Spring has sprung! There’s something so revitalizing that comes with the change in seasons as we shed our winter routines and step into new ones for spring. Spring is the season of rebirth and growth and what better way to step into a new chapter than with a spring cleaning exercise to help you declutter and reset?
We thought it’d be fun to help you get your life back on track with a 5-day spring cleaning challenge. Not your typical cleaning routine, but rather some of those tasks that you’ve maybe been putting off or have forgotten about entirely. I’m a big believer in the power our environment has on our productivity and mindset, and I hope this challenge allows you to leap into the new season with a clear space, mind, and heart.
Okay, let’s do it! Here’s a look at where we’ll be focusing our efforts each day:
- Day 1: All things bedroom
- Day 2: Bathroom
- Day 3: Kitchen
- Day 4: All things living room
- Day 5: Do the deep cleaning
Day 1: All things bedroom
First up is all bedrooms and related spaces (that includes your closet). Your place of rest is sacred and essential in helping you achieve your goals. Here’s what’s on your checklist today:
- Clean out your closet. Donate or sell clothes you haven’t worn in months. Reduce your wardrobe, and organize the clothes that remain by refolding, hanging, or color-coding them accordingly.
- Go through your jewelry. Just like clothing, if you’re anything like me, my jewelry collection builds up quickly. Donate or sell pieces you no longer wear.
- Organize your dresser drawers if you have any. Yes, you know, that big pile of underwear you throw in the drawer. Consider using Marie Kondo’s folding method for other drawer items.
- Flip the mattress! Taking care of your bed is key to a good night’s rest and to extending the life of your mattress.
- Wash your sheets, pillowcases, rugs, and other comfort items. Consider washing not only the sheets you have on your bed but an extra set to keep on hand so you can change your sheets regularly.
- Dust all surfaces. That includes dressers, nightstands, lamps, shelves, and any other surfaces you might have in your bedroom. Don’t forget to dust picture frames and other wall art, too, while you’re at it.
- Do your dirty laundry. Empty your hamper and do your laundry in between cleaning.
Day 2: Bathroom
Next up, we’ll work on all bathrooms. Make your bathroom shine by completing the following:
- Declutter the countertop and put items away in their appropriate spaces. I’m known for leaving out my makeup and hair products all over the counter (oops, sorry!)
- Go through your skincare and get rid of expired products. If you’ve been carting around the same skincare products for longer than you can remember, they might not be effective anymore.
- Cleanout underneath your sink and any drawers as well. The key here is to organize any items you do need to store. Snag a few draw organizer sets, if required.
- Wash your towels, rugs, and shower curtain. If you use a shower curtain and shower liner, replace your old shower liner with a new one.
- Wipe down all surfaces, including your bathtub if you have one, mirrors, and faucets. Don’t skimp out here. Clean every nook and cranny you don’t usually hit during your regular cleaning sessions.
- Restock and refill supplies. Make sure you have toilet paper stocked, along with any other essentials such as female hygiene products.
- Clean your toilet—one of my least favorite yet somehow most fulfilling responsibilities. Scrub the heck out of that toilet and clean it well!
Day 3: Kitchen
Today we’re tackling the kitchen. Check it out:
- Clean out the fridge, freezer, and pantry. Say goodbye to all expired food items! Can’t find the expiration date? If you don’t remember when you purchased the item, it might be time to throw it out.
- Take out the trash, and then sanitize and wipe down the trash can. Check for excess moldy waste that didn’t make it into a bag and is rotting at the bottom of the bin.
- Clean the inside of the microwave. If you own a microwave, there’s a high probability that splattered residue is coating the inside of it. Wipe it down.
- Clean the oven and the stovetop. Remember the dinner you cooked a few weeks ago that boiled over? It’s time to free the stovetop from any food that left the pans and ended up on the stovetop.
- Wipe down all appliances. That includes your fridge, dishwasher, microwave, toaster, air fryer, you know–the whole gamut.
- Clean out and reorganize the items in your cabinets. Stack your pans instead of shoving them into the drawer. Organize your Tupperware lids so they’re easier to locate. Purchase a spice rack.
- Do your dirty dishes. Whether you’re a dishwasher gal or not, leave the kitchen sink empty and take care of all of your dirty dishes.
Day 4: All things living room
Onto the living room, one of my favorite rooms in our home. If this is your favorite space, too, give it some extra love today.
- Declutter wherever you can. Have blankets you no longer want? Donate them. Have outdated magazines? Recycle them or share them with someone who will enjoy them. Clean out your bookshelf if you’ve got one.
- Dust all surfaces. Like your bedroom, get out the duster and dust your tv stand, shelves, coffee tables, or other furniture in this room.
- Wash all rugs, blankets, and pillows. Isn’t it easy to forget to wash these blankets even though we use them often? Today’s the day.
- Wipe down items you may generally forget. Sanitize your remote control, game controllers, coasters, and any other items lying around that you use regularly.
Day 5: Do the deep cleaning
Now that you’ve decluttered, organized, and wiped things down, spend the last day of the challenge getting into the nitty-gritty deep cleaning.
- Wipe down any remaining surfaces that you may have missed. Soap and water will do the trick.
- Vacuum all rooms in the house. Return to the rooms you’ve cleaned with a vacuum, and don’t forget the edges of the room!
- Mop hardwood floor areas. I prefer a Swiffer, but an old-fashioned mop will do the trick too. If needed, consider sweeping before mopping.
- Wipe down all baseboards. Clean the baseboards around your home with a wet rag and additional cleaning supplies if needed.
- Dust any ceiling fans and light fixtures throughout your home. Say goodbye to the dust bunnies!
- Disinfect all doorknobs, light switches, drawer handles, and other points of contact. Don’t forget to sanitize the doorknobs that provide entry into your home.
- Change the batteries in your smoke detectors. Keep your home safe!
- Clean any windows, inside and outside, if you prefer. Get ready for those outdoor spring views by cleaning your windows. Hire an exterior window cleaner if needed.
That’s a wrap! Take a deep breath in, and a long exhale out. You completed the 5-day spring cleaning challenge and are ready for whatever greatness lies ahead this season. Get out there and bloom!
