Spring cleaning is one of the most satisfying feelings, but it can also be the most overwhelming.
The sheer amount of stuff you have to go through can be overwhelming, and if you’re not careful, you can find yourself in a state of constant overwhelm.
But don’t worry!
I am here to help you avoid the most common mistakes that people make when they clean.
So read on, and keep these tips in mind as you tackle your spring cleaning list this year.
Why Is There A Need For Spring Cleaning?
Let’s face it.
Spring cleaning is just another way of saying “spring cleaning.”
But why?
Why do we clean in the spring?
And why do we have to wait for spring to clean?
The answer to those questions is simple.
Because there are more things to clean.
In the winter, you’re probably wearing more layers than usual, which means that you’re wearing more clothes and shoes.
Your house is probably colder than usual, which means that your furnace has to work harder to keep it warm.
This can result in an accumulation of dust and dirt throughout the year that you may not notice until spring rolls around.
Spring cleaning is also a great time to purge your closet and get rid of any clothing that doesn’t fit or hasn’t been worn in a while.
Well, especially if you’ve gained or lost weight during the winter months!
5 Most Common Spring Cleaning Mistakes
Spring is here and that means it’s time to start cleaning!
If you’re anything like me, you have a few things on your spring cleaning list that you do every year.
But what about the stuff you’re not sure about?
I’ve compiled a list of the most common mistakes people make when spring cleaning their homes.
If I can help you avoid these mishaps, then it’s a win-win situation.
1) Not Planning Beforehand
The biggest mistake you can make when it comes to spring cleaning is not planning beforehand.
Spring cleaning is a process, and there’s a lot to do.
Sometimes it can be too much that it becomes overwhelming.
But if you take the time to plan out your cleaning strategy in advance, you’ll have a much easier time getting things done.
In my case, I decide first which rooms need attention, and prioritize them accordingly.
Then, I’ll start with the room that holds the most clutter and work your way through the rest of the house from there.
Easy, right?
Once you’ve got a plan in place, it’s time for action!
2) Starting At The Bottom
When it comes to spring cleaning, it’s easy to get overwhelmed.
I’ve been there.
But there are ways you can make sure that you don’t miss anything when you’re going through your house with a fine-tooth comb.
One of the most common mistakes people make when doing a deep clean is starting at the bottom of their home and working their way up.
This may seem like an obvious mistake but not all people know that.
If you start on the bottom floor and work your way up, there’s a good chance you’ll miss some small areas or even an entire room of your house!
You want to tackle each room from top to bottom (and then from left to right) so that everything gets hit equally so you can make sure nothing gets missed.
That way, when you’re done with one room, you feel confident that it’s done and you can move on without worrying about what might have been left behind.
3) Going Overboard With Harmful Cleaning Products
If you’re looking to spring clean your home, you’ll want to avoid overdoing it with harmful cleaning products.
What do I mean by “harmful?”
Here are some of my tips:
- Any product that is labeled as “green” or “eco-friendly” is probably something you should avoid. These are just marketing terms meant to get you to buy a product without really thinking about what it’s made out of or what it does to the environment.
- Any product with a lot of chemicals listed on the label is something you should avoid using. The more chemicals listed on the label, the more dangerous they are for your health.
4) Trying To Do It All At Once
Trying to do it all at once is a mistake that many of us make, and it’s a mistake you can avoid if you put in the work.
If you’re trying to do your spring cleaning in one day, you’ll probably end up feeling overwhelmed.
You’re going to feel like you’ve done nothing and accomplished nothing.
And that’s not how this should be!
You should break up your cleaning into manageable tasks so that you can take on one small task each day.
That way, when the dust settles on May 1st and you look back at what you’ve accomplished, it’s not an overwhelming pile of laundry or an endless pile of dishes.
It’s a manageable pile of laundry and dishes.
See the difference?
5) Not Decluttering
Spring cleaning is not an easy task.
The entire house is a mess, and it seems like there’s just too much to do.
But if you don’t start with the most important task, which is decluttering, you’re just setting yourself up for failure.
When I’m talking about decluttering, it’s not just talking about getting rid of obvious junk (like old newspapers or broken appliances).
I am also talking about getting rid of things that haven’t been used in years but still take up space in your home.
If you have anything that you haven’t used in at least three months (or even better, six), it’s time to let it go!
How To Avoid These Spring Cleaning Mistakes?
Spring cleaning is a great time to get your home in order, and it can be a lot of fun.
But if you don’t know what to do, you may find yourself running out of time or energy before you’re done!
Here are some tips to keep your spring cleaning from becoming a nightmare:
1) Organize A Plan
The best way to avoid making a cleaning mistake is to organize a plan.
Plan out what you want to do, and then make sure you have the right supplies.
If you’re going to be doing a lot of cleaning, make sure that your supplies are in good condition before starting.
It’s also important to know where your cleaning products are going to go when you’re done.
If you have kids or pets, make sure they stay out of the way while you’re working on your plan!
The last thing you want is for your children or pets to get hurt because of something you did wrong during spring cleaning.
2) Divide The House Into Manageable Areas
You want to get your spring cleaning done as quickly and efficiently as possible, but it’s easy to get overwhelmed by how much work there is left to do.
To avoid this problem, divide your house into manageable areas.
For example, you could clean each area separately so that each task is shorter than the whole house like the bathroom, dining room, and others.
This will make it easier for you to get everything done without feeling overwhelmed by the amount of work ahead of you.
3) Be Careful With Cleaning Products (Especially If You Have Kids At Home)
Spring cleaning is a great way to start the new season, but it’s important to be careful about the products you use.
If you have kids at home, make sure that all of your cleaning products are safe for them.
There are lots of natural options available, and they’ll be just as effective as traditional cleaning products.
You should also be careful with how you dispose of these products after you’re done using them.
You don’t want to end up harming the environment by dumping them down the drain or in a public trash can!
4) Purge Your Things
One of the biggest mistakes people make during spring cleaning is to simply throw away all their old things.
That is without thinking about whether they’ll actually use them in the future.
If you’re going to purge your things, make sure you’re doing it for the right reasons and that those reasons are actually realistic.
For instance, if you’re purging because you don’t have enough space, but you really want to buy more things, that’s not a good reason.
If you’re purging because you want to start fresh, but you don’t have any real plans or goals in mind, that’s not a good reason either.
The point of spring cleaning is not just to get rid of stuff and make space for new stuff.
It’s also about getting rid of habits and routines that no longer serve us so we can be more present and focused on what really matters.
So before you decide what goes and what stays, take some time to reflect on what makes your life feel full and meaningful—and then purge from there!
5) Start Cleaning At The Top
If you’re planning to clean your entire home, it can be tempting to start at the bottom and work your way up.
But that approach is actually a little backward.
Why?
Because this will cause you to miss many of the places that are most important when spring cleaning.
Instead, start in the highest part of your house and work your way down.
This will allow you to get to all of the dirty areas without having to move furniture around or climb on ladders to get there.
It also means that if there are any cobwebs or dust in high places, they won’t get knocked down onto lower surfaces while you clean them out!
Start Decluttering For Spring!
Spring is here, and you know what that means: cleaning!
But before you start scrubbing the grime off your stovetop, get rid of some clutter.
There’s nothing like spring cleaning to make you feel like a new person.
You’re going to be able to see everything in your house.
You might even feel like you can finally breathe again.
And when you see how much better everything looks without all that stuff, it’ll give you the motivation to keep going with the rest of your organizing project.
To help you with your quest, I created a declutter binder to assist you.
So go ahead and download it now!
Alison’s Notebook
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