Organize Your Mud Room
I don’t have a real “mudroom” but I like to call it that because it makes me feel a little Martha Stewart-ish. Although, not as crafty and certainly, lacking her gift of planting and her green thumb. But I digress. Walk into my back door and you find my mudroom – where I drop my keys, kick off my shoes so I don’t bring dirt into my home, and leave my purse and packages until I can sort things out. Admittedly, I end up tripping over my shoes when I walk back through to sort my “stuff” I dropped off on the counter.
I have a “no shoe” policy in my home so when my family and friends come over, they leave their shoes in my mudroom (even though there is NO MUD!) To combat the mess, I have purchased a pretty wicker looking basket to house all of my shoes that collect throughout the week. I leave my Tiks there, my tennis shoes, my mules…they consistently accumulate. In my defense, I immediately place my heels back in my closet so they never collect in my mudroom.
Give Your Walls a Swipe
Just like your floors and counters get dusty, so do your walls. Whether you have beautiful wallpaper, paint or brick (I have two out of three), your walls need to be cleaned and dusted. Real Simple has some wonderful hints on how to clean each of these types of walls. You will need supplies. Do an inventory of what you already have in your cabinet. For painted walls, you will need a sponge, mop, cloths, mild dishwashing soap and a magic eraser. To clean wallpaper you will need a duster, vacuum with the brush attachment, sponge and clean towel and for brick (I have brick!) you will need dishwashing soap, bristled brush, old towels and white bread! Yes, with bread. Read the entire article here.
Invest in Some Good Cleaning Cloths
I am not a fan of microfiber because it feels funny on my fingers but I have come to appreciate the value of it’s worth. The material is useful for grabbing dirt and dust particles and adhering them to the towel. They are environmentally more friendly and you can save money by not having to buy rolls of paper towels. They also pick up bacteria, germs and allergens. To clean, wash them in the washing machine and dry on low heat. Avoid using fabric softener which will make the material less effective (the “feeling I don’t like).
Deep Clean Your Bookshelves
Instead of giving a quick swipe over the front of your bookshelves, remove every book, decoration and picture from the shelves. Wipe down the shelves with warm water and soap, clean off all of the books with a dry cloth (microfiber) and dust off the dirt from all of the decorations and picture frames. Use a vacuum attachment to get in the crevices and corners. You will be amazed at how much debris collects throughout the year.
Make Fire Prevention a Priority
Change your smoke detector batteries and make sure you and your family know how to use your fire extinguishers in case of an emergency. A fire extinguisher must be charged and pressurized for it to work properly. Contact a professional before you find yourself in a crisis. Even if the extinguisher has never been used, it must be inspected. Look at the date on your extinguisher for guidance.
These are just a few things to check off your list while preparing for your spring cleaning. What will you tackle first?
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