There are certain chores that we’re forced to do on a daily and weekly basis in order for us to run smooth, clean, and well kept households. You know, like laundry, vacuuming, wiping up the bathroom counters, dusting, taking out the trash, yada yada yada. Sometimes I find myself cutting corners, like not cleaning our shower for weeks (OK, fine… months (so disgusting, I know)). Or letting clutter build up over time in the junk drawer we have in our kitchen. Or not dusting — honestly, who has time for that?
HOWEVER once spring rolls around, I put on my rubber gloves and my game face. That’s right. Spring Cleaning, baby! More than just actual cleaning, I do a few other things too. Here’s what I like to do every single spring…
DIGITAL DETOX
Before I bust out the Clorox and Swiffer, I sit down with my computer and give it a good internal sweep. It’s the perfect time to clean up my iPhoto, backing up my pictures to an external drive, and clearing out old documents that are maybe cluttering up my computer.
I also take this time to unsubscribe to a million junk emails that come through. And when I’m finished, I use a lint-free cloth to wipe down my computer and my phone, because they are both total germ magnets and used a ton!
PAPERWORK DECLUTTER
I don’t know about you, but when it comes to important documents, I tend to throw them in a drawer. Figuring I’ll sort it out or get to filing it later. And let me tell you, paperwork accumulates F A S T. By the time spring rolls around, it can be a bit of an overwhelming mess. I sit down with and create three piles: Dara, The Boxer Household, Recycle. From there, I further sort it. Shredding all documents that need to be recycled, of course.
I have a binder for my paperwork, and a binder for our household, which is even further organized by tabs. But I’ll save that for another post!
AIR FILTERS
This is something that needs to be changed every 3-6 months. Alex and I decided we’d stick with changing our HVAC air filters on both equinoxes and solstices, that way it would be easiest to remember without setting a calendar reminder. You bet we were prepped and ready come March 20 of this year!
THE KITCHEN + BATHROOM GRIND
I’m talking about quality control here. Things that you don’t think to do on a daily, weekly, or even monthly basis. Things like…
- Cabinets — wiping down the outside for grease, in addition to cleaning the interiors. One part vinegar and two parts water does the trick!
- Sink(s) & Disposal — Scrubbing out the sink with a homemade baking soda and lime juice paste.
- Interior Oven + Shower Walls — Baking soda and water to create a paste, spread it all over floors and walls. Let sit for hours, if not overnight. Wipe away with warm water.
- Refrigerator Interior — Remove food from shelves and bins. Wash with a microfiber cloth soaked with water and baking soda.
THE KON-MARI METHOD
Ever since I Kon-Mari’d our old condo last winter, I was hooked. I’ve done a few mini sessions in our new house, but feel like spring would be a great opportunity to really take care of a few closets, drawers, and cabinets that tend to accumulate a ton of stuff.
SPRING CLOTHING
PUMPED to finally pack away all my fall / winter clothes and bring up the spring / summer collection. It’s also the perfect opportunity to go through each and every item before packing up. Will I wear it again next season? Should I donate it? Or is it in such poor condition that it needs to be tossed? (errrm, my distressed denim has seen better days).
This also goes for unpacking spring / summer. Am I unpacking pieces that I’m like ‘wtf was I thinking when I bought this?’ Or do a few need to get donated? Maybe a few could be upgraded? Are all items keepers?
I sit down with a pen and paper, and jot down what I need to complete my capsule. But more on that later!
AND, since Alex and I live super close to the Tidal Basin (only a 15 min walk!), here are some insanely gorgeous cherry blossom pictures. They bloomed so perfectly this year! Washington, DC is a great place to live this time of year.
PS. If you’re wondering, I space out each of these spring cleaning items over the course of a week or so. All is not done in one day!