it is possible to create a clean and clutter free home.
- Turn on mood boosting music while you tidy. The Spring Clean playlist on Spotify is a great resource.
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