Spruce Up Your Home this Spring

Spring has officially sprung and there’s no better time to tackle a deep clean and refresh your home. With the days already getting longer at Ellendale, the traditional spring clean is the perfect way to brighten your home in preparation for the beautiful sunset barbeques and family get-togethers that summer days are made for.

But where do you start? We’ve compiled a checklist to help you ensure the inside of your home sparkles. Stay tuned for our pro-tips on spring gardening and outdoor maintenance soon!

Set your goals

Before you begin, take a walk through your home and consider what you believe requires a spruce-up or total makeover. Make a checklist of the areas you’d like to clean and de-clutter, so you can break them down into manageable tasks.

Popular spring cleaning targets include the kitchen, linen closet and wardrobe. You might also identify jobs that need doing throughout the home – such as wiping down windowsills and cornices, cleaning windows and window coverings or removing cobwebs and built-up dust from the ceiling.

Divide and conquer

Undertaking a spring clean of your entire house in one day, or one weekend, might be unrealistic. Break down your checklist into tasks you can tackle one at a time to reach your spring cleaning goal over time.

Divide the checklist among your household, including the kids, with age-appropriate tasks. For the littlest members, this may be as simple as setting them loose with the dusting glove or encouraging them to donate toys they are no longer using – every little bit counts!

Clear the clutter

It is hard to undertake a deep clean if there’s clutter in the way. Channel your inner Marie Kondo and experience the life-changing magic of tidying.

Starting with a declutter is a great way to set off on the right foot - and your wardrobe and linen closet are perfect targets. If you can’t remember the last time you wore an item of clothing, add it to the donate pile. Charities such as Salvation Army and Saint Vincent De Pauls accept donations of clothing and other items, with shops and drop-off spots in the nearby area.

Brisbane City Council also has a Resource Recovery Centre on Upper Kedron Road, Ferny Grove, where items can be recycled or donated to the tip shop free of charge. For more information, visit the Council's Resource Recovery Centre website.

If your declutter involves moving furniture, another pro-tip is to place a towel underneath any large pieces to avoid damage to the floor, particularly if your home has wooden floorboards.

Clean it out

For a true spring clean of your home, don’t forget to look behind closed doors and hard to reach places, such as:

• The fridge: empty it out and give it a good clean. Only put back the items you’re still using (say goodbye to any condiments you bought for that one-off recipe you haven’t made again).
• The pantry: do the same here. Make sure to check use by dates and throw away any items that have expired. This is also a great opportunity to add order, by carefully considering where you place your items when you return them. Make sure to group like items and put those you use most frequently in easy to reach positions.  
• Ovens and cooktops: these are heavy duty areas that receive a regular wipe down, but not necessarily a deep clean. Give them some special attention to ensure they stay looking fresh year-round.
• Ceiling fans: give the blades a good wipe.
• Light fixtures and lamps: a good dust and clean will have them shining bright.

If you want to avoid harsh cleaning products, there are plenty of tips online for using natural products – such as vinegar, lemon and baking soda – to clean. A simple Google search will have you on your way in no time!

Time to fix it

It can be easy to overlook or put off little jobs, but now is the time to take them on. Whether it is a fresh coat of paint or simply a touch up, scrubbing clean or starting again with new grout or fixing that wobbly doorknob, identifying what needs fixing will ensure you finish your spring clean with a fresh start.

Set new habits

Your home is looking spick and span – so how do you keep it that way? Now is the perfect time to set new habits to ensure it sparkles year-round. Break the chores into month-to-month tasks and when next spring comes, you’ll already be done!

We’ll be covering external cleaning and preparing for the storm season – including caring for your gutters, testing fire alarms and weeding - in our next spring series blog. Look out for our tips in the coming weeks.