FIRST, SET THE SCENE. Opening windows for sunlight and a cool breeze helps air out chemical-cleaner fumes and will keep you feeling spring fresh even when your bathroom’s anything but. And what’s a good scrubbing without a little mood music? Schubert, Springsteen, Shakira … pump up whatever keeps you moving and motivated so you’re paying more attention to the tunes than to that mystery buildup as you blast it into oblivion.
NEXT, SET THE CLEAN. Gathering all supplies before diving in ensures you’re not scrounging for that sponge midsession. Include fashionable rubber gloves like Gloveables (à la Desperate Housewives) to make staying clean more fun. Also, get the family involved and dole out age-appropriate to-dos. And if you think of it as a chore, it’ll be a slog-through, but approaching it as a feel-good exercise makes all the difference.
TO EACH HER OWN. Spring cleaning isn’t necessarily a whole-house overhaul. Tackle only what you have time to finish. List tasks before you start and hit one room at a time. It can help to either start with the big messes so the rest breeze by or start with easy jobs to get inspired by quick improvement. If you tend to get caught up reminiscing about those photos you’re filing away, set a timer and try to beat the clock.
GRIME TIME. It can take cleaners 10 to 15 minutes to break down gunk, so tend to other tasks while that’s happening. Take advantage of hose-fed window cleaners and pet-hair handhelds like Dyson’s Animal that make cleaning easier than ever. And don’t forget to reduce allergens! Use Swiffer Dusters to reduce allergens from cats, dogs, and dust mites while you dust hard surfaces and use Febreze Allergen Reducer to reduce those allergens that can become airborne from fabrics.
REGROUP, REORGANIZE, AND RELEASE. We all have items that are good for little more than clogging space, but less stuff equals less stress. Stash the saveables in clear containers (even in the fridge). Store what you rarely reach for on the top or bottom shelf and stick daily go-tos at grab-and-go level. If you don’t love it or use it, let it go—there’s a huge variety of charitable organizations to care for your clutter.
