Spring is the ideal time to declutter and organise your home. Why?
Because if you're like most of us you've spent waay too much time curled up watching netflix during winter. This new flower filled seasonal change is a great time to think about using other areas of your home, inviting people over, getting rid of some of your excess junk and possibly planting a few new seasonal veggies. Out with the old, in the with the new. Right!?
With a little planning and awareness, you can prevent excess waste and be more mindful around the home. Here are our top tips for eco-friendly spring cleaning:
- Make a plan - Use a checklist (check out ours below) to keep organised by task to save time.
- Donate don't discard – Donate any unwanted items to local charities and Op shops. And have a look for a local 'Buy nothing Facebook group'
- Reuse and repurpose – Think of another use for an old item, i.e. an old toothbrush can be used to clean in corners and small spaces.
- De-clutter responsibly – Sort what can be recycled, donated, reused, or repurposed.
- Avoid excess energy – Now it's getting warmer dry your wet items outside and replace lightbulbs with LED's.
- Restock with cleaning refills – Think green when it comes to your cleaning products.
Speedy Spring Cleaning Checklist
1. Empty and Clean the Fridge
Nobody is going to eat that year old 90% empty jar of pickles at the back of the fridge. Take it all out, compost what you can, clean down the shelves with ecyo cleaning refills (we suggest kitchen degreaser or multipurpose). For a longer commitment take out the draws and give them a good going over.
2. The Wheely Bins
Our suggestion is one of little effort, but it'll get the bin's pretty clean. Spray some ecyo antibacterial spray into the bins, leave for 10 minutes. Come back with the hose and spray it all down. Leave the lid off until dry.
3. Deculter your wardrobe (and the kids)
Take out the winter clothes and pop them away. Anything that no longer fits can be given away. Depending on your commitment, anything that needs mending could be fixed (learn to darn) or made into cleaning rags.
4. That pile of papers
Time yourself. Give yourself 15min to get as much sorted / thrown out as possible. You've got this. Repeat if necessary.
5. Cleaning the Bedrooms eco speedy style
The beds and bedding: Give all your bedding all a really good long hot wash. A wash over 60c will kill dust mites, and it’s the perfect temperature to also kill bacteria and viruses. Vacuum the mattress and rotate.
If you have draws next to the bed, move them so you can vaccum behind them, then consider clearing the contents out and only having items that bring you joy given they are right next to you for half a day everyday.
6. Windows
Find the cloth that works best for your windows. As much as we don't love microfibre cloths they do tend to do a good job of cleaning the windows. Otherwise, you could try rags you may have created during step 3. Vacuum the nooks and crannies. If you're doing windows on mass, you can use a ecyo refill pod or two in a bucket of water, wet everything down really well, wipe with a wet cloth, then dry. Pro tip: Warm days are good for windows, but hot days can leave streaks.
7. Bathrooms
Go through your draws and check used by dates on creams and medicines. Re-organise your draws/containers. How are the drain's? If necessary vinegar and bicarb can work wonders when put down a drain together.