The chirping of birds, fluttering of insects and blooming of fragrant flowers can mean only one thing, spring has arrived! That means it’s the perfect time for spring cleaning, transforming your home from the drab enclosed space in which you endured the grueling winter into a bright, welcoming abode that brings the happiness of spring sunshine indoors. To get you started on the right foot, consider the following tips:
Clear the Clutter
You might have heard of the Netflix series of Marie Kondo, which is based on her book communicating the “art of decluttering“. If not, it’s worth a watch or read. In general, the idea is to reduce your belongs, keeping only what gives you a sense of joy or serves a practical purpose. As we age, it’s normal for us to hang on to stuff. However, the more we accumulate, the more space stuff takes up, the harder it becomes to move around the house. This can eventually lead to safety problems when mobility becomes more challenging. Therefore, allow the warming weather of spring to inspire you to cut the clutter. Situate things in piles. Keep, donate or throw away. Of course, throw away any items that are no longer beneficial to anyone. If you want to keep an item, create a storage solution or display area. Once you have some items to give away, consider having a yard sale, invite family and friends to take what they want or donate them to a charity. This is a win, win situation. You reduce the stuff in your house and help others simultaneously.
Consider Adding Safety Features
Spring showers can make getting around both inside and outside your home a bit more challenging. To remedy this, consider adding safety supports like railing and/or non-slip mats to your home as part of your spring-cleaning regimen. Speaking of making your home safer…
Improve Your Home’s Safety
Use spring cleaning as motivation to make your house a safer place. In addition to the railing mentioned above, have someone check your carpeting on stairways. Make sure there are no spots that are coming up that could cause you to trip. Also, consider adding additional lighting if there are areas in your home where visibility is low.
Finish With a Deep Clean
Of course, it almost goes without saying, you should deep clean your home as part of your spring-cleaning regimen. Consider hiring out some of these jobs. For example, spring is a great time to clean the outside of your windows, your home’s siding, sidewalks and porches. However, these jobs are best left to professionals, family members or friends. If you don’t feel right asking someone to do this, offer to pay them in return for their work. Also, spring is an ideal time to hire a professional cleaning service or individual to come in and do a deep thorough cleaning throughout your home’s interior. Make sure you complete the other tips before this, though, so that all accumulated clutter will be out of your home, allowing the professional to do their best work.
Follow the above spring-cleaning tips for seniors to get your home company-ready and create a more peaceful, organized, healthier living environment.
