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Maybe it’s just my Virgo tendencies, but the thought of spring cleaning always makes my heart skip a beat. The rush that comes with a clean, organized space, paired with wide open windows and sunlight streaming in, is second to none. The rush and anticipation can be fleeting, however, especially as you get into the real work of cleaning and organizing. Before spring cleaning begins, a spring-cleaning declutter is in order. But the question of what to spend in the spring can be overwhelming.
What should you remove first? Do I need a spring decluttering checklist before diving into my cleaning? Before you know it, you can throw up your hands and abandon the entire project altogether. That’s why I asked the experts for all their spring decluttering tips.
What to Spend This Spring: 6 High-Impact Places to Start
Ahead, cleaning and organizing experts weigh in on the things you should get rid of first. Address these gaps before you reach for the mop to get the most bang for your buck this spring.
Drop Zones
First things first, it helps to check the places where you and your loved ones put things every day. Nick Friedman, Co-Founder & CEO of College HUNKS Hauling Junk & Moving, calls these places dumping grounds. “A quick win in any home is to remove the pull points: doors, kitchen counters, and coffee tables,” she shares. “These spaces collect mail, bags, random gadgets, and everyday clutter. When these spaces are cleared, the whole home feels instantly organized. It’s a small project with a big visual impact.”
To deal with clutter the right way, keep a recycling bag close by to toss bits of paper on the go, and a trash bag to throw things away.
Children’s Clothing
If you have children, you already know how much they can accumulate. Vanessa Garcia, cleaning and organizing expert and Tasker for Taskrabbit, encourages parents to start putting away baby stuff before diving into spring cleaning. She says: “One of the biggest things I get is a good cleanup of children’s things—old markers, broken crayons and old toys that can be donated. “It’s always a good time to pull them away first, because most of the time they won’t see them.”
Garcia recommends getting your kids involved in a decluttering program. “It would be a good opportunity to learn that children can do something good with what they have,” Garcia continued.
Fridge and Pantry
As they say, the kitchen is the heart of the home. Just as your closet brightens up in spring, so does your diet, especially as fresh fruits and vegetables come into season. But before you clean your kitchen, Cathy Orr, founder of Uncluttered Life, recommends cleaning out the fridge and pantry.
“It’s time to throw out expired goods, give the shelves of the refrigerator and freezer a thorough cleaning, remove food from the freezer that you haven’t eaten in the winter, wipe down and clean the tables,” he instructs. Once you’ve created more space on the shelves, you can clear everything, but that first cleaning is important.
Closets
Going from winter to spring means your wardrobe will need to change with the seasons. You can also split up while you’re at it, and reap the rewards of renewed space. “Closets are one of the most impactful designs to eliminate waste,” Friedman said. “Instead of overthinking, I encourage people to pass quickly: if you didn’t wear it last season or it no longer fits your lifestyle, it’s time to donate it. Many people are surprised how much space they get with just 20 minutes of planning.”
Hidden clutter
It can be easy to throw clutter behind closed doors. Out of sight, out of mind, right? But as you prepare your home for spring cleaning, you’ll want to make room for your belongings actually I want to keep. “Clean out hidden clutter areas like garages, messy drawers, and storage areas where clutter accumulates,” recommends Friedman. These areas may not be obvious, but they often cause a lot of stress because they make it difficult to find what you really need. Once these areas are organized, it becomes much easier to keep the rest of the home in order.
I personally like to tackle junk drawers—they’re small spaces that only take a few minutes to organize, at the top. You can’t wipe the drawers clean anyway!
Duplicates
As you go looking for spring cleaning supplies, be aware of any duplicates. “One of the most common things we see when we help clients declutter is an overabundance of duplicates,” says Friedman. She says customers often have double cleaning supplies, and extra kitchen tools or boxes of items labeled as just in case. Encouraging you to dispose of or donate these items. “Over-storage is often cluttered. Simplifying these categories can free up an incredible amount of space,” he explains.
As you begin your decluttering process, Friedman recommends embracing the excitement that comes with starting something new. “My biggest advice is to focus on improving perfection,” he shares. “Start with the areas that will make your home feel better immediately. When you isolate the areas with the biggest impact first, spring cleaning stops feeling like a big project and starts feeling like a refresher.”