I love this time of the year when spring is just around the corner! Along with it comes spring cleaning, which makes me really glad because I can finally put away my winter clothes, deep clean my home and start afresh!
Spring cleaning is so important now because we’ve been staying at home more than ever. De-cluttering your home can be really therapeutic and having an organized home can make you feel happier and alleviate anxiety.
Here’s a sustainable spring cleaning checklist to get you started! Happy cleaning! 😊
1. Clear the clutter
Spring cleaning has two parts to it – decluttering and organizing, and deep cleaning.
Personally, I prefer to de-clutter and organize all the rooms first, and then proceed to deep clean them. I find this way more efficient.
I suggest sorting out all the unnecessary items into 3 piles.
- Items to store for later use like seasonal decorations, space heaters, extra blankets, winter boots etc.
- Items which need to be repaired or aren’t that useful anymore
- Things that you absolutely don’t want to keep
Sorting out items this way while decluttering helps me get ideas to repurpose them. Moreover, if you don’t categorize these items, you’d feel like throwing them away without giving it a second thought!
Also remember to sort out the trash so that you can put them in their respective recycling bins. Be mindful of using trash bags. Larger items can be dumped directly in the garbage.
2. Repair/Upcycle items
Spring cleaning does not just mean tossing out old items that you haven’t used recently. Every item has a cost – the money spent to purchase it and the carbon footprint involved in the product’s lifecycle.
Go through every item from the second and third pile mentioned in the previous point. Mend or repair items which can be fixed. Get creative and try to upcycle items and give them a new life! These can be your your DIY projects for the next few weekends.
3. Donate/Recycle/Resell items
If you have items that you really don’t need – no worries! While it is important to be mindful about throwing away items, it is equally important to stick to the goal of decluttering. Your items might be more useful to someone else!
Give away items in good or mint condition to your family and friends or to charity. My friends and I always swapped our old clothes! 💚
Thrift shopping is in! You can resell household products, electronics, furniture, clothes or almost anything online. Try Facebook Marketplace or apps like Letgo, Depop, Poshmark, Kijiji etc. Last year, Meg made $450 in just 2 days by selling old electronics!
If your items are not in a sellable condition, recycling would be your best bet. Look for dedicated recycling centers for electronics, plastics, clothes etc.
4. Storage boxes
Now that we have all the clutter out of the way, it’s time to organize!
Instead of buying new storage boxes and caddies, you can upcycle Amazon boxes and other shipping boxes.
Since most storage boxes are put away, they don’t have to be aesthetically pleasing. Either way there are easy, creative ways to upcycle these boxes and use them around the house.
5. Cleaning materials
Enter phase 2: deep cleaning!
The first step in cleaning sustainably would be to ditch paper towels! You can choose old clothing from your decluttered pile and repurpose them to dust, wipe surfaces and mop floors.
Popular cleaning brands like Clorox, Lysol etc. are not eco friendly and contain toxic chemicals that may cause allergies and breathing issues, and pollute water. Even their disinfectant wipes are rarely compostable and end up in landfills.
Instead, you can prepare your own eco friendly cleaning agents. I use these three simple ingredients that are super cheap and all-natural. I don’t have to worry about inhaling toxic fumes!
Vinegar
Mix 1 cup of water and 1 cup of vinegar to create your all-purpose cleaner. You can use it to wipe down kitchen countertops, tables, appliances etc. The pungent odor disappears when it dries up. For tougher stains, sprinkle some baking soda on the surface and spray it with your all-purpose cleaner. Let it sit for a minute and then scrub away.
Baking soda
This works like a natural bleach. I use it (with caution) to remove stubborn stains from clothes, or even to remove the grease from pots and pans. It works like a charm! To clean tougher bathroom surfaces, scrub using a paste of baking soda and water. Spray the surface with vinegar and scrub it again.
Lemon
A mixture of lemon and vinegar adds a shine to metal surfaces. I combine baking soda, lemon and vinegar to clean my hair combs as well.
Beeswax
This is an eco friendly, natural alternative for polishing furniture and wood.
Essential oils
Tea tree, eucalyptus, peppermint and lemongrass have antibacterial properties and leave your house smelling great! Make your own disinfectant spray by mixing 2 cups water, 1/4 cup alcohol, 1/3 cup vinegar and 20 drops of essential oils in a spray bottle.
Note: Using dirt-trapping mats can be helpful to keep out the dust. If you use lint rollers on furniture, you could consider switching to a reusable one instead.
6. Conserve energy
Remember to use your electrical equipment conservatively. Unplug your appliances when they are not in use. Phantom electricity accounts for up to 10% of your bill!
Instead of vacuuming hardwood floors, use the broom instead. You can use carpet rakes for removing pet hair.
For washing linen, curtains, mats and towels, use the cold water setting on your washer. If possible, you can try handwashing the smaller items.
While drying, choose the tumble dry setting or air dry your laundry whenever possible.
7. Aromatherapy
This is my favorite part! It is so satisfying to smell a freshly cleaned home after hours of spring cleaning! 😍
Essential oils are an easy, natural alternative to commercial air fresheners. They have a wide range of fragrances and they help alleviate stress as well. In a spray bottle, mix 10 drops of essential oils with a cup of water to create your own, natural air freshener.
You can also make the kitchen your laboratory and create your own fragrance! Boiling ingredients like cinnamon, lemon, sage or lavender will act as a natural air diffuser.
Placing fresh eucalyptus around the showerhead in the bathroom is one of my favorite hacks.
8. Create new habits
Lastly, it’s time to reflect and make better choices for our planet!
No matter how much I try, I always end up with at least two bags of items to give away. This made me realize that most of my purchases were for short-term use or instant gratification.
I have since become mindful and I shop more consciously. Online shopping can be an slippery slope, we end up buying unnecessary items that create clutter. I’m looking at you, fidget spinners! 😃
To curb over-shopping, the best solution is to wait for a couple of days to rethink your purchase. Invest in good quality and shop more from eco-friendly brands.
Whenever possible, shop pre-owned! Furniture, books or even musical instruments are good items for buying second hand.
Create new recycling and energy conserving habits at home. Living sustainably can save you hundreds of dollars!
Related post: 25 Eco-Friendly Tips To Save Money
Share this checklist with your neighbors, friends and family! I’d love to hear your favorite sustainable spring cleaning tips and habits below!