Spring Cleaning? Don’t Forget These 8 Areas in Your Home

Take a deep breath and relax. Spring cleaning is over – or is it? While you probably remembered to clean the most obvious spots, there are some spots you might not have considered. Whether it’s under the bed or the inside of the fireplace, while you’re deep cleaning this Spring, it’s a great time to freshen up areas that might often get overlooked.

Under the Bed

How on Earth does it get so dirty under the bed?! I’m not sure how, but it certainly does and it’s especially true if you have hardwood floors. Dust bunnies, crumbs, and lots of other little mystery items love to hide under the bed. Remove anything that is under the bed and vacuum with an extension or clean the floor with a dust mop.

Behind the Refrigerator

You’d be amazed at how much can fall behind the fridge. It might be snacks, bag clips, or even a box of cereal. Move the fridge away from the wall and remove all the things that have gathered behind there. This is also a great time to clean the wall, baseboard, and floor that are normally hidden by the large appliance.

Medicine and Bathroom Cabinet

Spring cleaning is a great time to clean out your medicine and bathroom cabinets. It’s a good idea to do this once or twice a year which makes it a great Spring activity. Go through all the medicines and toss anything that’s expired. The same goes for personal care products. Once the cabinet is emptied, clean and sanitize the shelves. It’s also a good idea to re-evaluate the products your family is using. Be sure to use sustainable and naturally clean products like Tom’s of Maine Naturally Dry Antiperspirant, which are not only good for the most sensitive members of your family, but also the environment.

Fireplace

If you have a wood-burning fireplace, you want to make sure to keep it clean. You can use a fire log that is made to clean the chimney or you can call in a professional. As for the ashes and the walls of the fireplace, you can do that yourself with some good old-fashioned elbow grease.

Hall Closet

Does your hall closet serve as a catch-all? Ours does and it definitely takes some time during spring cleaning to clean it out. I like to use the three box system: donate, recycle, and keep. Sort every item that’s in the closet into these 3 categories. Once the closet is cleaned out, wipe down the shelves and refill the closet using baskets and other storage tools to help you keep the closet organized. It might seem like a big task, but it’s one you’ll be thankful you did next year during Spring cleaning.

Bedroom Closets

It might be a room that you don’t want to face, but cleaning out your bedroom closet can have a dramatic effect on your daily life. A paired down closet can make getting ready faster and easier and once it’s clean, it’s much more likely to stay that way. Again, use the three box system, keeping in mind that if you haven’t worn the article of clothing in 6 months, it’s probably best to go in the donate pile. Once you’ve cleared everything out, clean the floors and dust the shelves and rods. Use organizational tools when you refill the closet.

Junk Drawer

Another catch-all for my family is the junk drawer. Unfortunately, the junk drawer often becomes so full that it won’t even close! Toss anything that hasn’t been used in over a year, old batteries, and items that really have no use. A utensil drawer organizer is a great way to organize the junk drawer once it’s cleaned out. You can also use paperclip storage containers for batteries and other small items.

Filing Cabinet

Last, but not least, clean out your filing cabinet once a year and weed out any outdated paperwork. Financial records need to be kept for seven years in case you get audited. However, you’ll probably find a lot of paperwork that’s no longer necessary, such as maintenance records on a car you no longer have and last year’s energy bills.

Spring cleaning is more than washing the windows and cleaning the baseboards. There are places in your home that get overlooked and you just don’t think of that also need to be cleaned out each year. Whether it’s the junk drawer or your hall closet, you want to be sure to add these areas to your spring cleaning list.