With winter behind us and longer days to come, getting stuck into your home to declutter and clean is a great way to launch into a relaxing summer.

Lists and Boxes - As you sort, you’ll find most things need a new destination. Inevitably you’ll find old broken things that need to be repaired, thrown out, or replaced. It’s a great idea to get a few different lists on the go & also some boxes or spaces you can sort different items into. Sort things into different piles as you go - boxes marked garage sale, rubbish bags, goodwill bags & a repairs box – then you have everything organised for the next stage of your spring cleaning – getting it out of the house or back to usefulness.

Book a garage sale, a goodwill pick-up or rent a skip bin - Set helpful deadlines for yourself & schedule a date for a garage sale, call your local goodwill to come & do a pickup, or rent a skip bin for a couple of weeks to give you solid timeframes. A more measured approach will keep you motivated & encourage others in the house to chip in, knowing there’s an end in sight. If that doesn’t work, bribe them with pizza.

Clean, paint and repair - Now that the chaotic top layer of life’s junk has been removed, you can start to really get in & give everything a good clean. Cleaning shelves, inside drawers, windows, light shades, fans & filters & behind furniture is not something all of us do regularly, but it’s great to do it a couple of times a year to clean for a healthier environment.