Your Spring Cleaning Checklist to Making Spring Cleaning Easier

Have you noticed the days are getting longer? It’s the first sign that Spring is on the way. Of course, this also means spring cleaning is not far off.

So now is the time to make your spring cleaning easier. I’ve also got a handy spring cleaning checklist to guide you through your spring cleaning.

7 Ways to Make Your Spring Cleaning Easier

Refreshing your home and giving it a good thorough cleaning doesn’t have to be hard. With these 7 simple tips, you’ll have everything you need to make your spring cleaning easier.

1. Plan out your cleaning ahead of time

I’m a big proponent of planning. When it comes to making your spring cleaning easier, planning is important. It will be so much easier if you create a plan of attack before you even start the actual cleaning process.

Grab your planner. You don’t have to write down every detail, but you should know when and what you will be cleaning.

The spring cleaning checklist, below, already includes a list of common rooms in your home. With this list in hand start planning out where and when you’ll do your spring cleaning.

Having this pre-set plan will not only help prevent feeling overwhelmed but will also help to keep you motivated throughout the process. Planning now ensures you won’t procrastinate and put off this important task.

All of this will make your spring cleaning much easier.

2. Declutter before you start cleaning

I can’t think of anything that will make spring cleaning harder or less effective than trying to clean around mounds of clutter. Seriously, if you want to make your spring cleaning easier you’ve got to declutter first.

If you try to clean while your house is full of clutter all you’re doing is moving around the clutter. Clearly, this makes the job significantly longer and harder.

The last thing you want to do when going through your spring clean checklist is to spend time clearing things off countertops and other flat surfaces just to be able to dust. Nor do you want to move a bunch of stuff off the floor, that you don’t even want before you can sweep or mop.

Before you start your spring cleaning spend some time decluttering. You can find some helpful spring decluttering tips here. 

By getting rid of things now that you don’t use or love, you’ll be able to whip through that spring cleaning checklist in no time.

3. Keep your cleaning supplies handy

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I generally keep cleaning supplies in the rooms I use them in to simplify my daily cleaning. However, when you’re spring cleaning you’ll want to make sure you have all your cleaning supplies handy as you go through each room.

The last thing you want to do when you’re in the cleaning zone is to go hunt down the supplies you need. It can really stall your progress or make the job feel like it’s taking longer than it should.

The solution is a simple cleaning caddy. It will make your spring cleaning easier because you’ll be able to carry all your supplies from room to room. The compartments make it easy to keep your supplies organized and grab what you need quickly.

When it comes to your cleaning supplies, opt for multipurpose cleaners that way you’ll avoid having to carry around extra supplies. Just make sure you stock up before you start your cleaning. After all, you don’t want to run out while in the middle of cleaning a room.

If you do run out, consider using some homemade cleaners to keep your momentum going.

4. Batch your cleaning

Over the years I’ve discovered that batching your work makes spring cleaning easier. What this means is that instead of focusing on one room at a time, I clean all of one type of item throughout the house.

So all the baseboards get cleaned at once. Windows and window seals, dusting, all the mopping or vacuuming, etc. get done at the same time.

By batching my work I save a lot of time because I’m not grabbing and putting away the same tools. I also batch the rooms, so that I clean each bathroom, each bedroom, then the kitchen, etc. This also saves a lot of time as I get a good groove going with the cleaning.

When you stay on one type of work you can clean faster, which in turn makes all of your spring cleaning easier.

5. Make spring cleaning a family affair

Spring cleaning is a lot of work, especially if you have a family. Well, have you heard the saying many hands make light work? It is so true, especially when it comes to spring cleaning.

You see, when everyone in the family is pitching in the work goes much quicker and feels much lighter.

This is where planning ahead is really helpful. You can let your family know earlier on, what you are planning and assign them age-appropriate tasks.

For example, cleaning and wiping down baseboards is a great assignment for young kids. Older children can help with vacuuming or mopping. While you are deep cleaning the kitchen the kids are busy in the other rooms tackling their assigned tasks.

