Planning & organizing your spring cleaning…

March 9, 2011

How to plan and organize your SPRING CLEANING week!

Spring cleaning time is finally upon us so that means planning your schedule, shopping for the right cleaners, and putting your plan into action.  Do you have a spring cleaning plan?  Or are you the type that cleans whatever you feel like for the day?  I have found that “planning & organizing” your spring cleaning week is the most productive way to accomplish your goals. The first thing I do is make a list.  Yes, I’m a compulsive list maker.  It keeps me organized and since I have short term memory loss (really I do), the lists have become my lifeline.  🙂  Anyways, I start with a detailed list.  The more detailed the list is, the more complete your spring cleaning plan will be.  If you have a list, you will not forget to do something.
A sample plan (for me) may look something like this:

1.  Stock up on my Shaklee cleaners(Basic H which is an all purpose cleaner, window cleaner, and degreaser, Scour off, Nature Bright, Basic G).  I only use non-toxic cleaners in my home.  (Cleaning with toxic cleaners does more harm than good).  Put everything in the caddy, along with the trash bags & rags.

2.  Stock up on trash bags, paper towels or rags, and candles (I have to have a candle burning while I clean).

3.  Make the week of dinners ahead of time (5 dinners, 1 hour is a great place to find weekly menus), because you will not have the time or the energy to cook when you are spring cleaning.

4. Make a cleaning schedule (type or write and put on a clipboard), matching days to tasks. I try to have my spring cleaning complete in one week. It takes an additional week to clean the outside of my home (power-washing, wash window screens, weeding, preparing the garden, cleaning out the garage, cleaning out the car, etc.)

Cleaning list
Day 1:
Clean all baseboards, banisters, walls, windows & mirrors (spraying everything with Basic H eliminates the need for a bucket of water & cleaner)
Clean all glass surfaces
Wipe down electronics
Day 2:
Wash all curtains (including shower curtains)
Wash all bedding (including quilts & pillows)
Flip mattresses
Empty all trash cans and sanitize them.
Day 3:
Clean the kitchen:
Clear the entire counter top and sanitize
Wipe out & organize all cabinets
Wipe off the top of fridge
Dust fridge coils
Clean out fridge and freezer
Clean out oven (including vents)
Clean microwave
Sanitize the sink and garbage disposer
Wipe down all appliances.

Day 4:Change all filters (furnace, water filtration)Add salt to water softenerPolish all furniture in house (and wax if needed)Clean toilets, sinks, medicine cabinets and showersDay 5:Vacuum out couches & chairsWash couch cushionsVacuum and mop all floorsWash rugsDay 6:Shampoo all carpetsReplace all smoke detector batteriesReplace burnt out lightbulbsDay 7: Rest because tomorrow its time to head outside!!*Some extra things that may need done this week are: switching winter wardrobe to spring, oil change in car (fill fluids), clean out vacuum cleaner, clean out dog kennel, reseal grout lines, clean out email box.

I have a head start on spring cleaning this year. I cleaned out my oven with Scour Off.  I hope these pictures inspire you to get the spring cleaning ball rolling.  
Before
After
Martha Stewart has a great printable spring cleaning list (here).  Its a great reference to have. Once you make your cleaning list, you will know what you need to shop for ahead of time (so no running to the store because you forgot something). The most important thing to do is stick with a plan: organize your week and follow through!  Your spring cleaning will be finished in no time!

Some of my WEEKLY CHALLENGES have included:

I also hosted a 21 day organizing challenge in January that has some very inspirational blogs who have participated and linked up.

Tags: ,
Cleaning, guest post, Spring Cleaning, springtime Posted in 20 comments

20 comments on “Planning & organizing your spring cleaning…”

  1. Amanda says:
    March 9, 2011 at 7:13 am

    Great post Toni! I’m so pleased to finally be getting on top my house work,it no longer feels like such a chore! Thanks for all your great posts.

  2. Mary Watt says:
    March 9, 2011 at 7:45 am

    I like natural carpet cleaning methods as they help preserve our home and our planet free of toxins.

