HOT PROPERTY
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MAKE SPRING CLEANING EASIER
You
know spring is here when flowers start to bloom, jelly beans are back on store shelves, and lots of people decide to deepclean their homes.
It’s the perfect season to dive into a big cleaning project that covers areas of your home you don’t usually get to during the rest of the year. Living in an environment that looks scrubbed and polished is one reason to take part in this cleaning ritual – another is the health benefits. If anyone in your household has asthma or allergies, a thorough cleaning can cut the number of allergens in the air and the potential for dangerous flare-ups, according to the Asthma and Allergies Foundation of America (AAFA). This year, why not make spring cleaning easier on yourself by following these six tips?
1. Make a List
The list should be simple, identifying your goals for each room. That’ll help you stay organized and on time and give you the chance to break down any large tasks into smaller, more manageable ones. Some classic spring-cleaning chores include washing windows, dusting light fixtures and ceiling fans, washing pillows and comforters, and cleaning the inside of the refrigerator, including removable shelves.
2. Gather the Right Tools
Have everything on hand when you start to clean, which means you won’t have to be running back and forth to the store for missing supplies. Focus on a few basic products like an all-purpose cleaner, microfiber cloths, scrubber, and vacuum with nozzles (it’s better than a broom because it won’t move dust around the room, says the AAFA).
3. Assign Chores to Family Members Who says that one person must spring-clean the whole house? Get some help from family members. Making the kids get involved with age-appropriate chores is good for everyone – you’ll have less to do and your children will know how to take care of their own home one day.
4. Declutter Each Room First Before you start cleaning a room, gather together any items that don’t belong there and return them to their rightful spots. Then go through closets and drawers deciding what to keep, donate, or throw away. An uncluttered room is much easier to clean than a messy, overcrowded one.
5. Focus on One Room at a Time
Spring cleaning can seem overwhelming – so much to do! But if you tackle one room at a time, you’ll be more efficient. Work from the top floor (or the furthest room from the front of the house) to the bottom floor.
6. Reward Yourself
Deep cleaning your home will go faster if you know there’s something to look forward to at the end of the day, such as your favorite smoothie or playing ball with your dog in the park.
CTW Features
Contact us with comments or questions at hotproperty@latimes.com
You’ll be more productive if you have a plan.
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