{"id":125950,"date":"2025-03-24T18:52:50","date_gmt":"2025-03-25T00:52:50","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/bemorewithless.com\/?p=125950"},"modified":"2025-03-24T18:52:53","modified_gmt":"2025-03-25T00:52:53","slug":"spring-tidying","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/bemorewithless.com\/spring-tidying\/","title":{"rendered":"13 Spring Tidying Hacks for Easier Cleaning"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Below, you’ll find the spring tidying hacks that have helped me declutter and refresh my entire home. If you’re just getting started, select one or two ideas below and incorporate them into your routine slowly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Embracing minimalism through decluttering, curbing shopping habits, and downsizing to a smaller apartment has significantly simplified my cleaning routine. Now, I no longer dread spring cleaning or my weekly chores\u2014an unexpected perk of embracing a minimalist lifestyle! This approach will reduce feelings of overwhelm and infuse a sense of joy and fun into your cleaning endeavors. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

13 Spring Tidying Hacks for Easier Cleaning<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

These spring tidying tasks will make your overall spring cleaning easier and more enjoyable. Even if you generally don’t looking forward to cleaning your home, there is something special about cleaning to welcome a new season. That might be a season like spring or fall or a new season of your life. This piece isn\u2019t an all-encompassing spring cleaning guide, and you aren\u2019t required to follow the ideas in a specific order. Instead, think of this article as a starting point. And don\u2019t forget to explore the resource list at the end of the post. For more spring cleaning tips and tricks, check out these 30 spring cleaning tips and resources<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

1.) Experiment with The 6\/10 Cleaning List <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThe 6\/10 List<\/a> is a simple, straight forward method of cleaning. It is in depth enough to keep your home clean, but not so detailed that you get overwhelmed and give up,\u201d says The 6\/10 List creator Audrey Barton<\/a>. On the list you’ll find daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly tasks. Barton\u2019s list will help you establish a regular cleaning schedule, prevent clutter from building up, and enable you to break down cleaning tasks into management chunks. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

2.) Stop following old laundry rules <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Patric Richardson<\/a> \u2013 self-proclaimed \u201cLaundry Evangelist,\u201d host of The Laundry Guy<\/em> on Discovery+, and author of Laundry Love<\/em> \u2013 encourages people to stop following old laundry rules. He also says, \u201cit’s okay to put ‘dry clean only’ clothes in the washer<\/a>.\u201d In a recent interview<\/a>, Richardson explained that we need \u201cto stop following generations-old laundry rules. Over the past few decades, washing machines and dryers have become more efficient. And the dyes in our clothes today aren’t as prone to bleeding. So some of the guidance from our parents on how to do laundry \u2014 like washing dark-colored garments in cold water or using a super-long cycle to get your clothes clean \u2014 may not be necessary.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Last spring, I started to follow Richardson\u2019s tips and advice. As a result, I\u2019ve saved time sorting and doing laundry. Plus, I use less laundry soap. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

3.) Declutter your cleaning routine <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cTo most effectively declutter your spaces, you have to first declutter your cleaning routine itself,\u201d says Brittney Ho<\/a>, a writer with Wirecutter. I agree! I no longer buy single use cleaning products. Instead, I buy multipurpose cleaners. This change has saved me money, space, and time. Plus, my spring cleaning kit is paired down and it\u2019s customized to my needs. As Ho said<\/a>, “In a #CleanTok-driven world, where there\u2019s so much noise\u2014and where so many viral products make big promises\u2014there is something comforting about paring down to the basics.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

4.) Try cleaning with baking soda<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBaking soda goes far beyond raising our favorite cake and cookie recipes. Baking soda’s naturally abrasive texture and chemical properties make it ideal for household cleaning uses as well, like scrubbing and scouring dirt, deodorizing bad smells, and lifting stubborn stains,” says<\/a> Alexandra Kelly, a writer at MarthaStewart.com. In short, baking soda is a classic cleaner. It’s an inexpensive spring tidying hack, and it\u2019s great for cleaning everything from kitchen sinks to bathrooms. For example, I\u2019ve used baking soda to remove stains on my kitchen sink, shower head, and remove the grit in my water bottles. However, baking soda isn’t good for cleaning everything. It’s abrasive, so I avoid using it on mirrors, windows, stove tops, and other appliances. P.S. White vinegar is cleaning superstar too!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

5.) Disinfect your sponge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

If you’re faced with a big cleaning task and only have one sponge on hand, rejuvenate it midway. Squeeze out the sponge in the sink, then microwave it on high for a minute or two. Also, it\u2019s essential to keep your sponges clean. Otherwise, you risk spreading bacteria in your home. To disinfect a sponge you can use vinegar or bleach. Check out Better Homes & Gardens\u2019 sponge cleaning guide<\/a>. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

