10 Things To Do: Spring Cleaning

I always get very excited about spring cleaning and storage. I do!

I think that by the time you’ve reached a certain age, you should have learned how to declutter like a pro. I see too many of these strange people on those horrible hoarder shows where they’ve got cat urine-stained newspapers from the 1980s.

At some point in your life, you’re going to have to look at all the clutter around you and tell yourself this is not hygienic, this is not expedient, nor conducive to how I want to live my life.

My big thing is that I love space and I love a sense of space around me. We don’t have a big home so it’s not as though we’re living on South Fork, but I do love the sense of luxury of not having clutter around me.

I’m not the kind of person who will store and hoard everything way beyond its expiry date. I’m the kind of person who will take a cloth soaked in bleach and wipe everything into a packet and throw it away as soon as possible. If something is coming to the end of its usefulness, or about to expire, or if it can’t be repurposed or recycled, it’s going to get tossed.

I’m quite ruthless with most things in my home, from a single cupboard or room. I can mentally do an audit of what needs to stay, what needs to go, what we have used, what we have not ever used, and what we are unlikely to use.
My top tips for anybody who is thinking about decluttering, I recommend starting today. Or start this weekend.

I saw friends posting on social media that they weren’t ready to do their spring cleaning or decluttering in the first week of the new year, but I cannot think of a better time. I think start today and start small so you don’t have to overwhelm yourself. Just start by doing one cupboard, one shelf or one room at a time because the wonderful thing about progress every little step contributes towards progress. (I’m saying that slowly because I can’t believe I just thought of that myself!)

I always embrace the three-pile rule. Sort out everything into what you want to keep, donate, or discard.

I know a lot of times people think they can take stuff to a second-hand shop to get some money for it but in my experience, you can never get money out of second-hand shops. Certainly not money that you can feel between your fingers.

I recall a while ago taking a lot of stuff to certain second-hand stores – I don’t want to mention any names but you often see them advertising on television, and I always get that stock standard response, “Oh we don’t like kitchen equipment! Oh, we don’t like digital equipment. Oh, we don’t like this and we don’t like that!”

I’ve found the best thing to do if you’re looking at getting rid of anything that is good enough to sell is to donate it to a charity or a well-deserving organisation that can benefit from it. If not for reselling, at least donating it or giving it to somebody who is in greater need.

I find that when you are looking at selling your second-hand stuff for next to nothing- not exaggerating, I had some kitchen appliances that were R2,000 each and in pretty good condition because I rarely used them, but when I took them to second-hand shops, they were offering 50 bucks. I thought that’s a bit of a smack in the face, and I would rather give it to somebody who can use it.

I see a lot of people want to throw out their clothes and donate them to charity, and I’m just surprised that they expect some poor desperate homeless person to look that sad and pathetic.

If it’s dirty, stained, and has zero sentimental value, then burn it or throw it away. Don’t give away your second-hand tat, but if it is in good condition, by all means, find a deserving organisation.

I follow a couple of community organisations on Facebook, you’ll be surprised at the stuff that people are looking for. Be a better Christian and give your stuff to somebody you can actually use and take pride in it as opposed to trying to get a few last-minute shekels out of everything.

My big thing about spring cleaning is it gives you an opportunity to deep clean. I am the kind of person who gets excited about buying cleaning products and cleaning materials. I get excited about it because to me it’s like playtime.

I’m also a big fan of embracing natural cleaners, so consider doing a Google search to see what you can clean with vinegar and baking soda, which I think are powerful, eco-friendly cleaning agents. At least you know that they are made out of natural products that you would actually eat.

I’ve discovered this wonderful trick. Instead of buying air fresheners, I take essential oils, put them into a little jar or a container and then I top it up with vodka. Vodka is wonderful because it evaporates, and then as the vodka evaporates, it carries all the fragrances of the essential oils throughout your home.

Without digressing too much, different essential oils have different temperatures at which they evaporate so now and again when I walk around the house or walk through a room I’ll pick up a fragrance of something citrusy, something woody, or something floral… and I wonder where is that aroma coming from I remember the essential oils that bottle of vodka that I thought I’m never going to drink.

The great thing about vodka you can also use it as a pre-cleanser to remove sweat stains and odours from clothes. If you get advanced, you can spritz it around the house because it not only sanitises and deodorises. Never throw away a good bottle of vodka!

My next big thing is getting storage savvy. The best thing about cleaning up the space in which you dwell you suddenly realise all those hidden nooks and crannies that can be maximised for storage. I don’t know when you’re emptying cupboards, you realise this cupboard could be put to better use, and when you look underneath the bed you see oh, you’ve got all this space. So when I was cleaning out over the December holiday,s I noticed I’d got a lot of suitcases taking up a lot of space in the top of my cupboards and I don’t want to throw away the suitcases because they’re quite good suitcases, but at the same time, I’m never going to use them unless I’m travelling.

It was just the other day, I was looking at the cat who always hides under the bed when there’s thunder and lightning, and I thought all the storage space it is perfect for storing stuff in suitcases that will fit under the beds. So I always say get creative and get excited about spring cleaning and freeing up storage in your home.

A couple of tips: I always start from top to bottom because I cannot handle a dirty ceiling or a dirty pelmet- even worse when I see people vacuuming and cleaning their floors before they dust. Dust from top to bottom, and then clean everything and always open your windows. I’m one of those people, the minute I wake u,p before I make coffee, I open the windows because I need fresh air. I need that energy. Some people’s homes just smell bad, and that’s because they never open their windows, but we’re not going to judge.

10 Things to Get Ready for Spring

Spring is a time for renewal and fresh starts. Here are ten things you can do to prepare for the warmer months:

• Spring Cleaning: Declutter your home and give it a deep clean.
• Garden Preparation: Prune trees and shrubs, prepare flower beds, and plan your garden.
• Wardrobe Update: Pack away winter clothes and bring out lighter fabrics.
• Home Maintenance: Check for any damage caused by winter and make necessary repairs.
• Health and Wellness: Start a new workout routine or try a spring detox.
• Outdoor Spaces: Clean and organise your patio or balcony.
• Declutter Digital Life: Organise your computer and phone.
• Financial Refresh: Review your budget and set new financial goals.
• Plan Spring Activities: Explore outdoor activities, festivals, or events.
• Mindful Reset: Practice mindfulness and gratitude to embrace the new season.

We are just going to recommend starting to clean yourself and your home because you want to bring all that positive energy to yourself and your surroundings in the new year.