Looking for some spring cleaning tips? Good! Because it’s that time of year again; the sun is shining, the grass is green, and kids all over the country are getting a free week off school. Springtime couldn’t be more exciting – except that spring cleaning tends to come with it. Well, we actually love spring cleaning around here. That’s because there’s nothing that does more for your home – and your peace of mind – than a squeaky clean, well-organized home.

Check out these spring cleaning tips

But if you’re not ready to take on the down and dirty just yet, don’t worry – start by preparing the house for a thorough cleaning. Here’s how:

Get rid of the clutter.

There’s no sense in trying to deep clean your home if you’re constantly working around a mess of clutter. Spring is the perfect time to assess that extra stuff and decide what you don’t need (which is probably more than you think). Go through those piles on the dining room table and those boxes taking up space in the spare bedroom. Once the clutter is gone, the cleaning will be easy.

Prioritize.

A really good spring cleaning isn’t going to get done in a few hours. So it’s a good idea to prioritize the areas of your home that need the most work. If you’ve been meaning to get to that cluttered spare bedroom or that disorganized pantry for months, it might be a good idea to start there. Make a list of the biggest problem areas of the home. Once you can tackle those, the rest will seem like a breeze.

Change batteries.

You know you should be checking your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors at least once a year. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to change those batteries to make sure your family stays protected (and it only takes a second!).

Schedule your time.

Believe it or not, just writing your plans down on your calendar will actually help you follow through with them. Make plans to start your cleaning on a particular week, then block off the hours you’ll need to work on the house. Make all your other plans around that time.

Schedule a garage sale.

Got lots of throw-aways? Scheduling a date for a garage sale will keep you motivated to work through the clutter and de-junk the house and garage. Make a plan and stick to it – you might even want to take out an ad in the newspaper!