Today I am so excited to welcome my new blogging friend Alison to The Orthodox Mama!  Alison blogs about parenting, finances, and everyday life over at Tickling the Wheat.  Be sure to check it out!

Growing up, I always remember my friends talking about helping their parents with the dreaded “spring cleaning.” In my home, we didn’t necessarily “spring clean,” but we would go through our house and “deep clean” periodically (usually before we had a party or invited guests over).

As I child, I didn’t mind cleaning (and I still don’t). It’s always so rewarding to see the way everything sparkles! That said, even if you’re excited to clean, cleaning your entire house may seem like a daunting task. Even as a child, I liked to break my cleaning tasks down into lists. It always seemed more manageable if I could see my progress and know what came next.

To this day, I use a checklist to plan my deep cleaning. I normally spread it out over a week so that I can do a little every day, but you could get through this list in a weekend if you really buckled down.

If you follow this cleaning plan, your house will sparkle from top to bottom. You can have a spring or guest ready house, too, with these 11 steps.

1. Clean from the top down

Start your cleaning at the top and work your way down. Vacuum or wash the ceilings first so that the dust and cobwebs don’t fall on a freshly cleaned floor.

2. Clean the light fixtures

If you have globes covering your light fixtures, remove them and clean them with vinegar, Windex, or Sarah’s homemade window cleaner. This is also your chance to dust any recessed lights and ceiling fans. Don’t forget to clean your vents or lights in the shower!

3. Clean the walls, window coverings, doors, and cupboards

Sometimes I cheat and vacuum the walls and doors, but you could also use a Swiffer. If you have little kids, you might need to use vinegar water or a magic eraser to remove fingerprints and gummy residue left by little hands. 😉

This is also a great time to vacuum, dry clean, or wash window coverings like curtains or blinds (to wash blinds, soak them in the bathtub with dish soap or vinegar). I also like to use Murphy’s Oil Soap and water to clean the cupboards and doors throughout the house.

4. Wash or dust the windows, mirrors, and artwork

Go around your house and clean all the windows and mirrors with vinegar, Windex, or Sarah’s homemade window cleaner. I also take this time to dust any wall hangings that get overlooked during my weekly cleaning.

5. Vacuum all upholstery (couches, chairs, etc.) and wash the bedding

I’m always amazed at the amount of lint (and popcorn kernels) under the couch cushions in my house. This may take awhile, but remove all the cushions and vacuum the furniture. Then, spot clean and vacuum the cushions (check for loose buttons first).

6. Clean the baseboards and vents

I often vacuum the baseboards with an attachment on my vacuum, but you could also use the leftover Murphy’s Oil Soap and water from cleaning your cupboards to clean your baseboards and vents. Be careful that you don’t get any soap on your carpets, though.

7. Run “clean cycles” in the kitchen appliances

Read the owner’s manual on your coffee maker, dishwasher, washing machine, and oven before cleaning. You should be able to use vinegar to clean most of your appliances (except your oven, which may have a self-cleaning function). Remember to clean out toaster ovens and other appliances, too. Also, clean the top of the stove and wipe down the top of the fridge (if it’s cold enough outside, defrost your freezer; however, if it’s already warm outside, save this for a snowy day).

Take the time to clean the outsides of your appliances while they’re running a cleaning cycle. I also try to wash the inside of the fridge either before I go grocery shopping or as I’m pulling out food to cook for a party. Just be careful not to spill as you’re putting food away!

8. Start your regular weekly cleaning

Vacuum, dust, sweep and scrub the floors as you normally would. As part of your spring cleaning, spend some extra time pulling out furniture and cleaning underneath things like your couches and beds. Don’t forget to dust things that you may not normally get to, like window sills, chair legs, behind the TV, etc.

9. Make sure that your daily cleaning is done

Make the beds, unload the dishwasher, clean all the bathrooms, sort and put away the mail, wipe down the kitchen (counters, sink, and appliances), quickly declutter, and take out the garbage.

10. Give your house a “once-over” (especially if you’re having guests over to celebrate your clean house)

1. Check the bathrooms and kitchen one last time
   1. Do you have clean towels out?
   2. Do you have enough napkins, paper towels, facial tissues, toilet paper, etc. (and do you have extras somewhere guests can find them)?
   3. If you’re having guests over, is the table set and food prepared?
   4. Is everything put away?
   5. Have you forgotten anything on your list?
2. Are there any decorations that you’d like to change, like putting a seasonal centerpiece on your dining room table or changing the wreath on your front door?
3. While you’re changing your decorations, check your house from the outside. Sweep the front porch and sidewalks and make sure that nothing’s in disrepair. Take note of any additional projects, like power washing the siding or painting the front door, and write them down to do as part of your summer cleaning.
4. Diffuse some essential oils, light a candle, bake a pie, or spritz your favorite “home scent” throughout your house to create a warm, calming environment for guests (and yourself!).
5. Breathe a sigh of relief. You did it! Enjoy your clean house.

11. BONUS: Declutter

If you followed along with Sarah’s decluttering schedule in January, your house should be clutter-free already! If you still need to declutter, take an extra day to declutter each room as you go. Follow the steps above as you put things away in each room.

Spring cleaning shouldn’t scare you. Especially if you break your cleaning into manageable steps and take your time, it doesn’t have to be overwhelming. You can do this! Happy cleaning!