Between having the kids at home, weekend getaways, and trips to the pool, summertime is busy for most families—which can leave little room for knocking any big cleaning projects off your list. Whether you’re looking forward to hitting the beach or relaxing at home, you deserve to enter the summer months with your to-do list already tackled.
To get your house ready for some summer fun, here are five tips for conquering your biggest cleaning projects.
Create Your To-Do List
You likely have an idea of what projects you’d like to tackle or what rooms you’d like to clean, so write down what you want to accomplish. This is an effective way to stay organized as you clean. If you have other family members getting involved, a to-do list is helpful for delegating tasks and giving others a reference point as they begin cleaning.
When you’re able to complete a task and cross the item off your list, it serves as motivation to keep going. Maintaining motivation is especially important when tackling large projects like deep cleaning your garage, kitchen, basement, etc.
Be Realistic With Your Timeline
You might find it helpful to give yourself and your family a deadline. Work backward from it to decide how you’ll spend each day and what tasks should be completed when. Not giving yourself an “end date” makes it more tempting to allow big cleaning projects to drag on indefinitely—and nobody wants to spend the start of summer worried about cleaning the garage or decluttering the basement.
All of this to say, don’t be too hard on yourself either. Summer should be a time to relax and have fun with your family. A deadline is meant to bring structure to your cleaning schedule, but you can still be flexible and accommodating when needed. It’s always better to make progress at a steady pace than to quit altogether.
To create your timeline, consider how long various cleaning projects will likely take. Of course, the exact amount will fluctuate depending on the size of your home, number of people helping you, and your overall cleaning goals.
As you get started, here’s an idea of how much time you’ll likely spend deep cleaning different areas of your home:
● Garage: 1-2 days
● Bedroom (including closet): 3 hours
● Kitchen: 4-5 hours
● Bathroom: 2 hours
● Basement: 1-2 days
Decide on Your Cleaning Strategy
There is no one-size-fits-all solution when it comes to cleaning your space. Before you get to work, think about what will be the most efficient and effective strategy for you and your family. Would you prefer to go room by room? Or is it better to go task by task (vacuuming, dusting, decluttering, etc.)? Either way, it’s important to stay focused and methodical. Bounding around between rooms or tasks wastes time and makes it easier to miss something.
You can get creative and organize your plan of action based on what will most help you stay motivated. Perhaps you want to start with the messiest area or the largest room first. Or consider what will bring you the most satisfaction. A clean bedroom, for example, can give you a better night’s sleep—so maybe prioritize that first.
As long as you’re thoughtful and your strategy makes sense to you, there’s no wrong way to go about it.
Refamiliarize Yourself With Your Cleaning Products
If it’s been a while since you did a big cleaning project, you may want to take stock of your cleaning supplies. Or, if you have younger children helping out, sit down with them to discuss how to safely and properly handle these products.
Read the warning labels and take note of what products can be used on which surfaces. If you’re using something new, do a test patch first to ensure it doesn’t damage or stain your belongings. Don’t forget to check for expiration dates as well.
As you’re refamiliarizing yourself with your products, do a quick inventory to make sure you have plenty of everything you need to complete your cleaning projects from start to finish. Nobody wants to have to stop halfway through a task to run to the store. When you break your momentum, it’s easier to get sidetracked and lose focus.
Make a Maintenance Plan
Once you get your space in tip-top shape, make a plan to ensure it stays nice and clean all summer long. If you have kids home from school, give them a weekly chore chart for example. Create a regular routine for you and your family that includes small, simple cleaning tasks that are easy to stick to and prevent major build-up.
Over the summer months, much of the outdoors tends to make its way inside—grass, weeds, dirt, water, mud, etc. But if you don’t want to spend your summer days inside the house scrubbing and dusting, we’d love the opportunity to help you maintain your home with our professional cleaning services.
After all that hard work, you want to make sure your space stays exactly how you want it. Frequent cleanings are an important way to keep your home a clean, relaxing environment all summer long. Contact us today to request an estimate for professional office cleaning services.