With everyone in the family pitching in, your spring cleaning will be done in no time.

6. Make it fun

The absolute best way to make your spring cleaning easier is to make it fun. After all, time flies when you’re having fun! If you put a little fun into your spring cleaning tasks they will be done before you know it.

You can do something as simple as putting on your favorite upbeat music playlist, listening to a favorite podcast, or even a thrilling audiobook.

If you’re making your spring cleaning a family affair turn it into a fun game. The kids will love it and actually be excited to help.

It just takes a little creativity to turn it into a game. You can use a timer to see who can complete a task the quickest and the winner gets to pick the family movie that week.

Another fun idea is to assign a color to each family member and see who can find the most items with that color to pick up and put away or to dust and clean.

Play the minute to win it came, where everyone races to see how many items they pick up and put away in under 10 minutes.

Have your older kids put on old socks or wrap a cleaning rag on their feet and have them dance around dusting the floors.

The key is to make it fun as you go through your spring cleaning checklist. If you do, your work will be done in no time.

7. Reward everyone’s hard work

You did it! You finished your spring cleaning checklist. Now is the time to celebrate and reward everyone’s hard work.

You deserve a night off from cooking so why not take everyone out to a special meal or a fun treat?

You can make it a family fun night and go bowling or play mini golf. If you’re all a little pooped from all that hard work, maybe a movie would be the perfect reward.

The point is that knowing that there is a reward coming when the spring cleaning is done, often helps to keep everyone motivated until the job is complete.

You’re more likely to feel like spring cleaning is easier when you know something fun and enjoyable is waiting for you.

Just make sure you decide ahead of time what the reward will be. This way everyone will be looking forward to it as they go about their work. Plus you don’t want to have to make any more decisions after doing all that cleaning.

Your Spring Cleaning Checklist

To help make your spring cleaning easier, I created an easy spring cleaning checklist PDF. All you have to do is click the image to download and print it out.

Or you can keep this open and go through each of the items on this list.

Throughout Every Room

Wash baseboards, doors, window sills, and walls
Vacuum and wash vents
Wash all curtains
Dust blinds.
Wash Windows – inside and out
Clean light fixtures, lamp shades, or ceiling fans
Test and replace smoke alarm batteries
Replace air filters as needed
Wipe down door handles
Wipe down light switches

Bathrooms

Empty and wipe down all cabinets and drawers
Clean countertops and sink
Wipe down mirrors and frames
Clean tub and shower
Deep clean showerhead
Replace the shower curtain liner
Clean toilet inside and out
Wash bath mats and shower curtain
Wipe down the toothbrush holder
Disinfect or replace bath toys
Sweep & mop floors

Bedrooms

Dust & polish furniture
Wash all bedding items
Flip or rotate the mattress
Clean under the bed
Mop or vacuum floors

Kitchen

Clean stovetop & oven
Wipe down the microwave (inside & out)
Deep clean dishwasher
Clean refrigerator and freezer (inside & out)
Move fridge – mop behind it & vacuum coils
Wipe down all small appliances
Discard old or expired food in the pantry, fridge, and freezer
Clear countertops
Clean cabinet doors and backsplash
Remove items from cabinets and thoroughly clean inside
Wash dish rags and clean sponges
Mop floors

Living Room and Dining Room

Dust & polish furniture
Vacuum sofa and chairs
Wipe down all electronics
Dust and clean decor
Clean any and all mirrors
Wash all throw pillows and blankets
Wipe down door knobs and switches
Mop or vacuum floors
Shampoo rugs or carpets

Laundry Room

Wipe down the washer & dryer
Clean the inside of the washing machine
Mop behind washer & dryer
Vacumn the dryer vent
Clean lint trap
Wipe down cabinets
Organize laundry supplies
Mop floors

Don’t forget to download the PDF spring cleaning checklist. It’s one more way to make your spring cleaning easier. Just click the image above.