Fall is here – even if you aren’t ready! One thing you can get ready, though, is your home with a little Fall cleaning. Don’t spend too much time on getting your home spiffy for Fall, though, and miss out on all those fun activities that are coming up. Instead, knock it all out in one weekend with these great tips.
Gather all of your supplies
(and make sure you have enough!)
You’re going through the house and knocking things out- and then BAM! You realize you don’t have enough cleaning supplies to finish the job. Nothing will kill your motivation faster than running out of supplies and having to stop to get them. Plus, it takes up so much time to stop, run to the store, buy the supplies, and then come home. Before you even get started, make sure you have all the supplies you need, place them in a central location where they can be easily accessed, and check that there is enough of each cleaner.
Concentrate on one room at a time
(and follow the list!)
Don’t overwhelm yourself when you start the cleaning process. Go room-by-room and make yourself a list of things that need to be done in each room. Then, knock out the easiest or smallest rooms first. Be sure to just focus on one room at a time because if you do too many things and bounce from room to room you will overwhelm and confuse yourself. This will only make the job take longer. Also remember to focus on one task in each room at a time. Follow the list you’ve created (you may want to have a separate sheet of paper for each room so that you don’t bounce from list to list) and work from the easiest chore to the hardest or heaviest. You could also start with the one that needs more time to complete, like washing sheets and curtains. Pull them off the bed and start a load of laundry, and then get to the other parts of the room. This should be done first because the laundry needs time to wash and dry and you don’t want to waste time by sitting around waiting on the wash.
Delegate duties
(and divvy up the lists)
If you have a spouse, kids, or even a roommate, divvy up the chores and have everyone take a list for each room they will be doing. This will knock out that list faster than you doing it yourself. Even young kids can do some work, so find age appropriate chores for them to handle (like dusting the furniture or picking up trash) and leave them to it. Check back in on the progress as you move from room to room, but don’t hover. Everyone has their list of things to do and you have your list. Once you’ve finished your list, check on everyone else.
A Deeper Cleaning List:
(Be sure that these things are on your list for the deepest clean possible)
- Dusting crown molding and baseboards
- Dusting the ceiling
- Dusting baseboards
- Dusting light fixtures and lamps
- Dust light switches
- Dusting ceiling fans
- Wash doors
- Wash walls
- Wash window curtains
- Dust window blinds
- Clean windows
- Air out house
- Dust bookcases
- Polish wood
- Vacuum furniture
- Vacuum and flip mattresses
- Clean stains from furniture
- Clean all floors
- Shampoo carpets
- Shake out rugs
- Clean air vents
- Replace air and water filters
- Dust wall hangings
- Clean all mirrors
- Replace batteries in devices
- Replace light bulbs
- Clean out refrigerator and freezer
- Clean out your pantry
- Clean all trashcans
- Clean out all cabinets and drawers
- Disinfect entire house
- Clean oven
- Clean microwave
- Clean and disinfect small appliances
- Clean and disinfect toothbrush holders
- Clean shower caddy
- Clean shower curtain and liner
- Clean all tubs and toilets
- Polish faucets
- Tighten hinges
- Eliminate unnecessary cleaning products
- Clean and organize shelving
- Dust electronics
- Clean out dressers
- Clean out closets
- Purge storage bins, trunks, and shelving
- Get rid of old clothing, shoes, and unwanted items
- Sweep off porches, sidewalks, and decks (do this last to enjoy the fresh air after being inside)
