Full House Spring Cleaning Checklist

That time of year has arrived when the days get longer, and it becomes easier to do something about the carpet stains, dust, and stale air that have built up during the last few weeks and, perhaps, months. Finally, you can throw open all of the windows and let in the fresh air without freezing. Now, get ready to revitalize your home with a full house spring cleaning.

Whether you conduct a full-house cleaning once a year or once a month, you may want to consider renting a self-storage unit to get things out of the way during the process. Also, cleaning and organizing can quickly turn into redecorating. Self-storage facilities are great places to store items for the long-term that do not fit into your updated home design scheme but that you are not ready to toss, sell, or donate.

Full House Spring Cleaning Tips:

Here are the best items to add to your full house spring cleaning checklist! 

full house spring cleaning

Checklist Item #1: Keep Track of Your Full House Spring Cleaning Progress

Do this by cleaning from the top-down. You should dust and wash ceiling fans, light fixtures, and corners first. Then wipe and wash walls, windows, counters, furniture, and floors. A similar philosophy works with windows. Try cleaning the inside from left to right and the outside from the top down. This will make it easier to tell which side has streaks, if either.

Checklist Item #2: Give Your Smoke Detectors some TLC

This might seem like a step to skip over, but don’t! Giving your smoke and carbon monoxide detecors a little TLC will help keep your family safe. Make sure you replace all detector batteries. Test the smoke and carbon monoxide detectors to make sure they’re working. Finally, give them a good wipe down!

Checklist Item #3: Clear Your Counters & Shelves

Clear counters and shelves and wash them thoroughly. Make sure to wash knick-knacks and dust books. If you have accumulated several important documents, file them in your self-storage unit. Recycle junk mail, outdated magazines, and used envelopes. Shred old bills and other papers that contain personal information.

Checklist Item #4: Deep Clean Your Appliances

This is a great tip to make sure you get all the hidden dirt lingering in your kitchen! Afterall, full house spring cleaning is about really getting that grime! Pull out appliances and wash the sides and floor. Clean normally hidden spills and wipe the walls. Thoroughly wash the insides, including shelves, walls and even your condiment bottles! 

Checklist Item #5: Move Everything In the Way

If you plan to paint or shampoo your carpets during your full house spring cleaning, move your furniture into a self-storage unit. Many companies will rent units for as little as a day. Mobile storage companies will even bring a storage unit to your house and remove it when done with it.

Checklist Item #6: Put Your Washed Fabriced Furniture in the Sunlight

When cleaning mattresses and other furniture, keep them outside! Lay down a tarp to put the bedding and upholstery outside on the driveway for a few hours. Sunlight can help kill bacteria trying to take up residence there. A thorough steam cleaning may leave your furniture feeling and smell fresh, also.

Checklist Item #7: Don’t Forget Your Clothing During Full House Spring Cleaning

Sort through seasonal clothes. Wash or dry clean them, and sew on buttons or stitch up minor tears. A wardrobe box with a hanging rod will help keep clothes looking good and, bonus, you can easily place them into your storage unit. Remember to look critically at your garments. Get rid of overly worn garments and things you never wear.

Checklist Item #8: Make Repairs as You Go!

As you clean the nooks and crannies, you may find leaky faucets; broken door handles, or cracked tiles. Take time to make these repairs now to prevent them from becoming more severe or costly problems later. After you’ve completed the cleaning, get seldom used tools out of the way by placing them in your self-storage unit.

Checklist Item #9: Don’t Forget the Outside of the House

The last item on your full house spring cleaning checklist should be the exterior of your home. Use a power sprayer to remove grime, empty wasps’ nests, and spider webs from exterior walls and windows. Spray down the garage floor while you are at it to rid the space of fluid leaks and road salt or sand that you can track inside and stain your carpet. Trim bushes, aerate the lawn, lay down fresh mulch, and maybe even plant a few flowers.

After Full House Spring Cleaning, Choose StorAmerica

Now that you know all the tips and tricks of full house spring cleaning, contact us if you need to store any of that clutter! StorAmerica offers clean and secure units. It’s easy to get in and access your belongings whenever you like!

Spring cleaning may be a lot of work, but the payoff is a brighter, safer home that can give you a new perspective and prepare you to meet life’s other challenges.

This article was originally published on July 22, 2017.
It was updated on November 10. 2020.