Apartment Spring Cleaning
Apartment Spring Cleaning!
Ok so the weather hasn't completely changed over for the good yet and Mother Nature is still getting lost at the "no more snow" fork in the road, but at least we have some sunshine! And we have started to get those April showers to bring us our beautiful May flowers.
So now what, feeling like you still have the "winter blahs"? Well don't! Get up and open those blinds and curtains that have been closed all winter and soak up some of that sunshine. I know for me the best way to get in the Spring Spirit is to start de-cluttering. I find it therapeutic, if I can only get started.
If you live in an apartment, the sooner you get started the better. Sometimes we forget just how 'busy' tight spaces can affect how we live our everyday life. Whether you get up every day and go to work, or spend a little more time than most at home, it is important to 'purge' every season of the year. Here are some ideas to get you started.
The Pre-Clean: you can't vacuum your floors and dust your tables when there is clutter everywhere. Before you even break out the cleaning supplies, go through each room to either, put away, recycle, throw away or donate items. Organize your things into those four piles until everything has been put in its place. If you haven't used or worn something in over a year, chances are it can go.
The Put-Away: now make the bed(s) put all the dirty laundry together and clear all the dishes from surfaces. Clean the dirty ones and put away anything that is still out drying. It's amazing how much cleaner everything is going to look just at this stage.
The Pre-Paring to clean: get together all of the supplies you will need. Make a little caddy for everything to be together at your fingertips. (All purpose cleaner, cloths, rubber gloves, mop, vacuum, etc.)
Now onto the CLEAN! First rule of thumb, choose one room to start in and work your way, completing each one before moving to the next. Tackle your least favourite room first. Once you have that out of the way you will feel less overwhelmed, completing each of them in a timely manner.
Let's Begin: dust ceiling fans, light fixtures and wall art first. If you leave this task for last, you may end up cleaning your floors twice due to flying dust. Try using a microfiber dust cloth or the soft nozzle attachment on your vacuum to dust these dirty areas on your walls and ceiling. Did you know that soft coffee filters can be used on electronics? This will wipe off all of the lint and dust without leaving a streaky mess.
Pets: if you have pets, before using the vacuum consider using a shower squeegee on the carpet or a damp mop on hard floors, removing excess pet hair, giving your vacuum a break. Then vacuum up the rest without clogging it or overworking the motor.
Oh and the Bathroom: if you begin your cleaning day by tucking everything in the bathroom out of sight (away from contact with chemicals) and spray down all your hard surfaces, when you complete your other rooms simply return and wipe clean!
NOW DON'T YOU FEEL BETTER!