5 Spring Cleaning Tips for Busy Moms

Easy Spring Cleaning Ideas & a Free Printable Spring Cleaning List

Spring has arrived. The flowers are starting to bloom, the trees are getting new leaves, the days are getting longer, and we can enjoy outdoor activities. Spring is my favorite time of year. But its also time for the dreaded spring cleaning.  The once-a-year task is to completely clean and refresh your home.  Today, I am sharing simple spring cleaning tips and a plan to keep you on a budget.

When I hear the words “spring cleaning” my first thought is to hire a cleaning service, but that’s not in our budget.  Even though spring cleaning is not one of my favorite tasks, I can do it on a budget and with help from my family.  Let’s make a plan of action, so you can get your spring cleaning done.

Many times we avoid spring cleaning because we feel overwhelmed.  The task is too big or it will take us too long. We just don’t even want to get started.  Don’t let overwhelm and avoidance be your excuse to skip spring cleaning.  We’ll break it down with simple spring cleaning tips and make a plan to complete your cleaning.  You can start with this FREE printable spring cleaning checklist and weekly planner.

When should you spring clean your house?

There is no right or wrong time to start spring cleaning. But as the weather starts to warm in mid-March, it is a great time to get started.

Depending on your schedule, you will want to make an action plan to give your home a complete top-to-bottom cleaning (even places no one sees – like on top of the refrigerator).

What are 3 things you can get rid of for spring cleaning?

The 3 things you should get rid of during spring cleaning are: things you don’t like, things you don’t use, and things that are broken.

Things you don’t like

What are you keeping that you don’t like and know you will never use again? Usually, these are things like clothes, blankets, pictures/art you might have used at one time but don’t fit your taste anymore.

These are great items for donations.

Things you don’t use

How many kitchen appliances do you have under the cabinets? What about all the extra make-up and beauty tools stored under the sink or in the closet? Let’s not even talk about the shed and the garage. If you have a storage unit with more extra stuff, it’s probably time to clean it out. Think about it, why are you paying $100+ a month ($1,200+ a year) to store things you don’t use?

If you don’t use it and it works or is in good condition, donate it or sell it.

Things that are broke

When it broke, you probably thought I can fix this someday. That was 3 years ago. If it’s broken and you aren’t going to fix it (right now), then it’s time to throw it away. Broken items that cannot be used are just creating clutter and mess in your home.

I understand letting go of things is hard. Decluttering is a process for me. But I find once these unused items are gone, I don’t miss them and I’m happier because I have less mess.

Simple Spring Cleaning Tips on a Budget

Do Your Spring Cleaning According to a Schedule

Using the Free printable Spring cleaning checklist and weekly planner you can decide all the tasks you want to complete as part of your essential spring cleaning and then make a schedule.

The weekly planner allows you to divide each of your tasks by week.  You could do all the kitchen tasks on week 1, all the bathroom tasks on week 2, etc…. Or you could do all the dusting tasks on week 1, the mopping and window cleaning on week 2, it’s all up to you.  The weekly planner is designed so you can design a spring cleaning plan that will work for you.

Where do I start spring cleaning?

Spring cleaning is a top to bottom and room-to-room cleaning project.

Don’t know where to start? Get our ultimate room-by-room spring cleaning checklist – Smart Mom Home Cleaning Checklist. This planner includes complete checklists to clean every room in your home.

Enlist Help from Your Family

After you have your list of tasks and weekly/daily plan set up, you can start enlisting help from your family (Hint: the Smart Mom Home Cleaning Planner is perfect for giving kids a cleaning checklist to follow).

 Give your children age-appropriate chores they can complete.  Even your younger children can do simple chores like wiping down fingerprints off the doors and walls.  Ask your older children to be more involved.

Mom should not do all the housework.  Children live in the home and participate in the family fun activities, and they should learn to help with home cleaning, too.  When they complain, you can say it’s part of being in the family, you help other family members when they need you.

Outsource/Hire Help (if needed)

Some tasks may be more than you can do (like pressure cleaning the outside of your house or fence).  When needed, outsource the tasks you just cannot do.  This doesn’t mean you have to hire a high-dollar professional, most spring cleaning tasks could be completed by high school or college kids on break.  Ask your teens and college students in your church or neighborhood if they would like to earn a little cash helping you with some of your spring cleaning tasks.

Some tasks you might outsource:

• Mowing/edging your lawn
• Planting new grass
• Weeding your flower beds
• Cleaning up your garage or shed
• Babysitting your small children so you can do your spring cleaning

Include Spring Cleaning in the Organize Your Life Project

After you finish spring cleaning, you can start organizing your home and life. The Organize Your Life page has tips for organizing every room in your home.  

For example, when I decluttered and organized my bathroom and master bedroom, I also did a thorough cleaning in each room.  If you are working on a decluttering or organizing project, include your spring cleaning as part of the project.

Designate a Weekend as Spring Cleaning Days

If you just want to get all your spring cleaning done in one big day or two of cleaning, designate a weekend as “spring cleaning day”.  Everyone has to help and do cleaning chores.  If the whole family pitches in with the cleaning, you should be able to get much more done in less time.

After your day or two of cleaning, you can have a family fun day to reward everyone for their hard work.  You can go to parks, play outside, or go to a movie.  Pick a favorite family activity to do as a reward for all the hard work on spring cleaning.

Spring cleaning doesn’t have to be overwhelming or take days and days to complete.  Start with the spring cleaning checklist and weekly planner, set up a plan of attack, enlist help from your family, outsource tasks you are not able to do, and include spring cleaning in all of your decluttering and organizing projects.

Your turn…

What spring cleaning tasks do you love?  What spring cleaning tasks do you hate?  What is your best tip for completing your spring cleaning?

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