6.) Temptation bundle your spring tidying<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Spring cleaning is a perfect candidate for temptation bundling! While you are cleaning and spring tidying, listen to your favorite podcast, audiobook or playlist. I highly recommend the Gentle<\/em> audiobook<\/a>, If you prefer fiction, this is wonderful listen<\/a>. Don’t forget to use the Libby App<\/a> if you want to borrow audiobooks from your local library. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

7.) Dust with microfiber towels and cloths\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Brittney Ho<\/a> recommends dusting with microfiber towels and cloths. Ho explains, \u201cthey\u2019re soft enough that they won\u2019t ding up whatever they\u2019re polishing. Our appliances expert swears that microfiber towels are the only tool you need to keep your glass cooktop sparkling. And I like to stash a microfiber cloth in my desk drawer to clean my perennially smudge-filled glasses. In one fell swoop, I also wipe the streaks off my iPhone and my laptop screen, and clean my keyboard caps after one too many crumb-heavy desk lunches.\u201d I\u2019m a fan of dusting with microfiber towels, too. Like Ho, I use microfiber cloths to remove the streaks from my iPhone and computer screens. They also keep my reading glass clean! This spring cleaning hack can be used in so many areas of your life!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

8.) Remove your shoes\u00a0<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

\u201cDust is made up of a lot of things: fibers from clothing and rugs, hair, dead skin cells and even chemicals from the grime that your shoes pick up from the street,\u201d explain LifeKit reporters<\/a> Becky Harlan and Malaka Gharib. To minimize the dirt entering your home, take your shoes off before opening your front door.  I’ve followed this practice for the past decade, and it\u2019s reduced the amount of dirt that sticks to my carpet. It\u2019s also helpful to have a designated place to store your shoes. Otherwise, your shoes might get discarded in a pile by the front door. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

9.) Steam clean the microwave<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

It turns out, keeping your microwave free from stains is simple. Writers, Caroline Picard and Amanda Garrity, at Good Housekeeping<\/a> shared an insightful tip \u2013 steam cleaning the microwave. Picard and Garrity explain, \u201cTo clean your microwave, fill a large microwave-safe bowl with one cup of water and a lemon, lime or orange cut into thin slices \u2014 or several tablespoons of vinegar \u2014 and stick it inside. Turn the appliance on high for several minutes or until the solution boils and the window is steamy, then let it cool for five minutes before opening the door. Remove the bowl and wipe the inside and outside of the microwave with a sponge.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n

10.) Take five minutes and clean your hairbrush<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Most of us aren’t doing this enough and cleaning your hairbrush only takes about five minutes. You can find a detailed hairbrush cleaning tutorial in this video<\/a> (right at the beginning) with other spring tidying recommendations. This should probably be a monthly task!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

11.) Wash your reusable bags<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

My reusable grocery bags are handy because they help me cut down on plastic waste. However, they can get dirty quickly. Luckily, most of our reusable bags are machine washable. After I come back from the store, I put them in my laundry. This spring tidying hack has helped keep our bags tidy and ready for reuse.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n

12.) Spring clean your mental health <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

When it comes to spring cleaning we are often thinking about our sinks, baseboards and closets but what about our minds and hearts? What about our mental health? That requires regular tune-ups too. Courtney recently wrote, Spring Cleaning for Better Mental Health<\/a> sharing some of the things she’s implementing to stress less and sleep better to improve how she feels overall. You’ll enjoy her list and some of the items may surprise and interest you.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

13.) The 10-10-100 Decluttering Challenge<\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Decluttering is a big part of my spring cleaning routine. For example, I like to declutter in short bursts because it helps me stay focused, build momentum, and avoid procrastination.\u00a0\u201cProcrastination will fight our intention to spend a full day decluttering, but 10 minutes? We can do anything for 10 minutes. Choose a space, set a timer for 10 minutes and put 10 items from each space in a box or bag. By the time you finish, procrastination won\u2019t know what hit him. Use the momentum you create by tackling another space, or going for 10 more items in the space you are in,\u201d says<\/a> Courtney Carver.\u00a0As you embark on spring cleaning, try Courtney’s 10-10-100 Decluttering Challenge<\/a>. It\u2019s fun!<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Spring Tidying Resources <\/h3>\n\n\n\n

Give yourself time to tidy your home. Spring tidying isn’t a race so go at your own pace. Overtime, you can create a clean and clutter-free living space.<\/p>\n\n\n\n