Spring is a great time to refresh your home. While you’re tackling your home’s trouble spots, take time to remove clutter, organize cupboards, and sift through junk drawers. Our spring-cleaning checklist is double duty. Jumpstart a much put-off downsizing exercise while leaving your home sparkly clean.
START WITH A PLAN
Cleaning and organizing can be an emotional and overwhelming process. Start by scheduling blocks of time on your calendar. Be as detailed as possible, including the time frame, task, or room you want to tackle. Then create space in a safe location to organize your items. Labeling boxes into the keep, donate, sell, trash, and recycle is an efficient way to sort your items. When the storage bins are full, place them in the trunk of your car and make an intentional decision to donate them.
SIFT & SORT
Make room to freshen up your wardrobe and save time in the morning. Start by emptying the entire closet. Then wipe down all the shelves, baseboards, and walls with a damp cloth. As you place the items back into your closet, leave out the clothing you want to donate, recycle, or sell. Hang the “maybes” in the opposite direction and come the next season, if the hanger hasn’t moved, it’s time to declutter.
DUST EVERYTHING
Evaluate every nook and cranny for cobwebs. Wipe down all the surfaces, including the baseboards, ceiling fans, vacuum the upholstery and the drapes for dirt and dust. With each item you pick up, ask yourself if this is something you want to keep or is it something you can live without. Then add it to the corresponding box.
EVALUATE THE CUPBOARDS
Clear the shelves and check that your stock items are not past their expiration dates. Then give the surface a thorough cleaning with updated liners. This is an excellent opportunity to organize ‘like items’ together in clear, airtight containers.
ORGANIZE DRAWERS
Remove all utensils from their drawers and place them in a box. Wipe down and vacuum out every corner. One by one, pull out the item from the box as you need it. Designate a specific time to evaluate the remainder of the items in the box. If in a month you have forgotten about the spiralizer, it may be time to let go.
CONQUER THE REFRIGERATOR
Remove all items, drawers, and shelves. Wipe down the appliance inside and out. When replacing your items check labels for expiration dates. Do not neglect to vacuum the refrigerator coils and schedule any necessary maintenance.
SCRUB-A-DUB-DUB
Give your kitchen appliances special attention. Remove the grills, oven racks, and drip pans from the stove and scrub them clean with steel wool. Replace the exhaust fan filter if necessary. Wipe down all the surfaces inside and out of the dishwasher. Pay special attention to the filter, the rubbers, the door’s inside, and the door edges. Consider adding a small cup of bleach to a cycle to kill any bacteria in the machine.
If this seems like an immense undertaking, you’re not alone. From companies that specialize in personalized assistance for seniors transitioning into new life stages to removing the burdens of home maintenance, Wesley offers various services to bring you peace of mind. Imagine no more home maintenance, lawn mowing, weeding, worrying about roof repairs, or fixing plumbing problems. Your monthly fee includes housekeeping services, utilities, apartment maintenance, and even a free breakfast. Wesley is worry-free living while surrounded by picturesque views, walking trails, and organized daily activities. Learn the full spectrum of options for aging well in one of the four Wesley campuses.