  3. Jackie Koll says:
    March 9, 2011 at 12:31 pm

    Great Post! Honestly I never spring clean – I follow the Flylady system. 15 minutes a day keeps it all clean! She starts out with having you declutter for 15 minutes a day; once you done with that than you start the deep cleaning. The home is divided into zones and you spend one week in each zone. The BIG tasks like shampooing the carpet I just do certain times a year otherwise the majority of things on your list get done once a month, some things weekly, and than the big items like lightbulbs, you just do as part of your weekly cleaning (a Whole Home Blessing Hour – in mine I check lightbulbs and batteries) It is great to never have to spring clean 🙂 Once spring hits, I add outside cleaning to my list -15 minutes at a time.

  4. Kelli says:
    March 9, 2011 at 2:29 pm

    I have to have a candle burning when I clean too…makes it so fresh. Thanks for these great tips. I love the idea of planning meals ahead of time and making them so that’s not in the way! I plan on working all March long on Spring Cleaning (inside and out). I love your oven too…I need to add Scour Off to my list of Shaklee wants.

  5. Dorothy says:
    March 9, 2011 at 2:42 pm

    Nice list–thanks. I think I’ll have to break it up a bit more to accomodate my schedule. One thing you didn’t mention—who’s helping you clean? It’s really unfair to expect that “mom” is the head cleaning person for an entire Spring Clean. Enlist the other members for help!!!

  6. Sarah - littlesliceofmyARMYWIFElife says:
    March 9, 2011 at 2:43 pm

    This is a great post, I love the schedule also(I’m a list maker too!) My hubby is getting ready to deploy to Afghanistan, so it is going to feel great to have the house thoroughly clean before he leaves… that way I know that in case I have a bit of deployment-funk going on for a few days(er, weeks lol) that I know the house is mostly spic and span. Thanks!

  7. The Cheathams says:
    March 9, 2011 at 3:30 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  8. The Cheathams says:
    March 9, 2011 at 3:31 pm

    thanks for the post. I plan on using all the tips you provided. I am starting my list right now!

    Happy Cleaning people! 🙂

  9. ~alicia says:
    March 9, 2011 at 3:57 pm

    Well, thanks to your organizing challenge and extra motivation, I am mostly done with my Spring cleaning…which means I get to enjoy my Spring Break!

    Thanks, Toni!!

    ~alicia
    proof-of-love.blogspot.com

  10. Rochelle says:
    March 9, 2011 at 5:05 pm

    I’m starting some of my spring cleaning today. Gonna try to do curtains and wash windows (with my new Basic H cleaner from your fundraiser). Hopefully will get a few more little things done if time permits. Loved your cleaning list.

  11. Sarah Jane says:
    March 9, 2011 at 6:18 pm

    Toni, your blog rocks! I have been so inspired by all your organizing posts! I am currently working, very slowly, on the 21 day challenge. I’m about half way through and my house is already feeling so much more organized. I even got the Hubs to chip in and help out! I love this post today about spring cleaning. Thank you for all your hard work, and keep the posts coming!

  12. Jennifer Beard says:
    March 10, 2011 at 5:28 am

    Are you going to post your outside spring cleaning schedule? Thanks for posting this!
    Jennifer B.

  13. Kathleen says:
    March 10, 2011 at 10:14 pm

    This comment has been removed by the author.

  14. Kathleen says:
    March 10, 2011 at 10:16 pm

    You are truly a gift! Thank you so much for being my guest!

    <3

    Kathleen

  15. Trish says:
    March 13, 2011 at 6:30 am

    Ugh…we are moving in one month and because we were renting, it’s important for me to get all of this “spring cleaning” done! Although I feel like this cleaning should wait until all of our possesions are moved out, I think that this list gives me a great idea of where to start with this project. Thanks for the post, I always love your ideas. You should do an entire post on “moving”. I can give you some thoughts and ideas in the next month when we make our journey to our new home! Thanks again!

  16. Kamaljit says:
    March 16, 2011 at 5:19 am

    Simply awesome list. I think this list give me a fabulous start to do spring cleaning. Thanks..
    Rose
    Carpet Cleaning Services

  17. Aleena says:
    April 19, 2011 at 6:37 am

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  18. moverslondon says:
    May 24, 2011 at 7:20 am

    Completed the task of day 1st and 2nd, now working on other tasks.

  19. Anyclean says:
    March 16, 2012 at 12:20 pm

    Your list is perfect, i will make a use of it when doing my spring cleaning in a few weeks time. I usually do not make a plan, but having a plan in advance is a good idea.











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