This simple spring cleaning list is perfect for the busy mom. Use this spring cleaning checklist to get your home clean and de-cluttered for the season.
Are you a busy mom? I am too! If you are like me you don’t want to spend most of the spring season cleaning. This simple spring cleaning list is perfect for the busy mom. Use this spring cleaning checklist to get your home clean and de-cluttered for the season.
I love spring! I love the warmer days, the plants starting to push up from the ground and the feeling of new life all around. Unfortunately the whole spring cleaning thing is not up there on my list of favorite things. Don’t get me wrong, I love a clean house. I strive to stay on top of things throughout the year but I’m NOT one of those people who kills themselves for a few days in spring to clean every corner and crevice of their home.
The beautiful thing about living a minimalist lifestyle is that because things are simple, life in general doesn’t seem to overwhelm as frequently. This means that during the year I am often able to keep up with my cleaning tasks because there is less “stuff” to clean and organize. This means that when Spring roles around the tasks that I need to focus on are minimal.
Here is my simple spring cleaning list for busy moms. I have broken the list down by rooms and then I give you several tasks to focus on in each room. Some items on the list are tasks to accomplish within your home that may get overlooked throughout the year.
Other tasks will help you on your journey to minimalism and de-cluttering. I will offer tips and suggestions of things that you can easily minimize and de-clutter from your home. Pick the ones that apply to you and your family and don’t stress about the rest.
Step One – Gather Cleaning Supplies
Concerning cleaning supplies, we try to be a toxic free home. We use simple natural ingredients to clean our home.
The items we use include:
- Vinegar
- Baking soda
- Essential oils
- Castile soap
- Natural cleaners from Azure
Your health shouldn’t be in jeopardy just because you try to do a little extra cleaning during the spring season.Our society has complicated so many things in our lives. Cleaning shouldn’t be one of them.
Step Two- Open Doors & Windows
First thing first. Open up all of your windows and doors and let some fresh air in. We spend so much time cleaning our home but give no thought to the air quality that we are breathing in on a daily basis.
According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency:
Americans, on average, spend approximately 90 percent of their time indoors,1 where the concentrations of some pollutants are often 2 to 5 times higher than typical outdoor concentrations.2
No matter how busy of a mom you might be your overall health is a great reason to open up your windows and doors and let some fresh air in.
Step Three – Clean Room by Room
The project of cleaning your home and de-cluttering can seem overwhelming but tackling the project one room at a time can help. I suggest choosing one area of your home each week for a month. This way you are really able to focus and get a lot accomplished without feeling like it’s too much.
De-clutter Your Kitchen:
- De-clutter kitchen gadgets
- Clean and organize your food storage areas thoroughly
Obviously there are a lot of areas in the kitchen that can be cleaned but the two tasks that I suggest I believe bring the most satisfaction. If you do these two tasks in your kitchen you will feel like you have a clean and well organized space.
What items should you de-clutter from your kitchen?
Below are a list of items that I suggest you de-clutter from your kitchen. Keep in mind, de-cluttering is different than organizing. Organizing often means cleaning and making things neat. De-cluttering however means getting rid of items that you no longer use or need.
- Utensils
- Excess plastic storage containers
- One use type appliances (example- a boiled egg maker)
- Dish rags & hand towels
- Excess cookware
- Mugs – this one is a must!
After you have de-cluttered the items in your kitchen. Take some time to clean and organize your food storage areas. This includes your refrigerator and pantry. Throw out old and expired food and wipe down all surfaces. There is something so satisfying in having the food storage areas of your home clean and organized.
Clean Your Laundry Room:
- Clean behind your washer and dryer
- Clean the inside of the washing machine
It’s inevitable. No matter how hard we try there is always that one sock that somehow makes it behind the washer or dryer. Take some time to pull both of these appliances out and remove any lost items and vacuum up any dirt or dust. If you are looking for a good way to clean your washer using natural ingredients you can find some great tips HERE.
De-clutter Your Bathroom:
- Minimize your bathroom products
- Replace all toothbrushes
The bathroom is one of the best rooms in your home to start your minimalist journey. Begin by throwing away all expired cosmetic products such as make up, shampoo, conditioner, etc. Go through all of your bathroom linens and only keep the amount you truly need. In our home it’s one towel for each person. Keep the items you use on a daily basis such as toothpaste, deodorant, & face wash. Consider if all other items are truly necessary. Lastly, during your bathroom cleaning and de-cluttering process be sure to switch out your toothbrush. If you are like me, you don’t switch out your toothbrush often enough. Spring cleaning is a perfect time of year to consistently replace your old toothbrush.
Bedrooms:
- Clean out your nightstands
- Minimize the clothing in your closet and dresser
When it comes to cleaning and de-cluttering your bedroom I always suggest starting with the low hanging fruit. Bedroom items can be hard but I think nightstands are where to start. In my opinion, nightstands are the junk drawers of the bedroom. They get filled with clutter and knickknacks that you don’t actually want or need but are too busy to deal with. Go through your night stand surface area and drawers. Throw away and donate any unnecessary items.
Next, it’s time to tackle the beast of the home…the closet. For some, this is the hardest area to clean and de-clutter. My goal is to make this task as simple as possible. You might not finish the whole project in one afternoon but we want to build some momentum during this cleaning project and get a quick win. To do this I suggest you go through your closet and solely choose items that you know for sure that you want to get rid of. This isn’t the time to figure out what to do with those “maybe” pieces.
Go through your closet and get rid of the items that you no longer like, are damaged, don’t fit or are made of uncomfortable fabric. These are the items that you can easily throw away or donate. Once you have done this I suggest being done with your closet for the day. You can come back later and tackle those “maybe” items. Learning to de-clutter and minimize is like a muscle. You will strengthen it over time.
Living Room:
- Vacuum under furniture and cushions
- Choose one decorative item in your living room to get rid of
If you are like me when I clean my living area, the furniture and cushions definitely don’t get moved and cleaned under each time I vacuum. During your spring cleaning is the perfect time to move things around and make sure you are cleaning in all of the nooks and crannies of the room you more than likely spend the most time in.
Next, I suggest finding one decorative item in your living space that you are willing to part with. Again, we are looking for small wins. Often our living spaces are full of decorative pieces. So much so that we aren’t able to focus on the pieces that truly matter us and that we want to be a statement. Choose one picture or item on a shelf to sell or donate. Remember, it’s all about building the de-cluttering muscle.
All Rooms:
- Wipe down light fixtures and dust fan blades
- Wipe down door knobs and light switch plates
- Test the batteries in all of your smoke detectors
These last few tasks are just simple things that we all should do regularly but that often get overlooked.
I hope this simple spring cleaning list for busy moms is easily achievable and not overwhelming. As moms we always want to celebrate the big and little wins. As you work through this list you will have a cleaner and less cluttered home. Enjoy the Spring season and more than that, enjoy your simplified life. Comment below and let me know what items you were able to de-clutter on your journey to less.
This is a great list, thanks for sharing!