When the doldrums of winter have finally lifted, something naturally makes us want to clear out the clutter, scrub things clean and make our spaces feel like new.
Spring cleaning has been a mainstay for thousands of years, all the way back to ancient Persia. Persian New Year was celebrated on the first day of spring and involved something called “khane tekani,” a form of spring cleaning that translates to “shaking the house.”
If your house is feeling disorganized and dusty, then shake up your own cleaning routine ahead of the new season.
“The spring presents the best time to clean because the days start to get longer, you can clean up all the dust and dirt that has accumulated in your home over the winter and it represents growth and new beginnings in the year," Jessica Samson, a cleaning expert at The Maids, tells TODAY.com.
If you’d like to hit that reset button, read on for the best spring cleaning tips from leading cleaning and organizing experts. Then download or print our spring cleaning checklist so you can tackle a top-to-bottom refresh with ease.
Streamline your cleaning products
Want to keep the clutter in your cleaning closet at bay? Shira Gill, organizing expert and author of "Organized Living" (out September 2023), recommends investing in one hardworking all-purpose cleaner. Gill opts for a powerful cleaner that can be used throughout her whole house, then mixes in the targeted products (hardwood floor and glass cleaners, for example) as needed.
Purge those winter essentials
“Over the winter you have likely stored coats, boots and things you no longer need,” Samson says. “Move these things to your garage, into storage or get rid of them if you no longer need them."
Clean your house from the inside out. You know what that means: Crack open those drawers, closets, storage bins and other neglected spaces.
Make a donation plan
As you purge, you may round up some items in need of a new home — and no, not the trash.
Gill says that as you prepare to declutter your home this season, identify a few local destinations that accept donations so you can get those bags moving out the door. It doesn’t always have to be a secondhand shop, either. Preschools, churches, theaters, community centers and parenting groups may happily accept donations. Contact the ones in your area to clarify their policies.
Clean your windows
Remove the smudges, water stains and muck from your windows to let in the springtime light. Erica Thompson, home organizing and interior stylist at Organized by Design, advises cleaning your windows with filtered water instead of a traditional glass cleaner. “Not only is it more ecological, it’s also the professional window cleaner’s trick to streak-free glass,” she tells TODAY.com.
Get dusting
Dust always seems to accumulate in the winter — and for that reason, dusting is a good place to start when embarking on your cleaning quest. “You need to do a thorough job of dusting everything before you dive in and start deep cleaning,” she says.
Always start at the top and work your way down. Be sure to close windows and turn off fans before you start dusting since they'll double the work, scattering particles as you clean.
Turn to a trusty tool
Find a tool that works for, well, everything.
Take the Mr. Clean Magic Erasers, for example. “You can do a lot more than just clean your baseboards and walls with this tool," Samson says. Think: removing soap scum, cleaning microwave messes and getting rid of hairspray residue on styling tools.
Let the robots clean for you
You don't have to be the only one doing the dirty work this year. Instead, turn to a robot mop or vacuum cleaner to get the job done.
“Today’s modern robot mops and vacuum cleaners have come a long way in the last few years,” Samson says. “The battery life, accuracy and cleaning power of these robots have gotten exponentially better."
As a result, you'll save time and energy. "They help you clean while you’re sleeping and will make spring cleaning much easier so you can focus on other things to clean in the process.”
Break everything down
Divide and conquer. To avoid stress, take things drawer by drawer, closet by closet and room by room.
"Break it down into sections and clean each section one at a time," Samson says. "This will break down the cleaning process into more manageable pieces and it will take the stress out of spring cleaning.”
Get some music going
Did you know that spring cleaning can actually be fun? Well, as long as you have the right playlist. In fact, Thompson thinks of music as just another tool in her cleaning kit.
"Put five of your favorite songs on a playlist and commit to tackling one tiny zone before the last song is up," she says, adding that you can start with your makeup drawer, under the bathroom sink or the the kitchen junk drawer."
Try a '15-minute win
Carve out 15 minutes a day and you'll have your whole house sparkling in no time.
Use Gill’s trick, which she calls the “15-minute win.” It’s all about the little things you can do that will make a big difference. Challenge yourself to tackle one small area at a time — the overflowing coat closet, messy medicine cabinet and so on.
Use what you already have
There's nothing quite like the thrill of perusing the shelves filled to the brim with handy (but chic) organizing solutions. But as you well know, there's a good chance you'll leave the store with bins, storage containers and other "essentials" that you don't really need.
Instead, Thompson recommends finding purposes for pieces you already have. An example: Give your bathroom counter a makeover by storing cotton pads, hair ties and other small necessities in kitchen extras like Mason jars and highball glasses.
Clear out your closet
If you've got all day, take everything out of your closet and only hang the items you actually wear. “Ditch the duds that don’t fit or flatter,” Gill says.
Edit your wardrobe by only keeping clothing items that make you feel good. Toss any "duds" into a donation bag or recycle them if they're too worn. While you're at it, relocate seasonal items to the back of your closet and dust the shelves.
Organize your office
Taxes are due April 28, so Thompson suggests using this deadline to get your office and paperwork in order. Organize papers into three main categories: receipts, mail and tax documents. Sort all three, then toss any old receipts, and organize older mail and documents into folders for safekeeping.
Do a digital detox
Pay heed to your email inbox, too. Gill suggests setting a 15-minute timer and seeing how many "of those pesky sales and spam emails" you can unsubscribe from. "Consider archiving old emails so you can clear out your inbox and start fresh," she adds.
Want a helping hand? Services like Unroll.me and Unlistr allow you to easily opt out of email subscriptions. Something to note: Unroll.me works with Google, Yahoo!, Outlook, or AOL accounts, whereas Unlistr only work with Outlook.
Plan a party
There’s nothing like having company over to encourage you to get cleaning.
“Suddenly, you’ll automatically find yourself folding your bathroom hand towels hotel-style, sprucing up your sofa with plumped pillows and throws, and clearing clutter throughout,” Thompson says.