Spring is definitely in the air.
Which is great, obviously.
Except for the fact that the sunshine outside always seems to highlight the fact that my house is due it’s annual spring clean and de-clutter. As you’d probably expect, rather than actually start the job itself, I’m going to put it off for as long as possible – firstly by sharing my top tips for Spring Cleaning with you….
De-cluttering is a great way to not only make some space in the house but also to make a little bit of money at the same time and as an added bonus, it’s easier to clean because there’s less ‘stuff’ to actually clean. My preferred methods of making money from the things we no longer need are car boot sales, eBay or on one of those Facebook selling sites for my town.
I tend to have a black sack that I take round with me from room to room and I put anything in there that we no longer want or need as I go along. I get the kids to help out with this in their room and always tell them that they need to make space if they want anything else new 😉
Even when you think it might actually be quicker to do it yourself, get everyone in the house involved in some way. You’ll be surprised at how much children enjoy polishing and cleaning – especially if you make a bit of a game out of it. We have races to see who can finish a job quicker or who can make something shinier or cleaner!
We have a family clean once a fortnight all year round where we arm ourselves with a bin bag and cleaning things and all of us blitz every room in the house for 10 minutes. We set the timer for each room and then after 10 minutes, we move on so it’s a race to see how much we can do in that 10 minutes – I often go back later to do little bits but the majority is done in the time we set when we all join in.
Do you really need a cupboard under the sink with a different cleaning product for each room / surface in your house? I use diluted Stardrops for most cleaning jobs these days although I do use Lemon and bicarb too. I find that some stardops and a cloth can do most things although Miss Frugal has discovered a love of polishing so we do have polish too. I also find that Micro fibre cloths are great for all sorts of cleaning from dusting to washing – you can pick them up really cheaply in most supermarkets or even the pound shop.
I’m not a fan of cleaning so I try to work in the most logical order possible to get maximum results for minimal effort! My tips for this are to always work from top to bottom to avoid getting areas dirty that you’ve already cleaned, hoovering before I dust and only cleaning one room at a time. I’m also a little lazy so I tend to save my legs by having a box somewhere close to me that I can put all the bits in that need putting away elsewhere. Do them all at once or even better, I put everything on the dining room table and make the owners put them away themselves.
I’m always after cleaning help so I asked on Facebook for some of your cleaning tips and I’m definitely going to be adopting some of them, all year round:
Place newspaper on top of your kitchen cupboard it will absorb any grease etc and can easily be changed.
Sarah from Boo Roo and Tigger Too
Don’t wait until Spring – it’s sunny and you’ll want to go outdoors.
Joy from Pink Oddy
Find the biggest pack of bicarbonate of soda you can get your hands on and use generously…on EVERYTHING!
Stacey from Fives a Fellowship
WD40 is amazing for cleaning greasy cooker hoods and kitchen tiles and a can will last literally years for just a couple of quid.
Jayne from Mums the Word
Clean windows with newspaper and vinegar. It’s cheap and you get amazing results!
Carolin from Mummy Alarm
Wash your duvets and pillows.Think of all that build of dead skin.
Aly from Plus 2.4
Clean your toilets with cheap cola. It’s cheaper than any standard cleaning product!
Tanya from Mummy Barrow
Discover more from The Diary of a Frugal Family
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.
Don't forget to remove all of the gunk and debris that has built up on any roof solar panels.
For an easy and thrifty means of refreshing the exterior of your house, consider engaging the services of a professional pressure cleaner. It is amazing the difference that a house wash can do to the appearance and atmosphere of your home.
If in doubt, pressure clean it out 🙂
Love, love, love your articles.
We have a similar sort of cleaning blog at http://sydney-office-cleaning.com.au/
If you are able we would be honoured if you could check it out…
How about some summer cleaning?
Now is the time to make sure that your gutters are free of leaves, debris and blockages. With all of the intense summer storms that have been hitting the East Coast of Australia, if your gutters are not working properly there is a high risk that they will overflow and leak into your roof cavity and internal structures of your house. If you can not safely clean your gutters, engage the services of a professional to clean them for you. Calling in a professional gutter cleaner to maintain your gutters is far cheaper than calling in a tradesman to fix the thousands of dollars of water damage that can occur from overflowing gutters.
