The first signs of spring are not too far off at all. Typically, this is the time of year where some people undertake an annual ritual – the chance to sort out our homes and deep clean them in a spring clean. Spring cleaning properly takes time and how long it takes will depend on the size of your home, so try the following tips for getting it done in the most efficient and effective way.
First things first: sort
The first step in a proper spring clean is sorting. This process means de-cluttering systematically by creating piles – ‘keep’, ‘skip’, ‘donate/sell’. If you get distracted by this process, take tips from tidying expert Marie Kondo who advocates tidying by category (such as clothes, books, sentimental items), rather than room by room. Items that cannot be donated or sold but are no longer wanted should go in a Rabbit skip. Happily, you’re saved the job of sorting into recyclables/non-recyclables as we remove recyclables when the skip is returned to us.
You may wish to create a fourth pile of items that cannot go in a skip or be sold/donated. These include things like old electricals, which will need specialist disposal.
Next, make a cleaning plan
With the extra time at home that most people had during the pandemic, a lot of home sorting was done. Charities reported record donations to their shops, and at Rabbit, we experienced unprecedented demand for our skips as people took the opportunity to de-clutter and improve their homes. Because of this, you may find skipping straight to this step in your spring cleaning – making a plan. This involves making sure you have all the cleaning supplies you need (and ordering any you don’t have) and deciding on your plan of action and assigning roles if you’re tackling the spring clean as a household. If you need extra help, download a free spring cleaning checklist to make sure nothing gets missed.
Then, work systemically
It’s tempting to approach deep cleaning room by room, but instead, consider undertaking jobs one at a time, working high to low. For example, start with dusting coving and light fixtures, cleaning them in each room before you move onwards and downwards. It can help to make sure things aren’t missed and the cleaning is done thoroughly. Ticking things off your checklist as you go and can be a satisfying reminder of what you’ve achieved.
Don’t forget…
Your regular household cleaning keeps high-traffic areas free from dust and grime. The annual spring clean is the opportunity to pull furniture and appliances out of position to clean under them, before deep cleaning the item itself. There are specialist cleaning items that may help ease the burden, such as washing machine and dishwasher cleaners. The annual spring clean is also the chance to clean things like duvets, pillows, curtains, rugs and other items that get missed on regular cleans. Some items may need to go to special cleaners to be washed in large capacity machines.
To find out more about skip hire for spring cleans in West Sussex and our Energy from Waste facility, contact Rabbit. Reach us on 01903 762020 or email info@rabbitgroup.co.uk.
