As we enter spring you may be reminded of the daunting chore of Spring Cleaning. We’re here to make that task a little easier for you. Follow our step-by-step daily breakdown to spring clean your entire home in just one week!
Day 1: Declutter!
Step 1: Trash and Recycling – Before you start getting into the nitty-gritty you have to remove the bulk. Take this first day to ease into things and begin by taking out the trash and recycling. Donate any unused items you have been meaning to get rid of to a local donation center.
Step 2: Laundry – After you’ve dealt with the debris, it’s time to move on to laundry. Today is the day to get done all that laundry you’ve been meaning to do. That means clothing, towels, and bedding. If you have a bath mat or cloth shower curtain, throw those in too. When the laundry is clean the task of folding it all can be intimidating, but we know that you can push through! With all that clean laundry done and put away, you can rest in a fresh clean bed. Once you’ve cleared the big stuff you should hopefully feel the bite from the cleaning bug and be inspired to continue to transform your space. That’s day one done!
Cleaning tip! Cleaning room by room over a number of days can make spring cleaning feel like less of a mammoth task. By taking just an hour or two after work for 5 days, you can completely clean and declutter your home for spring.
Day 2: The Kitchen!
The kitchen can often be an intimidating space to clean. Because of the amount of time we spend (and messes we make) in the kitchen, the mayhem can build up. To make things easier we give the kitchen an entire day. Now it doesn’t have to take you all day, and hopefully won’t, but after day one you can have peace of mind knowing that the worst is over.
Step 1: Purge the fridge – Compost any food that has gone off, and recycle any near-empty bottles that are taking up unnecessary space. You can even go as far as taking everything out and wiping down the inside of the fridge itself. If you have the time, this can be an incredibly gratifying task. Your food deserves a clean space too! You can use a bowl of hot soapy water and a rag, or your favorite non-toxic cleaner to wipe down the inside of your fridge. For the outside, you can use the same, or a stainless steel cleaner.
Cleaning tip! Want to take it to the next level? Try some organizational bins for the inside of your fridge to make hunting for a snack even simpler.
Step 2: Counters – Now that you’ve got your groceries loaded back into your sparkling clean fridge, let’s move on to the counters. Put any dirty dishes from the counter into the sink, and put away any clutter that has accumulated in the kitchen. Once the counters are clear, wipe them down with your favorite non-toxic all-surface cleaner and a rag. Make sure to move your countertop appliances out of the way to get every inch of the counter spotless. Use this time to wipe down any appliances as well, or clean any coffee makers.
Step 3: Dishes –You don’t want to spoil your nice clean counters with dirty dishes. Load up your dishwasher, or get started on handwashing your dishes. If you live in a household with roommates, family, or your partner, make the dishes a two-person operation. Assign one person to wash and one to dry. This can cut down on cleaning time, and save your counters from a pile of drying dishes. If it is a one-person operation, just make sure to lay down a drying mat, drying rack, or tea towel for your dishes to dry on. This will help keep your counters clean and keep the mess in one small area. Take a break and enjoy a coffee or a glass of wine while you wait for your dishes to finish in the dishwasher (or until you have the motivation to dry them) and then get back to work putting them away! Don’t leave the dishes for another day because tomorrow we’ll be moving on to another room. Once your dishes are away you can relish in your brilliant clean kitchen. You’ve got this!
Cleaning tip! Do a light sweep at the end of cleaning each room. Don’t worry about mopping or scrubbing the floors, we will save that step for later! Just do a quick sweep to get out any visible dirt and debris to prevent any dust from accumulating.
Day 3: Bathrooms!
While most bathrooms are the smallest room in the home, they do require some elbow grease. That’s why we’ve set aside an entire day for you to get these done. Cleaning the bathroom is so important because how can you get clean in a space that isn’t? When you complete day 3 we promise your bathroom will be spa-ready.
Step 1: Shower – The shower is the largest cleaning task so let’s start there. First, remove any shampoo bottles and soaps inside the shower. If you have any empty bottles be sure to recycle them and get the unnecessary clutter out of the shower. Now that everything is out of your shower, spray down all the surfaces with a non-toxic bathroom cleaner. Spray your in-shower storage, inside the tub, on the sides of the tub, and wall of the shower. Let that soak while we move on to the next step.
Step 2: Toilet – Cleaning the toilet isn’t fun, but it must be done. First, wipe down any dust on the outside of the toilet with dry toilet paper or a rag. This will make the cleaning process easier when you apply cleaning spray. Now, spray the outside of the toilet with your non-toxic bathroom cleaning solution. Wipe down the outside of the toilet with a paper towel, or a rag. Now that the outside of the toilet is clean we can move on to the lid, seat, and bowl. Lift up the lid and spray, and then do the same with the seat, and the outside rim of the bowl. From the rim to the outside, wipe each section with a paper towel or rag. Now that the outside, lid, seat, and outside of the bowl are clean, you can fill the bowl with a cleaning solution. Use your toilet scrubber and scrub the inside of the toilet. When the bowl is sufficiently scrubbed, prop the toilet scrubber under the toilet seat to dry, and close the lid. This will allow your toilet scrubber to dry and drip into the toilet bowl, rather than into its stand. If your toilet scrubber sits in still water it can harbor bacteria. Leave the solution in the toilet to soak while we continue with the next steps.
