We don’t know about you, but when spring rolls around, the last thing we’re thinking about is cleaning. Why would we be thinking about cleaning out the gutters when the sun is finally out for the first time in months? We’ve got sun to soak up instead (our TAXIBOXES need some good vitamin D to get so yellow). Instead of spring cleaning hacks, why not do break down the chores over the course of the whole year instead?
We know, it doesn’t exactly sound like a fair trade: cleaning once in spring vs. cleaning all year? Doesn’t sound like a win, does it? But trust us, clean a little bit throughout all the seasons, and suddenly, cleaning and decluttering won’t be so daunting. Especially if you try a few of our tricks.
You Don’t Need All Those Products
Turns out all those cleaning supplies under the sink are really just clutter-creators. A lot of stuff you need to clean you already have at home, living in your pantry – not house elves that keep everything clean while you sleep (if only).
@cleanwithnessa Satisfying ASMR sink clean ??? #sinkclean #asmr #satisfying #asmrsounds #clean #cleaning #cleanwithnessa #cleaningtiktok #cleantok ♬ original sound – Nessa ?
Dig in your pantry for products like:
- Bicab soda, for dirt, grime, and any food odour-y stuff
- White vinegar, for disinfecting with warm water
- Salt, for wine stains and cleaning drains
- Lemon, for polishing knives and wooden cutting boards
- Dish soap, for dishes (obviously), but also diluted on desks, surfaces, and dirty glass
Armed with all of the above and a decent microfibre cloth, you’re set to start cleaning, all without a very exhausting trip to the hardware store/the supermarket/Target.
Tackle the Chores Seasonally
Turns out some chores you don’t have to suffer through all year round – some chores are only seasonal (score). When it comes to the beginning of each season, get a few time-of-year jobs out of the way, and you can forget about it for the rest of the season.
In summer, there might be a few outdoor entertaining chores, like cleaning the BBQ, the deck, and the outside of your windows. In winter, you might need to bring some warm winter gear out from storage, or reseal your windows/doors from the cold.
If you keep up with these kinds of seasonal chores, they’ll get easier and easier every year when they roll around. Eventually, all you’ll have to worry about is pulling the banana lounges out of storage once summer comes.
Why not store it until it’s in-season again?
Try Cleaning in Chunks
Rome wasn’t built in a day, and no 100% sane person can get the house completely clean in a day, either. Just because you have a few chores to tackle at the beginning of each season doesn’t mean you have to do all of them on the first day of the month. Go easy on yourself. Tackle the cleaning in chunks.
@morrisfamily_home Can you relate? ? #cleantok #cleaningtiktok #relatable #funnyaudio #cleaninghouse #homecleaning #fyp ♬ original sound – Carly
Break down the tasks on your list into bitesized chunks. 10 minutes, until the end of a song, until the end of your podcast episode – whatever works for you. Suddenly, tidying up your kitchen or your desk at the end of the day won’t seem so daunting. Trust us.
Remember, Weird Tips and Tricks Can Actually Work
We’ve all seen those bizarre videos online that show you how to make a coin purse out of an old cola bottle or a shoe out of leftover toilet paper rolls. While we definitely don’t recommend any of that advice, some of the on-the-weirder-side cleaning hacks ACTUALLY do work.
Here are a few tricks worth trying:
- Cleaning your mattress with vodka. Mix half a shot of vodka with some water and a few drops of essential oil in a spray bottle. Spray your mattress and let it air dry. The alcohol will help kill any odour-producing bacteria lingering in your mattress. Easy!
- Removing pet hair with a rubber glove. Stick on a wet rubber glove and wipe your hand over all the surfaces. Hairs will stick to the glove like a magnet and are easy to
make into a second petdispose of. - Un-denting your carpet with icecubes. Place ice cubes on top of any furniture dents in your carpet and let them melt. When the spot is dry, the dent should be removed. If not, use a fork to fluff up the carpet fibers.
- Getting your toilet clean with cola. Using cola to scrub your toilet apparently helps to remove tough stains. We’re definitely in no rush to meet the person that found this out, but if it works, it works.
- Using a walnut to touch up wooden furniture. Scratches and marks on your beautiful wooden furniture? Rubbing a walnut on the effected area will do the trick. Kind of like a genie, but not quite.
Making Space Makes a Big Difference
No matter how many tips and tricks you try, sorting through your stuff is impossible if you’re running short on space. It’s not exactly decluttering if you’re just moving stuff from one big pile into another big pile that lives in the back of your wardrobe, taking up valuable space.
Our advice? Having a TAXIBOX around can be pretty handy on spring cleaning day. They hold up to a room and a half’s worth of stuff, which is just the right amount of space for all your winter bits and pieces.
Once it starts getting chilly again, you can get your TAXIBOX delivered back, and fill it back up with your summer stuff – that way, you can make the most of your space, all year round.
Make space for your stuff, even after spring cleaning is over.
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