May 21, 2012
Ah, spring. The flowers, the sunshine, the cute shoes. But wait – springtime also conjures up a dreadful childhood memory: Spring cleaning. Fear not – you are a Made Woman! Not only does that mean you’re smart, independent and stylish, it means you know to keep your space clean. Well, hopefully. ;-)
Now I know cleaning is not first on everyone’s list of fave weekend activities, but let’s get real. Who wants to come home to or entertain in a place that isn’t tidy? Roll up your sleeves girls, because you have some cleaning to do.
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Here is our fab five list of spring cleaning tips to get you started:
- Clean your closet – It’s time to reorganize. Do a Goodwill drop-off of clothing you haven’t worn in a year. Organize your shoes so they’re easy to find. If there are shelves to dust, dust them. Give your closet a spritz of Febreze. Re-hang anything that’s falling off its hanger. Not only will this make your room look better it will cut down the time it takes you to get dressed in the morning.
- Clean your coffee pot – This is something I neglected to do until I read an article in HGTV Magazine’s February/March issue. While java drinkers probably clean out the grounds bin and the pot regularly, most of us don’t clear out the whole system. HGTV magazine advises us to fill the reservoir with two parts white vinegar and one part water. Turn the machine to brew and let it do its thing. Repeat twice using just water.
- Clean hard floors – If you do this regularly, good job! I usually sweep weekly but I rarely take out the mop. Mix a cup of white vinegar with one gallon of water to scour tile or linoleum. Skip the vinegar solution for hardwood floors; instead check out these cleaning tips from Apartment Therapy. Don’t cheat: You have to clean every inch of flooring!
- Clean baseboards – Have you ever looked at baseboards? They are major dust collectors. Somehow they are also collectors of random stains and cobwebs. Keep cleaning simple by running a microfiber cloth along the boards. Use a slightly damp cloth if stuff is really sticking.
- Clean the inside of your car – Cars are usually dirtier than we realize. Take an hour to throw out trash, wipe up coffee or tea stains, put away any clothing items that have accumulated and wipe down the dashboard. Vacuum the interior (try a gas station) and give the windows a good clean so your car will be sparkling clean.
Bonus Tip: Before you invest 100 bucks in cleaning supplies, do a Google search on cleaning with vinegar. White vinegar is an old trick that the home-and-garden folk swear by. It gets things uber clean and it’s really cheap.
This is just a shortlist to get you started. There are more obvious cleaning items like cleaning blinds, cabinets, refrigerators, windows and the yard or garage, too, so make a list that works for your home and lifestyle. Turn on some tunes and get cleaning!
What other spring cleaning tips are there? Tell us in the comments below! Sharing is caring…
