Spring has sprung, signaling the start of the spring cleaning season. With tasks ranging from decluttering to scrubbing floors and washing walls the deep cleaning process can often feel daunting, leaving one uncertain where to start. 

While a few might dread the chore of deep cleaning, there are those who eagerly roll up their sleeves and dig right in. Anita Broccolo is a meticulous organizer, and a self-proclaimed ‘Neat Freak,’ she shares some of her top cleaning strategies and recommends starting the process with decluttering. 

DECLUTTER: 

“Basically you just sort them into keep, donate, or toss piles. Anything you haven't used in a while, either donate it, if it's usable, or if it's pretty much done, you just toss it."

DEEP CLEAN: 

After the decluttering is complete, Anita explains that this is when she begins her deep cleaning. “I begin in the bedrooms because I take all the sheets off the beds, I get them in the wash. I push the beds up against the wall and vacuum and start the carpet cleaning. I also wash the walls, the windows, take the blinds off, take the screens off the windows, and I usually take all my screens and throw them in the bathtub and make soapy water and then I use the shower head to wash them all and scrub them down. I wash the windows, the baseboards, and around the door frame. I work my way from bedrooms to bigger areas and then I go to the living room, and I do the same with the windows and the walls in there.” 

While some opt to kick off their spring cleaning endeavors in higher-traffic areas like the kitchen or living room, initiating the process in the bedrooms can offer distinct benefits. Starting here can quickly create a sense of accomplishment, serving as a motivator to continue on with other tasks. Anita highlights that tackling the smaller rooms initially enables her to declutter efficiently, thereby freeing up space and allowing her to complete the decluttering process in a more open space such as the kitchen or garage.

ONE ROOM AT A TIME: 

Anita also mentioned that while she cleans, she turns on some music and focuses on one room at a time before moving on to clean the next one, as this helps her to keep focused. Her favourite cleaning products are non-toxic natural organic cleaners as some cleaning formulas give her headaches. 

TOTES/BOXES: 

Anita recommends having totes or boxes on hand to divide the clutter into its appropriate categories, such as toss, keep, and donate, and when you’re finished your deep cleaning take the remaining clutter in the totes and sort through it in one of the larger rooms or the garage.  

MOTIVATING THE UNMOTIVATED: 

For individuals facing challenges in completing their spring cleaning tasks, experts suggest setting a 20-minute timer to gauge progress. Breaking down the cleaning process into manageable segments alleviates the overwhelming feeling of tackling the entire house at once, and also serves as a motivating factor, as it's remarkable how much can be achieved in a short time frame. 

Additionally, psychologists report that a clean and clutter-free environment benefits a person's mental health. A clean home is reported to be less stressful, and the cleaning process gets people moving and can create a sense of accomplishment.