Avoid perfection at all costs. Thinking we need to do 100% every single day can lead to a messier home. When you set the bar too high, it increases the chance that it’s a one time thing or just won’t want to make it a regular part of your summer cleaning routine.
The best part about those hot summer days is the time you get to spend with your family and friends, so try not to over-complicate your summertime cleaning goals and make it an ongoing task. Whether you are looking to get rid of all the extra junk or just want to stay organized, read our tips for an easy and stress-free summer clean out schedule.
Summer Cleaning Checklist
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Know your organizing style.
Organizing your home where to start: Always begins with determining your organizing plan of action. The organizing process begins with understanding which of the the two types of organizers you are, then planning your strategy based on that.
Organizing style: The marathoner
The marathoner likes to take on multiple projects and work morning to midnight to get them all does as quickly as possible. Why wait until tomorrow what you can get done today?
Marathon cleaning is usually best for those that already have an organized home or need a deep cleaning. If you are cleaning up a disorganized home you will always be stuck in a rut of clean, tidy, organize. You may feel you never get anything done in the perfect time and high traffic areas probably won’t get as much attention as they need.
Marathon cleaning can also be great for spring cleaning when after a long, drab winter and it’s the season and time of year for warm weather and renewal of your home and your life.
Organizing style: The sprinter
The sprinter will clean or organize their homes in short segments, 30 minutes at a time getting all your projects done in smaller doses. Some home organizers are last-minute cleaners and will make a mad dash going over the entire home before company comes over.
These types of cleaners can even have a great time while organizing due to spending less time at each task.
🧤PRO Cleaning Tips: If you find marathon cleaning sessions a drag, why not try shorter sessions? Make sure to gather all materials before getting started for a quicker spot cleaning session.
Example … in the closet declutter your shoes on Monday, shirts on Tuesday. Or when you are focusing on organizing and decluttering the kitchen, shine utensils one day and pots the next.
Gather all materials needed for summer clean up
- Warm Water
- Castile Soap
- White Vinegar
- All-purpose Cleaner
- Oven Cleaner
- Baking Soda
- Garden Hose
- Rubber Gloves
- Microfiber Cloths
- Toothbrush Scrubber
- Glass & Surface Cleaner
- Toilet Brush
- Vacuum
- Leaf Blower
- Lawn Mower
- Weed Eater
- Mop & Bucket
- Broom & Dustpan
Tackle the room or space most frustrating.
You will get the most satisfaction if you start in the room or space that has the most trouble or problems. That way if you only have a limited amount of time, you have made actual progress.
The living room and kitchen are easily the two most visited rooms and should be cleaned the most regularly. The bedrooms, bathroom and office next on our list of A through C. Next tackle rooms like the garage, basement, laundry room and other storage areas.
Work from left to right, top to bottom. Declutter as you go and repurpose those items. If you don’t have use anymore for an item but it still has more use, place it in your donation bag.
🤘Rock On: Now you are feeling accomplished and are motivated to organize another space.
Always put a cap on it.
If you organize things by height such as magazines you can use a ruler to make sure you only have that amount. You would pre-set your cap number or by inches or by box/container size.
For example, in your closet you can count how many hangers fit neatly without overstuffing and cap it by that number or make sure all extra electronic cords fit nicely in one small bin.
Take the most time in the closet.
The closet is always a huge source of frustration for both men and women. In relationships, men may get the short stick and have less room, but if you only have one closet then the woman may still not have enough room.
The closet is where you may have to get creative or really think out your organizing strategy.
A good rule of thumb is to not buy any types of organizers or storage containers before decluttering.
Closet organization tips and tricks
- Need good lighting.
- Use hooks for hoodies/robes.
- Need to access the closet easily.
- Use magazine holder for flat shoes like flip flops and sandals.
There’s never a better time to get started decluttering and organizing your home than the summertime. Use some of these tips or read more of our clean up and organizing blogs to help you get going.
Related Organization Tips from the Trash Talk blog:
