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Lets get prepared for the Big Spring Clean

by Cleaning Tips

Spring cleaning is not just great for your home but it is so good for your mind and mood too.

Spring is an exciting time, full of hope and positivity and makes it the perfect season to get our homes in order. Getting your home ready for spring will ensure you will be ready to enjoy the warmer weather when it comes, after all who wants to be inside organising and tidying when it is glorious outside!

But before you get started you probably have some re-organising to do and one advantage of this is you are more than likely going to find something you have misplaced or even some money that you are hidden away to keep safe!

Spring cleaning usually involves getting rid of old clothing, furnishings, and odds and ends. So set aside before you start for a good decluttering session. Don’t forget to recycle, use charity shops and woman’s shelters who will be so grateful of any clothing you are no longer wearing.

Organise a car boot sale or garage sale to make yourself some money too.

National Spring Cleaning week usually starts early march but continues on well into May due to our very unpredictable weather.

Many of us start to feel so much more motivated by the sunshine and mild temperatures.

Essential items to get ready for your big Spring Clean:

  • Vacuum cleaner, give it a good clean before you start
  • Steam cleaner, the power of steam will break down dirt with ease
  • Flat headed mop with good microfibre pad
  • Microfibre cloths
  • Glass cleaning cloths
  • Paper towels
  • Heavy duty bin bags
  • soft bristle brushes
  • Large tubs for your organising
  • Versatile cleaning products
  • Carpet cleaner, if you don’t have one hire one

Follow a plan

Time

Set aside some time in your diary for Spring Cleaning.  Make sure you book nothing else in on these days or simply follow my 30 day spring cleaning challenge, this is so easy and is just one simple task a day. If you have been keeping on top of your housework this works really well.

Plan

Write down a list of what you want to achieve, plan room by room and stick to it.  Have a walk around your home with a pen and paper and write down those tasks that need doing. Involve other household members even kids there are always tasks they can safely help with.  Incentivise their work with a small reward. 

I have created a Spring Cleaning Checklist which may give you some ideas, there is nothing better than ticking off a task as it is completed such a satisfying feeling.

Create a fun playlist

Turn of distractions such as your phone and TV and instead create a fun motivational playlist with your favourite music. 

If you not expecting your door bell to go then don’t answer it, a simple distractions can set your back so just keep going.

Declutter

Freshen up your rooms by removing unnecessary objects from tabletops and shelves, store them accordingly or you don’t need sell or donate to charity.

Replace them with a single arrangement of fresh flowers. Flowers really can bring a room together and create a sense of happiness. House hold declutter can be a problem for many people, it can so easily build up into a huge mountain but this time of year is a great time to get working through that mountain.

Go for it

Be prepared, have all your tools to hand such as cleaning products, a full charged vacuum, apron, and rubber gloves.  If you are not sure what cleaning products to have download a copy of my cleaning caddy checklist.

Ensure you are wearing comfortable clothes and have a good breakfast, so you are full of energy. 

Throw open the windows for fresh air and to keep you motivated, nothing like a cold blast of wind to get you moving to warm you up.

Load up your cleaning caddy and go for it.

Some tasks to include in your big spring clean

Tackle cobwebs

Clean over the front door, sweep away leaves and bash the mat

Take down curtains and wash them or steam them

Have a clean and sort under beds

Wash and polish internal doors and handles

Wash out your dustbins

Remove dead leaves from indoor plants

Wash window seals and touch up any chipped paint

Move and clean under furniture such as sofas and tables.

Don’t forget you can easily lift a room by simply transitioning. Replace your winter candles and diffussers with spring fragranced ones.

Switch up winter throws and cushion covers for more spring like ones, use brighter more positive colours. Simple changes like this are much cheaper than decorating and gives a room a huge lift.

If you feel that having a big spring clean is a bit overwhelming for you then start small. Start in one corner of your home and you will be amazed at how satisfying it is to look at the tidy space, which would be a great motivation to go on and tackle another corner.

Don’t forget my book THE EASY LIFE breaks your cleaning down into seasonal tasks making your cleaning and tidying so much easier.

laundry

Drying your Laundry over the winter months

by Laundry

Getting your laundry done when you no longer have the facility of the washing line in the winter can be a real pain. Who really wants to go out in the freezing cold and hang out there washing when the chances are it probably won’t dry. This can make getting your daily laundry done a real chore.  We are left with not many options and one is to dry our clothes indoors, which to me can be really unhealthy and potentially cause mould and mildew.

I have put together some solutions that will hopefully help you out and make the winter laundry more bearable.

Extra spin 

When your laundry cycle  has finished do an extra spin.  You will be surprised at how much this can help with the drying time and how much more water is removed. The washing machine uses less energy than the tumble dryer so this is definitely worth trying.

Tumbe Dryer

Running a tumble drier can be expensive so I highly recommend adding in wool tumble dryer balls these will speed up your drying time, reduce static and prevent your clothes getting tangled. These fabulous balls also give off a fresh scent too so an added bonus! For a small load add in 3 balls and a larger load 6 balls, they will last approx 1000 uses. Just store them in your tumble dryer so you never forget to add them in.

Create a drying space.

If you are lucky enough choose a spare bedroom or unused room for your drying racks . Keep the room well ventilated. Open the windows and shut the door so the fresh air can circulate.

Hang garments

One of my favourite drying tricks is to hang clothes on coat hangers and then hang them on the curtain rail with the window ajar or on the bathroom shower rail.  You will be so surprised at how quickly clothes can dry like this plus it also makes the clothes less creased so much easier to iron, if you need to iron them at all.

Good non slip hangers are essential to keep your garments in shape.

A Dehumidifier

A DEHUMIDIFIER is another great option to help dry cloths. Some of the newer models are so advance and have setting specially designed for drying clothes. The drying mode is very suitable for wet weather or seasons. It can remove excessive moisture from clothes and keep them dry and clean. 

Portable Electric Cloths Dryer

Electric cloths driers are a great alternative to the tumble drier. They are energy efficient, simple and easy to assemble. The heated, thermostatically controlled, lightweight aluminium frames will dry your laundry gently – perfect for delicates like satin & silk that are not suitable for a tumble dryer and cost as little as 10p per hour to run.

Do not over loads radiators

Don’t hang clothes on the actual radiators as this will make your boiler work harder and increase your heating bills. Instead opt for the Radiator airers and you will find the clothes crease less too so much easier to iron. These radiator aires are easily attached to a radiator, and because of the robust arms that keep your clothing safe while they dry, they will remain firmly in place. Folds flat for easy storage when not in use. A plastic covering on the drying rack for clothes gives you the assurance of a long, rust-free life. The arms will firmly stay in place over the radiator, bath, or door, keeping your laundry secure while drying.

Cold and sunny winter day

I love my washing line and still believe the best way of drying clothes is outside. I  will hang some of my washing out to dry outside if it’s a cold sunny winters day.  Light items such as shirts and bedding will dry if they are outside for the majority of the day but when you bring the washing in it will feel cold. By drying our clothes outside we keep them fresh and well aired. This avoids moisture being trapped in the fibres encouraging musty smells that are always unpleasant.  Putting clothes away clean and aired will enhance the life of any garment over time, which means your favourites remain your favourites for longer!

Don’t forget the sun is also a natural disinfectant and bleaching agent so if the sun is out make sure you get it out.

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