The Do’s and Don’ts of Spring Cleaning

Spring is back! The gentle breeze invites us to getup, get moving, and carry out the age-old tradition of "Spring Cleaning."

As you start the journey toward a clean space, you may find yourself stressed and overwhelmed by the task. Spring cleaning is an opportunity for people to get to their clutter and remove some of the tucked away junk from their garage, back yard, or even from beneath their beds. At Skunky’s Junk Removal, we’re passionate about helping you clean your space, and so, to make it easy for you, we’ve prepared a short list of the Do’s and Don'ts of Spring Cleaning.

Let’s start with what you should “Do”…

Schedule your cleaning time

You may find yourself standing in the middle of your house, surrounded by chaos and clutter, and not knowing where to begin. What works best in this case is a carefully planned schedule for all the tasks and areas you need to attack. Start by prioritizing your chores and setting aside the Spring days you’ll dedicate to cleaning. If it’s in the calendar, you’re already committed. If it’s not, then it’ll be easy to blow of what you should be doing. You’ll just end up delaying the euphoria of a newly cleared and cleaned space.

Sort your clutter carefully

Junk! Garbage! Trash! “I don’t need this... Not this... Not this either,”

Now that you have begun the rewarding process of spring cleaning, you might find yourself at the crossroads of what to throw away and what to keep. It's always easy to trash things that you no longer use. Sure, it might cost you some extra bucks, but it can save you from the hassle of sorting through your clutter. However, decluttering carefully will help you find a new use for old things, help someone if you donate, and help the environment if you recycle.

Donate - Your things could meet someone’s need

Possibly one of the most rewarding outcomes of Spring Cleaning is the feeling of knowing you made a difference in someone’s life. The satisfaction you get from the knowledge that your gently used items will be useful to someone else is satisfying. The habit of giving is what makes our society work and diverting things from the landfill is one of the most sustainable things you can do. So, when you're decluttering, make sure to keep a pile on the side for everything you'd like to donate.

Ask for help

Spring Cleaning is a demanding task, which requires physical and emotional strength. Fortunately, we live in a time where we can hire a service to get a helping hand in our decluttering process. So, go ahead, don’t be shy, ask for some help if needed. And while you’re already here on our site, you can always contact us to help you sort your clutter, donate reusable items to deserving charities, recycle, and haul away the trash.

Have fun!

Spring Cleaning might be work in the sense of its meaning, but you can make it fun. Put on some music. Get your kids involved with the noble side of repurposing reusable toys and things. Give yourself a treat every time you accomplish a task on your list. Turn it into a game. Just... Have fun with it!

…and… now for some things you should avoid…

Don’t reminisce... Stay clear of Nostalgia

Does that sound familiar to you? At least once, I’m sure we’ve all found ourselves welling up as we produce old things out of our clutter. Nostalgia sets in quickly as things suddenly appear priceless, rendering a sense of reluctance in us to get rid of them. Holding on to memories is good but decluttering during Spring Cleaning requires us to balance those nostalgic feelings against our desire for a cleared space. There is room for both! If you’re not careful here, you’ll find yourself wondering why you held on to certain things at a future time.

Don’t be impulsive

On the flip side, impulse decisions when decluttering are just as dangerous as settling into nostalgia. It's essential to take a step back and think about what you want to throw away, what you want to keep, and what you'd like to donate. Take your time and sort carefully, you’ll find the right way that works for you.

Don’t clean inside on a sunny day

Contrary to the popular belief, cleaning inside on a sunny day can have adverse effects on your progress with spring cleaning. There’s a couple reasons for this. First, save the sunny days for outside organizing. Second, when cleaning inside, the sun tends to dry out any wetness on your windows, doors, or other surfaces much faster. When the chemicals haven’t settled in properly and are dried out prematurely, they leave behind stains that become persistent and much harder to clean the next time. Save the inside cleaning for those rainy Spring days and you’ll generally feel more productive!

Don’t boil the ocean

It’s easy to feel overwhelmed with spring cleaning. Be careful not to do too much too fast. Break up the workload over a few weekends with clear and achievable goals of what you want to accomplish in a day’s work. If you’re not careful, it can create a feeling of resistance to spring cleaning in the future because it will feel too like too much. Avoid the burnout and give yourself a few easy days to build momentum before you tackle the hardest sections.

Don't lift what your body can't handle

One of the biggest mistakes that we can make while Spring Cleaning is overestimating our own capability when it comes to lifting. It's good to challenge yourself, but unless you're aware of the position you need to maintain in order to lift an object, our suggestion to you is to avoid heavy lifting. Leave that to the professionals… because “Heavy Lifting Stinks!”

In the end, Spring Cleaning should be a fun activity that the entire family can do together. A clean space also promotes a sense of wellbeing. With a little preparation, a few steps in the right direction, and the right kind of music playing in the background, it can soon become a tradition to look forward to, rather than a burden to avoid. And don’t forget to call us if you need any help!