Spring is back with a vengeance and you know what that means! Baseball games, backyard cookouts, homegrown veggies, freshly picked flowers, and Spring Cleaning. Okay, so most of that sounds great, right? Spring Cleaning is actually not that bad if you know how to do it correctly. It can even be a little fun.
That’s why I’m compiling all of my house cleaning knowledge into one jam-packed 8-Day Series. I’ll teach you all about how to plan and carry out your best Spring Cleaning ever, and how to maintain your home better so this is the last in-depth major cleaning session you ever do. Yesterday I taught you all about how to set up your cleaning game plan based on your personality type, and today we’re jumping straight in to your first big project. The Bedroom!
Spring Cleaning Binge Series: Day 2- Bedroom
Why Start In The Bedroom?
To be honest, I’m one of those crazy ladies that loves the Spring Cleaning festivities. I have ever since I was a kid. There was just something about knowing that every inch of my room was fresh, clean, and dust free. Maybe that’s why I always start my own Whole House Spring Cleaning in the master bedroom.
I think that’s why you’ll like starting there, too. I always instruct my clients to clean and declutter their bedrooms first because let’s be real here. Cleaning is tiring as hell. Especially Day One. By knocking out your bedroom first, you’ll feel so good when you climb into bed that night, and every other night while you’re batching your deep-cleaning.
Today I’d love to share my own personal annual routine and best tips so you can refresh your own bedroom and kick off the Spring Cleaning season with a good night’s sleep in a spotless space.
Step One: Clear It All Out!
First up on your to-do list is to remove everything you possibly can from the room. Chairs, tables, rugs, accent furniture, baskets, basically anything you can physically pick up and take out. As for beds and dressers, if you can remove them, definitely do so, but if you can’t, it’s okay to just slide them away from the wall for now.
Next, remove all linens. If it’s a fabric of any kind, it goes out the door and into the laundry room. This includes bed sheets, comforters, duvets and covers, pillow shams, pillows, mattress covers, bed skirts, throw blankets, and window curtains.
Go ahead and start some loads of laundry and wash in the hottest water the fabrics can handle, and try not to stuff the washer too full so everything gets clean. Smaller batches are best for deep cleaning so plan on doing a few loads. If pillows and comforters are too large for your washing machine, head to a local laundromat with a good book and some headphones.
Step Two: Clean The “Bones”
I call this stuff the Bones because it’s what the whole room is made of. The key is working from the top to bottom, like you’re washing a car.
Start from the ceiling and clean the fan, replace light bulbs, and get rid of those almost invisible cobwebs in the corners. Then just work your way down to the doors and windows, then baseboards, then floors. Vacuum and deodorize carpets and rugs, then sweep and mop hard floors. PS: I have a great post on how to maximize your vacuum cleaner here. It’s a must-read guide for Spring Cleaning!
Step Three: Clean The “Anchors”
Anchors are the main pieces of furniture that live in your room all the time. Dressers, nightstands, beds, chairs, and other big pieces qualify as an Anchor. Clean all the furniture inside and out before bringing back into the room. That way you aren’t getting your spotless room all dusty again.
Now is also the time to give your mattress some love. Spot clean with a gentle cleanser if needed. Deodorize by sprinkling on baking soda. Vacuum the entire mattress and hit it with a little disinfectant spray. Then flip and rotate to promote even wear.
I get it, moving around a big heavy mattress is exhausting. And let’s be real here, a lot of us skip this task because it’s so difficult. But this step is SO important! Mattresses are expensive, and without moving them around every few months, they wear out even quicker, meaning that thousand dollar mattress you bought may need to be replaced in half the time you expected.
Step Four: Add Things Back In Intentionally
As your fabrics are washed, dried, and ready to return to the room, and that pile of artwork, decor, and random baskets is staring at you just waiting to go back to it’s cluttered home, take time to be intentional with what you bring into the room. Just because it was there before doesn’t mean it has to come back. The key to a calm, relaxing bedroom is having breathing room and white space.
Also keep the changing of the season in mind. Switch out heavy bedding for lightweight materials and a few throws for extra warmth on cool spring nights. Swap thick curtains for sheer ones to let in the gorgeous sunshine. Trade dark fabric shades for lighter ones.
Put away winter sheets, fuzzy blankets, that mountain of throw pillows, and layered window treatments in safe storage containers to create a fresh, clean, and uncluttered feel. Change up your artwork and family photos with images that embody the warm season. And finish it all off with a bouquet of fresh flowers beside the bed.
Step Five: Tackle The Closet
Just like you did in the bedroom, you should empty out that whole closet. Every piece of clothing, every box, bin, and piece of furniture, every hat on a hook, and every shoe box on the top shelves. Clean the “Bones” just like you did before, then add back in your clothes intentionally. Don’t feel like you have to keep every single thing. Now is the time to declutter that wardrobe of yours and only keep clothes that make you feel good about yourself.
Need help tackling your clothing and paring down the mess? This post will help you give your wardrobe a detox, and this post shows you how to organize your closet once you’ve purged. And if you need help folding your clothes like retail pro, here’s how; and this video shows you how to fold without a flat surface.
Now Get Some Sleep!
Once you feel that sigh of relief when you climb into bed tonight after refreshing your bedroom, you’re going to feel so motivated to keep going during your Spring Cleaning Binge. And you’re going to need that motivation, because tomorrow’s post is going to be all about deep cleaning your bathroom. See you then, Girl! Don’t give up on me! I promise you CAN do this, and it’s going to feel amazing when you’re done!
Need A Full Step By Step Spring Cleaning Planner?
Grab my 20+ page Spring Cleaning Planner inside the Organized-ish Binder Kit Collection for room-by-room checklists of anything and everything you could possibly clean in your house. These checklists will keep you on track and help you breeze through your cleaning sessions without forgetting a thing. I even created a cleaning supply shopping list and timeline for you to follow so you don’t have to do any planning at all.
