Declutter Checklist Before Spring Cleaning (With Printable)

One thing that everyone loves is a good declutter checklist before Spring Cleaning, because we tend to forget that we can’t clean before we declutter!

Besides, isn’t decluttering the “fun” part of this daunting process? One rule of thumb is if you haven’t used it in the past year, get rid of it! 

That doesn’t necessarily mean throw it out, but you can donate it, or hand it down to a friend or family member.

Why Spring Clean?

Just the words and the concept of “Spring Cleaning” bring up mixed emotions for some, while others debate how many toys are truly acceptable to throw out while avoiding a toddler meltdown over a toy that they haven’t played with in months!

Through the Years

Spring Cleaning has been around for thousands of years and has changed and evolved over those years, but one thing remains: Maintaining a cleaning home where your family and loved ones can live and thrive in.

Fun fact about this topic: In the 19th century, the warmer weather is what caused those in the Middle East and China to open their doors and windows to thoroughly clean their homes and air out their homes!

Declutter Checklist

Here are some ideas of things as to consider when you are preparing to and while you clean and organize your homes.

Make a plan

Begin your journey through organization with assessing your household needs and making specific task lists for you to complete

• Look around your home, find the biggest tasks you want to complete, such as deep cleaning appliances, purging items out of jam-packed cabinets and closets, and dusting, and break them down into smaller, easier tasks to complete so it won’t get too overwhelming.
• Instead of writing down “clean the bathroom”, break it down into simple tasks such as:

If you’re a “Type A” Mom, or just simply enjoy a nice, structured task list with check boxes, this is the strategy for you!

Find ways to make it fun

Cleaning can be a hassle for some, but find ways to make it enjoyable for you and to make the time go faster!

• Jam out to your favorite songs and/or artists
• Find a thought-provoking podcast to listen to
• Set a timer and try to “beat the clock” during a specific task with a reasonable amount of time to do the task
• Reward yourself after completing tasks

Laundry and washing dishes tend to be the leading dreaded chores for most women, so try to make them fun in a way that you won’t dread it in the future.

Gather cleaning supplies

Stock up on necessary cleaning supplies you need for specific tasks.

• Glass cleaner
• Bathroom cleaner
• Floor cleaner
• Vacuum/mop
• Wash cloths/ Gloves

You’ll get the hang of which products you need and prefer.

After you get done cleaning a room, add in a candle or essential oils into the mix, so it smells nice and comfy afterward.

Check for expired items

Make sure to look through your fridge, pantry, and medicine cabinet for expired food and medicines!

As we build out task lists with so many items, we often forget the crucial items that don’t come to mind initially.

Checking for expired items also allows for you to clear out your cabinets and fridges so you can clean them easier afterward and re-stock them when you get more items.

Make it a family event!

Make it into a game or challenge for the whole family!

Race each other to see who can clean the toys up the fastest or tidy up their bedrooms the fastest. Children and families tend to be more productive and participate in more household chores when chores are given as a fun activity over a dreadful task.

Plus, giving children tasks and chores to complete in the home give them a sense of responsibility that sets them up for success as they get older!

Consider donating unused items

As a mom, I understand the feeling of “Too many toys, time to throw some out!”

This year, consider, when going through items you no longer wish to retain in your household to donate those items to non-profit organizations and/or community donation spots and pantries in need.

A great resource for donating, is by giving items to the Vietnam Veterans Association. They come to you and you can see their map to schedule your items to be picked up. Just leave your boxes labeled with VA Vets and leave near the street for your scheduled time.

Decluttering your unwanted and/or unneeded items will not only make it easier to clean, but it gives you the satisfaction of giving those items to those in need and allows you to have a more organized and structured home.

Be realistic with your expectations

set a realistic goal for yourself and your family!

If too many tasks on a list are making things less motivating for you and you only have a weekend to get things done in between busy work schedules.

• Do smaller tasks each weekend, find an evening during the week to tackle one or two rooms in your house, do what is best for you and your family!
• Prioritize tasks based on what needs to be completed as soon as possible and if you don’t finish all the tasks you wanted to do in one day, don’t sweat it!

The tasks will get completed at some point, but don’t put so much pressure on yourself.

The goal of decluttering before spring cleaning is to make progress toward a clean and organized home, not perfection. Allow for growth and improvement!