The snow melts, the birds return, the trees start to fill out their branches, and we all lumber out of hibernation. Spring is truly a time of new beginnings. And as we shake off the winter doldrums, it makes sense to clean out our nests to start fresh. That means some good old-fashioned spring cleaning, and our spring cleaning tips for your bedroom are here to help.
Closet
Storage spaces tend to get cluttered more quickly than anywhere else in your house, so they’re a good place to start when it comes to spring cleaning. Here are some ideas you can keep in mind when cleaning out your closet.
Get Rid of What You Don’t Need
It’s amazing how quickly we accumulate clothing we don’t use without even noticing. Spring is the perfect time to take an honest assessment of your wardrobe and make up a pile of things to send to your favorite charity. Then, you’ll have plenty of space for what the new season has in store.
Move Out Winter, Bring on Spring
Warmer weather is here, and that means breezy spring dresses, khaki pants, and lighter jackets. It also means the thick, heavy winter wear can go back to sleep until next year. It helps to put your winter clothes in the back of your closet and your warm-weather clothes at the front. That way, it’s easier to see what clothes you have, and getting ready in the morning becomes a faster process.
Furniture
Compared to other rooms in your house, the bedroom probably doesn’t have as much furniture. Because of that, the furniture there often gets neglected in our daily cleaning regimen. Fortunately, spring cleaning is the perfect time to rectify the situation.
Clean Out Drawers
Our closets aren’t the only things that get cluttered without our noticing. Take the time to empty out dresser, desk, and vanity drawers. Pitch what you don’t need and organize the rest in bins. You’ll probably find things you didn’t even know were missing while you’re doing it.
Dusting
Dusting is the quintessential spring cleaning chore for a reason. When everyone’s locked in the house together all winter, the house gets even dustier than usual. It’s a good idea to pull furniture away from walls to get the hard-to-reach places. For things you can’t pull closer, try wrapping a towel around a broom if you don’t have a far-reaching duster.
Treating Furniture
Wood furniture gives any space a comforting, down-home feeling, but dusting it isn’t enough to make it last. It’s a good idea to reoil furniture once or twice a year, and spring cleaning is the perfect time to do it. For extra protection and shine, you can wax the wood afterward. If you have carnauba car wax in the garage, you can apply it to your wood, plastic, or metal furniture.
Windows
Spring is all about sunshine and fresh air, and your bedroom’s portal to the great outdoors is your window. Here are a few jobs you can tackle to help you let in some light and happiness into your space.
Window Cleaning
Most likely, you were able to clean the inside of the windows with glass cleaner in the winter. And if you weren’t, don’t worry—we’re not here to judge. But now that it’s warm enough to go outside comfortably, it’s a good time to try to clean the outside of the glass, too. Use a combination of vinegar, water, and a tiny bit of dish soap with newspapers for a streak-free shine.
Window Treatments
Blinds, drapes, and curtains accumulate dust and dirt just like any other surface in the house. You can wipe down blinds with a rag and a cleaner of your choice, but curtains take a little more care. Having the sun constantly beating down on them can make them fragile, so be sure to use a gentler cycle when you throw them in the wash.
Mattress
We think about cleaning our sheets and bedding, we rarely think about cleaning the mattress itself. But since this is the furniture piece you use the most, it pays to clean it from time to time.
Vacuum
One of the purposes of bedsheets is to catch all the dead skin and hair that falls off during the night so we can throw them in the wash without sullying the mattress. But despite our best efforts, debris still accumulates on the surface of the mattress. Fortunately, if you put the upholstery attachment on your vacuum’s hose, you can clean the surface the same way you would clean your couch or car seats.
Tip
Smelly mattress? After you vacuum the mattress, sprinkle a little baking soda on the surface and rub it in with a brush. After ten minutes, vacuum it again. It’ll come out smelling brand new.
Flip the Mattress
Experts recommend flipping the mattress every three months. Why? Because it prevents the mattress from sagging and makes it last longer. On top of that, sinking into a freshly flipped mattress is one of the most satisfying feelings in the world. Spring cleaning is the perfect time to give the mattress a flip.
Bedding
Bedding isn’t usually included in spring cleaning for your bedroom because you wash it all year round. But that doesn’t mean there aren’t a few ways we can freshen up our American-made bedding for the season ahead.
Comforters and Pillows
We spend a lot of time washing our bedsheets, but typically our quilts, duvets, and pillows don’t get as much attention. Consider freshening them up. Here are some tricks you can use to help the process along.
- Use a gentle wash cycle.
- Put a tennis ball into the dryer with it. This will evenly distribute the filling.
- Wash pillows two at a time to avoid an off-balanced load.
- If you are washing down items, use detergents designed for the purpose.
- Take the comforter or pillow out and fluff it once or twice during the drying cycle.
Always pay attention to the care label on the pillow or blankets. If the tag says the item is dry clean only, keep it out of the washing machine.
Air Out Sheets
Nothing says spring cleaning like white sheets hanging out on a clothesline. Even though we have dryers these days, it may still be worth it to hang your white sheets on a line for one sunny afternoon. It helps keep dust mites at bay, and the warm sunlight will help clean and sanitize your sheets. Not to mention, nothing beats the smell of sheets that have soaked up the fresh air of springtime.