Cleaning tip! Why non-toxic? Inevitably everything we use to clean the home ends up back in the ocean. Using non-toxic products not only is healthier for you but also protects marine life.
Step 1.5: Shower part 2 – Your shower should be adequately soaked now, and you can go ahead and wipe down the entire shower and tub with a rag, or sponge. If you have an extendable shower head you can use this to wash down any soap residue. Now you can go ahead and put your shower products back where they belong, and (if you have a glass shower door) spray any glass with glass cleaner, and squeegee or wipe it down.
Step 3: Counters and Sinks – You’re doing great, and the worst is out of the way! Now comes the easy stuff. Clear off your bathroom counters, making sure to throw away any empty or unwanted personal care items. Spray and scrub your counters, sink, faucet, and cabinets with a non-toxic multi-purpose cleaner. Put back any everyday products you like to keep on the counter, and for the rest try and find space for them in the drawers. Having less clutter on the counters can streamline your morning and evening routine and can save you time every day.
Step 4: Final Touches – You’re almost done day 3! To complete the bathroom we will first spray and wipe down all the mirrors with a non-toxic glass cleaner. If there are windows in the bathroom, you can ignore those for now. In step 2 we let the toilet brush dry in the toilet, which you can now put away, and flush down the cleaning solution. Get a fresh roll of toilet paper or fill up any jars of cotton swabs if need be. Just give the bathroom a quick sweep, and you’re all done with day 3! Great work!
Cleaning tip! Ask for help! If you have more than one bathroom in the house, ask a household member to tackle the other one.
Day 4: Bedroom!
While bedrooms can accumulate a lot of clutter, hopefully after washing and putting away the laundry on day 1 some of this clutter has been reduced. If not, you’re in luck because day 4 is dedicated to the bedroom!
Step 1: Make your bed – this step is pretty self-explanatory. With your clean linens making your bed will be a treat. If you want to take it to the next level, you can also rotate your mattress. The Sleep Foundation recommends rotating your mattress once or twice a year[1], so why not make that day today!
Step 2: Surfaces – The areas that collect the most clutter in the bedroom are the bedside tables and tops of dressers. Take everything off of these surfaces, and wipe them down with a non-toxic multi-purpose cleaner, or a rag with warm soapy water. After you’ve cleaned your surfaces put back your necessary items and decor. By keeping less clutter on your surfaces they will be easier to clean. 
Step 3: Final touches – To complete the bedroom you can put away any clothes lying around, wipe down any mirrors, and give your room a quick sweep. If you have extra time, you can declutter your clothing as well. The KonMari Method™ of cleaning, founded by Marie Kondo, author of The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up[2], suggests taking all of your clothes out of their drawers and laying them out in a heaping pile. Article by article you review each item and ask yourself “if it sparks joy”[2]. If it does, keep it, and if it doesn’t you can give it away to a friend, or donate it to a donation center. While this method of decluttering can be time-consuming, it can foster a deeper connection or newfound love for the things we already own.
Day 5: Living Spaces and Finishing Touches!
Today is your final day! You’re doing a great job. There is still work to be done, but after today you get to simply enjoy your clean space.
Step 1: Living Spaces – First let’s tackle the living spaces. This includes the living room, den, and hallways. Clean up any clutter and put it in its rightful spot. Wipe down or dust any surfaces like shelves or coffee tables. Tidy up any kid’s toys or pet stuff and then we can move on to the windows.
Step 2: Windows – A clean home looks best when it is filled with natural light. To let in unobstructed light let’s wipe down the windows and window sills. Using a non-toxic glass cleaner, spray and wipe down all the windows in the house. Then you can dust or wipe down the window sills with hot soapy water or a cleaning spray.
Step 3: Floors – You’ll have noticed by now we haven’t put too much emphasis on the floors. As you cleaned throughout the week you likely made a bit of a mess while doing so, possibly tracking some dirt around the house. That’s why we’ve saved this crucial step for last, almost. Now however it is time. Sweep or vacuum every room of the house, and follow that up with a good mopping. You can use a bucket of soapy hot water, or if you have hardwood, your favorite non-toxic hardwood cleaner. Now you won’t have to worry about walking across your freshly mopped floors as they dry.
Step 4: Final touches – You’re almost done! You rock! Your house should be sparkling clean by now, and it’s time for the fun stuff! Light those fancy candles you’ve been saving, put out some fresh flowers, and spray your favorite linen spray on your bed, couch and curtains.
Day 6: Enjoy!
You’ve done an amazing job spring cleaning, and all in under 1 week! Now you can take the weekend to enjoy the fruits of your labor. Doing a deep clean like this can be challenging, but in the long run, it can help us stay motivated to keep a more tidy space. Implement some of these chores into your daily life as a means of upkeep. With your new cleaning skill set you’ll be way ahead of the curve next spring!
Article Sources:
- Sleep foundation. “Should You Flip or Rotate Your Mattress?“
- Konmari. “Why the KonMari Method™ Works“