It’s spring! Let’s spring clean!

Although it doesn’t feel like it today (bloody freezing again) we are now in Spring and I must say that my productivity levels have been HIGH. It feels good to be outside in the sunshine, working up a sweat and getting stuck into the house and garden and all the chores that you manage to put off in the winter when you are in hibernation mode.

The problem is though…I start the jobs and then I see the next one, and the next that needs to get done and I tend to not stop. I start with sweeping and watering and then I see that I could get the pressure hose out to do those pavers and then how about those windows…you get the general idea. Rob said to me yesterday that I go looking for jobs which I DON’T. I just SEE them, because I am a woman and I get stuck into them and get them done BECAUSE I AM A WOMAN. And a crazy one at that.

Thought I would share some of the jobs that you might want to start around your place now that it’s starting to warm up. A maintenance Monday ode to the Spring clean if you will!

1. Clean your oven

All those roasts and pork belly slow roasting will leave your oven a little worse for wear so why not get stuck into that? I have a hack method that I do using a bath, a towel and some dishwashing liquid and it works a treat. You can check it out here.

2. Give your outdoor areas a good clean out

Yesterday I was doing some watering outside when I decided that I better clean out the wood basket that had so much dust and chips and MESS so I started on that and decided I better move EVERYTHING off and give it a good clean out. See? The knock on effect is exhausting and yet satisfying.

Pull everything off the verandah or deck, give it a blow out, sweep or hose and you will feel DEEPLY satisfied with your work. It will make you clear stuff out and do a clean out, tend to your pots (fertilise, snip back or re-pot), de-cobweb and just generally get ready for using the outdoor space again.

3. Clean your fireplace out

While we are still very much using our fireplace at the moment and will be right through until November, because you are using it less you can get in there and give it a good clean out, call the chimney sweep and get it cleaned and clean the glass on the door. You can use this hack I do of cleaning the glass with ash that sounds weird but IT WORKS. You can check that out here.

4. De-cob web and clean the outside of your home

Like the veranda or outside area clean, a good sweep of the walls and underneath of the rood outside to get rid of cobwebs is very satisfying. If you have a pressure hose, get it out and point up (prepare to get wet).

5. Wash those winter linens

It’s probably too early for this at our place (but if you live somewhere warmer) you could get those winter throw rugs, flanelette sheets etc and give them a wash before putting them away for the season. Mix up your throws and pillows with something a but brighter and spring like too.

6. Re-pot, pot and tend to your plants

Lats week I FINALLY got some potted colour from the nursery and it has completely transformed the outside of the house. I am also outside more watering and tending to them and has switched me into garden mode. Those little flower faces are bringing me so much joy and in turn is making me look at all the pots I have inside and out and want to care for them more too. I have re-potted some existing indoor plants, fertilised ready for spring growth and done some pruning too. I’m in garden mode which is good – I needed to make that switch.

7. Give your windows a clean

The build up of ash and winter grime on our windows is a real thing so now is the time to give them all a bit of a clean. I don’t have any great tips really – I use windex, a good squeegee and lots of paper towel to do inside and out but BOY is it satisfying when it’s done. Out windows are really fiddly too so make you feel extra good when they are done.

8. Do a wardrobe cull and shuffle

If you can move those winter woollies and coats away (we need them all year round here) then wash and pack away and make way for dresses and summer clothes. Clear out stuff you haven’t worn and donate to charity – I recently did a BIG cull and am ruthless: if it hasn’t been worn in a year, its gone. The space will clear your mind too and you can see what clothes you have a wear those before buying anything new. Shopping your wardrobe and old classics is good for your budget too.

You might also like to look at these posts on cleaning:

The Maintenance Monday Quick clean
The January Deep Cleanse
My 7 tips to make your house a home

Or any of my ONE THING posts which cover off all kinds of odd jobs and cleaning…

One thing: Photo books
One thing: Window clean
One thing: Trip to hardware store
One thing: The dodgy gate
One thing: Old chest of drawers
One thing: Maggie gets her own room
One thing: new fans
One thing: The driveway
One thing: Window clean
One thing: Deep clean
One thing: The outsource
One thing: My desk
One thing: Toy clean up
One thing: Verandah clean up
One thing: clothes shuffle
One thing: Creating a sunny spot

And so on….you get the picture!

What’s on your Spring clean list?
Have you been getting stuck into some projects?
Can you ever sit still or are you like me?

Comments

  1. Oh Beth, I feel exhausted just from reading about all this hard work let alone doing it but I agree that it feels great when it’s done. Luckily for me we don’t have any fireplaces so that’s one thing I can cross of the list without lifting a finger! We do however have far too many windows with lots of louvred 😭

  2. The days when the sun is shining & there’s a bit of warmth in the air are such big motivators aren’t they! We’ve done the massive outdoor clean- weeded all the beds, mowed & whippersnipped, pruned trees but now the shitty inside stuff is left. Why do I relish the outside jobs but loathe the inside ones?

  3. It’s so fun to read your posts because we’re on opposite ends of the seasons. We’re just going into fall now. I don’t want to see summer end! Can’t wait to follow you through your summer and try to get through our winter deep freeze here in the Midwest in US.

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