Spring Cleaning Tips

With the arrival of COVID and a shift to working from home over the past year, more and more people have turned their attention to their homes and interiors. Whether it was a case of setting up a home office space, or using the time in lockdown to finally redecorate the living room, home renovations and DIY have played a major part in the lives of many. With spring and summer just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to declutter and have a bit of a spring clean.

Where to start

A deep clean around the house is generally best broken down into tasks or by room. Start by decluttering room by room and donating or throwing away old, broken and unused items. Next, move on to the bigger jobs like cleaning the windows, vacuuming every corner of the house, and scrubbing sinks and surfaces. Steam cleaning carpets is also a superb way to freshen them up. Spring cleaning is a great time to tackle any small repairs that need doing, for instance, replacing or tightening loose door handles, replacing broken light bulbs, or fixing broken furniture. There are many adhesives for different purposes available that can make household repairs and DIY tasks extremely easy to do, as well as long-lasting and durable. This goes for larger jobs too, such as replacing a towel rail, fixing a mirror, or installing skirting boards. When embarking on a spring clean, the following tips are great starting points:

• Begin by making a plan and estimating a time frame for each task
• Ensure you have all the materials you need on hand e.g. cleaning supplies or paint and tools
• Be ruthless when clearing out cupboards and drawers
• Update your storage by investing in baskets and boxes to store smaller items in each room of the house
• Give curtains, cushion covers and other upholstery a wash in the washing machine for extra freshness
• Rearrange the furniture to create a new layout and more space if possible
• Give your appliances a clean too – fridges, washing machines & dishwashers will all benefit from a deep clean

Taking it to the next level

If your house is already in tip top shape, instead of a spring clean, it may be fun to try some redecorating or design projects. Interior design tips can provide lots of inspiration when updating your home and they don’t need to be big undertakings. Simply repainting a room can give it a nice face lift, for instance, or framing pictures to fill the walls, or updating the lighting around the house. There are many quick, easy ways to update your house or apartment that don’t cost the earth. If you are currently working from home, updating your work space could also be a useful DIY project to try. Whether you usually work at the kitchen table or have a dedicated desk, ensuring that it is well-equipped, uncluttered, and comfortable for working is a worthwhile endeavour. Investing in organisation storage such as a bookshelf or paper trays can help keep your workspace tidy and clutter free throughout the week.

For anyone renting their home, interior design and the opportunity to redecorate may be limited. A deep clean in time for summer always gives a house or apartment a lift, however, and is a great use of time in lockdown. Once the inside is complete, don’t forget to spruce up the outdoors too. Weeding, tidying and planting new flowers will all go a long way in getting your garden or terrace summer-ready, just in time for a summer BBQ or garden party.