When the days start getting brighter, and the weather turns warmer, it lifts your mood and really puts a spring in your step (pun intended!).

It's also the time of year when you'll feel the urge to roll up your sleeves, open up your windows to let some fresh air in and start cleaning up your home.

Now, that's not to say that you haven't kept your home clean through the winter, but closed doors and windows tend to trap a lot of dust and dirt inside.

The Reason Why Spring Cleaning Is So Important

Aside from the significance the term 'spring cleaning' holds in our society, it's also the time when we can take stock of all the annual maintenance work that our home needs - and get it done!

This also creates an excellent opportunity to get rid of all the dirt and dust piled up in the corners of your home.

When Is The Perfect Time To Start Spring Cleaning?

In the past, spring cleaning used to be a long, tiring day of cleaning.

However, with changing times and busier schedules, it's best to split these tasks up over a couple of days to ensure you get the best out of your spring cleaning.

As a rule of thumb, when the weather gets warmer, it's the perfect time to open up the windows, let the sun in and get to work.

Okay, So Where Do I Start?

In the same way, you wouldn't undertake a big project at work without a plan, nor should you tackle your spring cleaning. Before you begin, write down a list of tasks that need to be completed, and then decide which ones to tackle first.

So, here's a quick start guide to getting your house cleaned!

1. Make a plan: First things first, map your home into zones. Start with the rooms that you use the most. For instance, since you most likely use your kitchen often, get started here first.
2. Stop procrastinating: Don't put things off. Make yourself accountable to someone so that you have to get things done.
3. Start with the most challenging and largest tasks first: Once you get the most daunting tasks out of your way, it will motivate you to finish the smaller and more manageable tasks so that you can complete your spring cleaning as efficiently as possible! What's more, the tasks that are the most difficult are also the ones that make the most noticeable visual changes first - think, get rid of all the clutter on your tabletops.
4. Don't compare yourself to anyone else: Just because your neighbour cleaned their home up last week, or your colleague did it all in one day, it doesn't mean that you should allow it to bring you down. Keep in mind that all that is important is that you are ultimately satisfied with your home cleaning.

To ensure that you put your time and effort to good use and your home looks brand new, here are a few of our top tips!

• Declutter, declutter, declutter!

As you're clearing up around your home, take a minute to ascertain which items you use daily, which ones you rarely use, and which you never really use.

Then go about reorganising and getting rid of the things that you no longer need.

• Try going natural.

Contrary to popular belief, natural, homemade cleaning solutions (like vinegar, baking soda, lime juice etc.) are just as effective as store-bought chemical ones. When using these natural products, you are able to disinfect surfaces and even add a great smell to those areas too!

Of course, if you have very hard-to-remove stains, you must use a cleaner that suits your needs.

• Start from the top.

Begin dusting and cleaning from the top floor (or from the tops of cupboards) and work your way down. That way, all the dirt and grime falls to the bottom, where you clean up at the very end.

• Make sure you have everything on hand.

Before you start cleaning, ensure you have all the cleaning solutions and tools you need for each area within easy reach. That way, you won't have to waste your energy walking around, and you won't risk tracking dirt and grime to various other rooms of your home.

Also, if you use a cordless vacuum, ensure that you have it charged before you begin using it - so that it doesn't die on you mid-clean!

Empty out dust bags outside your home so that all the gunk accumulated in your vacuum's dust bag stays out of your home for good!

The Best Way To Maintain Your Spring Cleaning

The worst thing that could happen is that you spend all this time cleaning up, only to have your efforts go in vain. Before you know it, your neat and tidy home has returned to looking like it did before - almost as if you never cleaned at all!

This usually happens because your regular life takes hold, and you're likely to forget what you should do to maintain your home.

To avoid this from happening, here's what you can do:

1. When you are reorganising each room, remember what you use it for and how you and your family use it. For instance, if you usually use your coffee table to keep important bills (and not coffee table books and decor), then you should do so.
2. You should also keep in mind the storage requirements of each room and plan it out accordingly.
3. Finally, you should try to wipe down surfaces, vacuum and mop floors and also make sure you air out your house regularly. In doing so, you're sure to keep your home in tip-top condition!

And, if all else fails, you can always call in a professional cleaning service to keep up with the regular maintenance for your home. All you need to do is book your service and remember to let them know about your particular needs and if there will be any pets or young children at home during the cleaning.

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