Spring is upon us and it’s (finally) time to put away the blankets, open the windows and immerse ourselves in a much-needed spring clean. After all, there’s nothing quite as satisfying as coming home to a house that sparkles and beams. Here’s your one-stop shop for everything spring cleaning — from decluttering your closet to tidying up your home, this ultimate guide will help you clean your home like a pro.
1. Live Better with Less: How to Adopt a Minimalist Lifestyle
We can all relate to that initial feeling after we’ve just completed a home cleaning — our minds are at ease, the weight on our shoulders has lifted and our bodies are so relaxed that we could practically fall asleep. In these moments, all we want is the moment to last forever — for our homes to remain in their clean and tidy state. Luckily, there is a solution and it starts with consuming less.
We’re all guilty of buying into the fads that we see online or being influenced by the commercials that are televised, but the moment that we stop adding unnecessary items into our home, we will find a purpose and a home for the belongings that we already have. Use your spring cleaning session to purge what no longer provides value to you or your home. Trying out author and Be More With Less blogger Courtney Carver’s Project 333 is a great start. The result is a lifestyle that makes you happier, alleviates stress and makes maintaining your home appearance easier.
To help you on your journey towards a minimalist lifestyle, channel Marie Kondo’s organization skills, reference Cait Flanders best-selling novel The Year of Less or leave it to apps like Cladwell to simplify your life for you. Read more about our 10 golden rules for embracing a minimalist lifestyle here.
2. Declutter Your Closet for Good
Home closets always need a bit more love and care when it comes time for spring cleaning. Often out of sight from the common areas of our home, it’s easy for closets to become a dumping ground to house our personal belongings. More likely than not, if you’ve been scouring your home for an item, it’s sitting in the back of your closet. All this to say that we probably store more in our closets than what’s necessary.
Combining the professional opinions of experts Courtney Carver and Marie Kondo, award-winning author of The Life-Changing Magic of Cleaning Up, we’ve put together a guide to declutter your closet for good. We’ve got tips and tricks to keep you organized throughout the entire process — everything from The Home Edit’s labels and their super handy storage bins to The Folding Lady’s demonstrations on how to keep items organized. Take a deeper dive into the three-step decluttering process here.
3. How to Style Your Open Shelving Like a Pro
Open shelving has become a very popular décor feature amongst homeowners, especially in the common areas of their homes — it’s simple, stylish and cost-effective. Although, we know all too well how easy it is to get into a rut and to lose all sense of organization in your home and more specifically, on shelving too. There’s no better time than spring cleaning to dust off your books and belongings and play with new styles to display your most prized possessions. Designers Andrew Pike and Courtney Rogers explain the best ways to utilize and style your open shelving to have your common areas looking like new. View the entire breakdown with their seven tips and tricks here.
4. The Best Double-Duty Pieces for Your Home
If you’re donating or throwing away personal belongings in this year’s spring cleaning, you may be looking to ditch some of your older furniture, too. If you’re interested in replacing items or adding value to your home, consider multi-functional furniture. Not only can these double-duty solutions help you easily transition your home from work to play, but they also eliminate the need to house furnishings that may not be as purposeful. Take a look at our top six options in the lower and upper price points.
5. This May Be the Key to a Tidy Home
Organizing your home is always easier when you have designated places to put things. If you’re looking for new ways to curb your clutter during this year’s spring cleaning, we’ve got you covered. It’s effective, it’s stylish and it’s affordable — it’s the Belly Basket. From bathroom to pantry and gym solutions, there’s no room where these can’t be used and no purpose that they can’t serve. Check out the top five ways that you can utilize the Belly Basket in your home and some other variations that are similar.