Love the WD40 suggestions. That stuff fixed everything.
Here is a little bit of advice from the Bega Plumbers to help everyone out:
One little piece of advice that could save you serious money is to make sure you know where the main shut-off valve for your property is located. If there is a major leak or pipe burst, you want to be able to shut it down as quick as you can. Take 5 minutes to locate it and let your other family members know as well.
https://begaplumbing.com.au/
Great tips. Work smarter not harder.
Work smarter, not harder.
Spring is a great time to think about pruning your trees as well. Consult an arborist before you start to ensure that your techniques will provide you with the right aesthetic.
Spring cleaning is finished, time to start on the summer cleaning already.
Great point on the cleaning solutions. One size fits all will not only save a lot of space in your drawer but it will also help you to clean more efficiently.
Spring cleaning is important and all, but what about your new spring hairstyle?
Another Spring is here, time to get cleaning!
Love your sustainable approach to cleaning.
Great advice.
Another time-saving tip is to do your grocery shopping online and get your goods delivered.
Yet another post I'm going share with my buddies on facebook. Thanks!
Great article. Here are some window cleaning tips that I thought you might appreciate – http://www.cleanmywindows.com.au/FAQ/What-are-the…
Oh..that was nice to hear that you had a family cleaning once in a year. We had a similar custom in our home that the whole family will take their time to clean the house. And we don't have nay specific date or season for that, this time we are planning to do that in summer. And we decide like to call http://www.streakfreeinc.com/ for our window cleaning. And we have some other plans too.
Your home must be so organised and sparkling! We really need to do the 10 minutes fortnightly blitz as there are innocuous piles all over our house that just grow as the months pass. I am a terrible cleaner and organiser!!
Some fab tips there! I loved some of the tips they used to give on that kim and aggie show!
some great spring cleaning tips! thanks! x
Wh at superb tips ! I shall get cleaning asap
Loving the family cleaning time, I need to introduce that here!!
I am loving the idea of a 10 minute clean once a fortnight – what a great way to get everyone involved! Our house is majorly in need of a spring clean so thanks for this 🙂
Totally agree with you – let's push spring cleaning as far as possible 😉 Can't wait when I start cleaning our very first own house though…
I feel like I am always decluttering. My tip is to put ironing water in the steam cleaner – makes the room smell lovely
I really need to get in the mood to spring clean, thank you for these tips 🙂 x
i actually put newspapers on top of cupboards, really helps, i think since it is sunny im obsessed with finding something to throw away or give away, its crazy
My mum always swore by stardrops 🙂 and I have a bottle of it in my cupboard… but I have to admit I do have lots of other things too! It feels like a never-ending cycle when you have a little one (I am always trying to declutter and get rid of toys and clothes mine has grown out of!) Thanks for your tips
Ooh I love the tip from Tanya mummy Barrow! I must try that one. Part of me is dreading spring cleaning and trying to occupy the twins but part of me is dying to get started x
I must be odd. I love cleaning. I always cleaning the house!
What fab tips! I am rubbish at being organised with the cleaning. I love the idea of a family clean and think it's great how you have made it into a game. x
I agree with getting everyone involved. My children love helping out!
Great tips. I have a building site outside my house and my windows are filthy. The sun just highlights this
We are really due a de-clutter, i have so much stuff hanging around so now that spring is here I was wondering whether to get a table at a car boot and try to shift a lot of our extra things
I agree with you – de-cluttering is the key!
You have less to clean and you make some extra £ 🙂
I have just started the decluttering part. I am going to go through this house room by room, closet by closet until I get rid of some to the junk.
I can't say that I feel like cleaning now, but these are great tips that will come in handy. Thanks for including my tip too x
I love your idea of the family cleaning session once a fortnight! I'll certainly be using this idea, once my kids are a little older.