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The temperatures are rising, snow is melting, and spring is in the air. For many, there is nothing...
Spring Is in the Air! 12 Safe Tips for Your Spring Cleaning
The arrival of spring leads nature into rebirth. It sets people into motion after a long hibernation and a period of worry. Just as the first bird chirps and flowers bud to delight us, another activity comes into our field of view - spring cleaning. As years pass by, spring cleaning becomes an annual tradition. Many people, especially older adults, start looking for ways to complete this task more productively. To help our respected family and community members achieve these goals, we've compiled the following tips for making spring cleaning a genuinely engaging and productive activity.
12 Tips for Your Spring Cleaning
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Plan Ahead
To successfully complete any work, your best path is to come up with a plan. Take a stroll around your house and adjacent areas such as garages, sheds, or gardens. Check the yard and see what could be done to make it all look better. Whether there's clutter in the attic or your bathtub tiles are in need to be repainted - set up a list of priorities and complete them one by one. This way, nothing will get past your eyes, and you will save a lot of time and energy during the cleaning.
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Invite Your Family and Friends
Cleaning every area in and around your house might appear a daunting task, regardless of your age and health. Calling for your family and friends to help you out is a fantastic idea. More people equals more strength and hands to work with, so the cleaning will go over quicker without overlooking any details. Adding to that, it's an excellent opportunity for your family and friends to polish their teamwork skills and deepen relations. And of course, working together can be much more fun.While you're at it, if you have some people ready to assist you, it's time to delegate the tasks and split the workload. The best idea is to leave the heavy lifting for those who are most capable, while kids can easily do the most straightforward jobs. Try to give everyone a specific role, including yourself, and remember not to overstrain your body - in the end, health and safety matter the most.
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Assess Your Living Conditions for Safety
After deciding the main points in your house that require cleaning, determine how safe it will be to work in each area. Over the winter, various technical problems might have been developing that now might require repair. Upon finding things like frayed cords, cracked pipes, or places where you anticipate something similar to be discovered, call professionals to fix the issues. If it's not complicated, perhaps your loved ones might lend you a hand. For safety, always keep the protection of yourself and others as your priority.
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Prioritize Messes That Might Be Dangerous
When everyone is ready to get started, the first action you should consider is removing items that might create hazards or even dangers for your health. Places overloaded with objects that threaten to fall, or clutter/rugs spread on the floor that create tripping risks should be moved out of the way. Following that, check whether your furniture could be repositioned to make more space.
Don't forget to ask for help when you want something heavy to be moved to avoid injuries. See if there are any sharp objects out of place and remove them. This way, the following cleaning steps will be easier to do, and everyone in the house will have their safety ensured. -
Take it SlowlyYou don't need to complete all the work in one day. It can be best to only dedicate 2-3 hours (depending on the workload) to the cleaning procedures per day. Spend some free time with your loved ones as well, perhaps with a cup of tea and snacks. Not only will you be able to discuss and make plans for the next day but also relax and enjoy spending time together. That will make your spring cleaning a memorable and enjoyable experience.
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Clean Room-by-Room, Space-by-Space
Decide which rooms will likely require the most effort to clean, make a list, and start. Focusing on one space won't let you get confused or overwhelmed, and it will speed up the whole process. Depending on how many people showed up to help clean, there is always the opportunity to appoint them to different rooms for even faster work. This way you will orderly go round your house without missing anything important.
Click here to learn more about de-cluttering! -
Work From the Outside In
Spring cleaning is not an idea that only exists within the walls of your home. Naturally, you will want to sort the space around you to present your living area as a welcoming and warm place. With that in mind, you can choose where to begin your work - either inside or outside. Since most heavy appliances, metals, woods, and similar articles are located outside your house, it can be a great idea to start there to get the most challenging part done. Hiding them inside your garage or shed or simply getting discarding them can work well. Simple trash-collecting can be done as a start too.
When you feel content with your yard's looks, you can resume the cleaning process outside or within. Of course, you might not pay a lot of attention to aesthetics but want to progress practically. In that case, any type of orderly planning will work fine. -
Freshen Your Refrigerator
Although people most likely use their refrigerators daily and know their contents, minor cleaning procedures will prevent the long-term accumulation of products. To conduct a more effective cleaning, remove all the goods from inside your refrigerator and thoroughly clean its surface areas. Don't forget to check for any expired foods and dispose of them. It's easy for some items to get pushed to the back of the fridge and forgotten about for a long time. You might even find treats that are still good, which you had forgotten about, allowing you to treat yourself, your family, or friends with few delicious bites. -
Take a Look at Your Medicine Cabinets
Go through your medications and sort them. Some of your medicines might be outdated or insufficient. If it's the former, you'll need to dispose of it properly - never throw it into the trash, as children or pets might find it. Washing it down the sink or toilet is not an option, as it might pose a danger to the environment. Instead, take it to your local pharmacy, where disposal will be executed properly.
You could make a list of medicines you need to replenish and buy them once you find time suited for it. Also, inspect items like medical thermometers and blood pressure monitors. They might be malfunctioning or in need of a battery replacement. -
Check Your Home Safety Measures
In addition to evaluating your living spaces for possible danger, remember to check safety measures installed in your house. See if your fire alarms, carbon monoxide detectors, security cameras, and similar gadgets are working correctly. These items should be checked regularly, and spring is a great time to do so. These are often difficult to reach, so don't hesitate to call your friends or family for help. Ensure that nothing is out of date, and buy new batteries for installments as needed.
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Look Into Items That Have Piled up Over Time
Check typically unvisited corners and see what is lurking there. Be it piles of clothes, bags, or something else - you will have to decide what to get rid of and what might still be ready to use. To avoid throwing out stuff that could be useful, categorize the items into two or three piles. For example:
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Pile #1: Things that you will definitely use or find significant meaning in.
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Pile #2: Items no longer valuable. These can be thrown away or donated easily.
- Pile #3: Items in between the other two piles. Perhaps clothes that would fit your grandchildren or an old working video camera that could be used as a nostalgic birthday gift. Hence, you will find yourself not only tidying your rooms but putting back forgotten objects into practice.
Check out our post: Downsizing: What Can I Do With My Old Stuff?
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Clean the Dust, Let Fresh Air In
Getting the dust off your furniture and walls is what allows your home to really shine. For higher spots, use a duster with a long handle. When you're cleaning windows, use a squeegee for more extended reach. Speaking of windows, don't forget to open them to let some fresh air in. The freshness of spring elevates your mood and is beneficial for your health.
When You're Done
A home that has been cleared and renewed will reflect its owner. Spring cleaning enables a period of new life, full of plans and ambitions for the ensuing months. This step begins with a budding mind, positivity, and diligence.
Let us know in the comments below - what is your favorite part of spring cleaning?
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