Okay, so you’ve put it off for as long as humanly possible but it’s got to the point where you can no longer ignore the piles of old pizza boxes in the corner of the lounge or the fact your cat has been lost amongst the clutter and cobwebs in the spare bedroom for well over a week.
As much as you hate to admit it, there is no avoiding the inevitable … the big spring clean! As horrifying as it sounds, spring cleaning doesn’t have to be a living nightmare. Here are a few tips to help you all the way …
Have a plan One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to do too much at once and then losing their enthusiasm once the content of every cupboard has been emptied out into the middle of the living room floor! Before jumping in headfirst, take a moment to jot down what tasks need to be undertaken and decide how you are going to approach the spring clean. A good idea is to tackle tasks room-by-room starting with the more utilised areas first, such as your bedroom, lounge and kitchen. That way, if you run out of time or energy later in the day, you can put off the less-used rooms until another day. Also ensure you stock up on basic tools, such as cleaning products, boxes and rubbish bags, before you begin.
Make it fun Believe it or not, there are things you can do to make spring cleaning less of a chore! One simple way is with music. It is amazing how more motivated you will feel by simply playing your favourite tunes in the background. Another way is by rewarding yourself – perhaps you could buy yourself a new outfit or throw a dinner party for all your friends once you have finished (and I mean completely finished!) the job. A reward could give you the extra enthusiasm you need.
Less is more Cluttering up your home with every object you’ve ever owned only makes it harder to keep clean. Despite what you may think, it is okay to store away (or even throw out) some of your old belongings, so gather up your rock collection from kindergarten or that vase you never particularly liked and pack them away in the back of your wardrobe. That way, they won’t be collecting dust and you’ll always know where they are if you should ever need them.
Don’t backtrack If you really want to complete your spring clean as soon as possible then make sure you don’t cover the same ground twice! Instead of mopping the kitchen floor first, then undoing all your good work when you clean out the fridge and accidentally spill last month’s leftovers, save the floor till the end. A good rule to remember is ‘start from the top’ – cleaning the ceiling or dusting the highest shelves first, then working your way to the floor last.
Two words – vacuum cleaner When it comes to spring cleaning a vacuum has to be the best invention ever. If you’re thinking of attempting a spring clean without one, you are seriously kidding yourself! As well as for floors, vacuum cleaners can be used to retrieve cobwebs from hard-to-reach places, clean crumbs and lint from lounge suites and remove deep-embedded dust particles from your mattress. Genius!
Out of sight, NOT out of mind There is no point undertaking a spring clean if you’re not going to do the job properly so don’t forget to clean out all draws, boxes and cupboards while you are at it. And yes, it is okay to have a junk draw and/or cupboard as long as it has some sense of organisation. So instead of cramming everything in, sort objects into boxes or containers under categories such as ‘art supplies’, ‘sporting equipment’, ‘books’, ‘nuts and bolts’, etc. It will make it easier to find things when you need them.
Call in the pros This is definitely a last resort option but if you find yourself totally overwhelmed by the spring cleaning experience then you can always enrol some help – whether it is a professional housekeeper or even good ol’ Mum!
Okay, so you’ve put it off for as long as humanly possible but it’s got to the point where you can no longer ignore the piles of old pizza boxes in the corner of the lounge or the fact your cat has been lost amongst the clutter and cobwebs in the spare bedroom for well over a week. 
One of the biggest mistakes people make is trying to do too much at once and then losing their enthusiasm once the content of every cupboard has been emptied out into the middle of the living room floor! Before jumping in headfirst, take a moment to jot down what tasks need to be undertaken and decide how you are going to approach the spring clean. A good idea is to tackle tasks room-by-room starting with the more utilised areas first, such as your bedroom, lounge and kitchen. That way, if you run out of time or energy later in the day, you can put off the less-used rooms until another day. Also ensure you stock up on basic tools, 
Make it fun 
Don’t backtrack 
Out of sight, NOT out of mind