Whether you relish the thought of a spring clean or avoid it like the plague, there are many benefits to deep cleaning your house. In addition to the obvious hygiene benefits, having a tidy home can have a positive effect on mental wellbeing. Household chaos can lead to higher levels of stress [1] and make it more difficult to focus on tasks [2]. In fact, cleaning can actually have a calming effect as the mind is engaged in a repetitive activity. And for even more peace of mind, now is a good time to refresh your home safety by checking fire, smoke and carbon monoxide alarms to keep your loved ones protected.
Here are five tips to get the most out of your spring clean motivation and have a happier, healthier and safer home.
Declutter Your Space
Decluttering your home of unwanted items is the first step of any good spring clean. Clutter can cause anxiety and prevent people from feeling fully at ease when at home. To avoid becoming overwhelmed, we recommend working on one room at a time. For sorting items, the ‘Four Box’ method is popular for good reason. Using four boxes – Keep, Donate, Recycle, Rubbish – this is an efficient way to get rid of unwanted items. Decluttering is not only good for making more space, it also makes your cleaning routine easier going forward.
Deep Clean the Forgotten Areas
It’s easy to overlook the places that aren’t part of the usual weekly clean. Areas such as behind the fridge, under the bed, inside light fixtures, the list goes on. However, it is extremely important to prioritise these spots in your spring clean checklist. By allowing dust, grease and dirt to build up, this can result in poorer air quality and higher presence allergens, as well as increased risk of fire. It may take a little bit of elbow grease, but you’ll be rewarded with a healthier home environment as well as the satisfaction of a deep clean. Going forward, set a calendar reminder to keep on top of your cleaning regime.
Organise Effectively
Once everything is decluttered and clean, it’s time to put things back in their rightful place. Use efficient storage solutions such as clear bins, baskets and drawer dividers to help maximise space and keep items easily accessible. Labelling items and creating designated spaces for frequently used items such as housekeys, helps ensure these new systems are maintained, saving time and stress in the long run.
Refresh your home safety
1 in 4 homes in the UK don’t have a working fire alarm. A spring clean is the perfect time to refresh your home safety systems to keep loved ones safe. If an alarm is almost or over 10 years old, it is time to replace it. Look for alarms that are easy-to-install. Even better if they have integrated smart technology such as FireAngel’s Pro-Connected app which enables homeowners to get instant alerts and real-time updates on alarm behaviour. Once your fire safety systems are up to date, test the alarm once a month to ensure your home is protected year-round.
Freshen Up
A final step after all your hard work is to freshen up your home’s atmosphere. Open up windows to let fresh air in and consider adding indoor plants to improve air quality. A clean and fresh environment can help to improve mood and productivity. Not to mention the benefits of natural light on overall wellbeing. Enjoy the rewards of all your hard work in the comfort of your fresh-smelling home.
A spring clean doesn’t have to be an overwhelming task. Instead, be organised in your approach by decluttering unwanted items, deep cleaning the forgotten spaces, organising everything in its rightful place, ensuring your home safety systems are updated, and freshening up the atmosphere. Take your time and enjoy the process to fully benefit from the positive effects of cleaning on mental wellbeing. The feeling of satisfaction afterwards is worth it.
[1] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2666497621000643?via%3Dihub
[2] https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0003687019300924?via%3Dihub