Ah Spring- a time for fresh new beginnings. Lambs are frolicking, trees are blossoming, and hopeful things are rising above the dirt to flourish. Oh, you thought I meant flowers with that last one? No, I meant that Spring is a time for me to finally claw myself out of the mess of my apartment and greet the season with (slightly Clorox-y) open arms. However, ain’t nobody got time for spending HOURS scrubbing the effing baseboards and taking cotton buds to every nook and cranny in the bathroom. In this post, I’ll go through my soft Spring cleaning routine to thoroughly, but quickly, clean your apartment in two hours or less.
Step one of my cleaning routine is to de-clutter. Small apartments like mine can seems 1000x more messy than larger spaces when cluttered, so keeping on top of mess is essential. Next, I take all of the washable fabrics (small rugs, dishtowels, curtains, couch blankets, sheets etc) and throw them in the washer. Do the same thing with any dirty dishes you have around (well, put those in the dishwasher and not the washing machine, obviously). As those things are washing, you can move on to other things.
The next step is to move on to dusting. Start with the things highest above your head (above cabinets, top of refrigerator, light fixtures, picture and door frames, mantlepiece etc) and move down lower (base of lamps, low shelves, entertainment center etc). This makes sense; if you dust the lower things first, then you’re brushing dust from upper dirty surfaces onto lower clean surfaces, ja feel?
Now it’s time for glass surfaces. Shine those windows, glass tabletops, cabinet doors, fireplace doors, and mirrors!
[beforeafter]
Next I move on into the bedroom. I like to use a bedding refresher spray like this one
on my mattress. Then I clear off any unnecessary clutter from my bedside table and make sure my closet doors can close. Sorting out my closet is a battle for another day. Since my bathroom is in my bedroom, that’s where I’ll head next.
In the bathroom, I spray down all the surfaces with a disinfecting cleaner (I used this one
Same old same old in the kitchen- wipe down surfaces, the sink, stove, and microwave. Because I’m a messy chef, I have aluminum foiled my eye dishes (is that what they’re called?), so I’ll replace those. Like my closet, cleaning out the fridge and pantry are tasks for another day. I can live my life with that random stash of weird-colored tupperware goo behind my OJ for now.
[beforeafter]
Almost there! Now it’s time for floors. Like dusting, I save the floors for last because it makes sense. Sweep, mop, and vacuum like the boss you are. This is a perfect time for a little broom-handle tango. Go for it.
Replace your linens (I actually like to swap mine out at this time of year), return your rugs, and fluff your throw pillows. If you feel like it, light a few candles around the place. I am ob.sessed. with this one here.
Ok last step. Take a paper towel, spray on some disinfectant, and wipe down all your door handles, cabinet handles, fridge handles, and light switches. That’s it! You’re done!
After all that hard work, you deserve to sit and bask in the cleanliness of your abode. Get yourself a treat, and bask, beautiful! In case you’re wondering, my treat is a gin and tonic with lime.
Are y’all doing any Spring cleaning? Let me know if you have any tips and tricks!
xoxo Katie
