Spring has arrived, which means two things: the sun is finally making an appearance, and you can no longer pretend that winter grime doesn’t exist.
Those dust bunnies have been breeding behind your radiator for months, and your windows are so grimy they’re blocking what little daylight we get in the UK.
But here’s the good news: you don’t need to be one of those unnaturally organised people who colour-code their cleaning cupboard. With a few clever tricks borrowed from the chronically tidy, you can transform your home without losing your entire weekend to it.
Start With a Proper Plan
Walking into spring cleaning without a plan is like going to Tesco without a list—you’ll end up overwhelmed, buying things you don’t need, and forgetting why you came in the first place.
Tidy people always start by listing exactly what needs doing. Walk through each room with a notepad and jot down the tasks that have been patiently waiting their turn all winter.
Be specific. Don’t just write ‘clean bedroom.’ Instead, note ‘wash curtains, dust skirting boards, vacuum under the bed, clean windows.’ Breaking it down makes everything feel less like climbing Everest and more like scaling a manageable hill.
Once you’ve got your list, estimate how long each task will take. It’s rarely as quick as you hope, but it stops you from planning a full-house deep clean for a single afternoon.
Declutter Before You Clean Anything
Here’s where most people go wrong: they start scrubbing while surrounded by clutter, moving piles from one surface to another like the world’s least productive shell game.
Tidy people know the secret: you can’t properly clean what you can’t reach. Before touching a single cleaning product, go through each room and remove what doesn’t belong there.
Create three piles: keep, donate, and bin. Don’t hesitate to let things go. For example, that jumper you haven’t worn since 2019 isn’t suddenly going to become flattering. And those mystery cables in your drawer aren’t for anything you currently own.
In smaller homes, clutter can take over quite fast. By clearing it first, you’ll cut your actual cleaning time in half.
Tackle one room at a time to avoid creating a larger disaster than you started with. Nothing says ‘I’ve made a terrible mistake’ quite like having the contents of every cupboard spread across your living room floor.
Work From Top to Bottom
Amateur cleaners start wherever they fancy, but tidy people always follow the same rule: start cleaning from the top, then work your way to the bottom.
Dust and debris fall downwards. It’s basic physics and the reason you shouldn’t hoover before dusting. Start with ceiling corners and light fixtures, work down to shelves and surfaces, then finish with skirting boards and floors.
You can also use a microfibre duster with an extendable handle for cobwebs in corners. In older homes, these tend to accumulate faster than you’d think, especially in rooms with high ceilings.
Wipe down walls if they need it, particularly in the kitchen, where grease has been slowly building up and crusting over. Next, move to windowsills, then furniture surfaces, and finally, tackle the skirting boards that have been collecting dust since last spring.
By the time you reach the floors, all the dirt from above has already fallen down. One efficient pass with a hoover or mop, and you’re done. No need to go over the same area twice because you’ve worked backwards.
Tackle Windows on a Cloudy Day
Believe it or not, tidy people never clean windows in direct sunlight.
The reason for that is that the bright sun causes the cleaning solution to dry too quickly, leaving those annoying streaks that make your windows look worse than before you started. Cloudy days, which are quite common in the UK, are actually perfect for streak-free glass.
Mix equal parts white vinegar and water in a spray bottle, or use a proper window cleaner if you’re feeling fancy. Spray, wipe with a microfibre cloth, then buff dry with newspaper or a clean, dry cloth.
Don’t forget the window frames and sills, which collect dead flies and mysterious sticky residue throughout winter. A damp cloth with a bit of washing-up liquid works wonders here.
For those hard-to-reach windows or particularly grimy exteriors, this is where high-end cleaning services can be worth every penny.
Professional cleaners have the proper equipment to tackle second-storey windows safely and achieve that spotless finish you’d need scaffolding to reach yourself.
Deep Clean One Room Completely Before Moving On
Tidy people don’t bounce between rooms. They finish one completely before moving on to the next.
First, pick your starting room. Many prefer beginning with the kitchen or bathroom since they’re most used and most satisfying when properly clean. Then, commit to finishing it entirely before tackling anywhere else.
This means everything: bins emptied, surfaces scrubbed, floors washed, windows cleaned, and clutter sorted. By the end, the room should be show-home ready.
The psychological boost from seeing one completely finished room will carry you through the rest. It’s tangible progress, unlike the ‘I’ve been cleaning for hours, but nothing looks different’ feeling that comes from bouncing between rooms.
When space is limited, having even one perfectly clean room makes the entire house feel more organised.
Focus on the Forgotten Spots
Everyone wipes counters and hoovers floors. Tidy people, however, tackle the spots most of us forget all year.
We’re talking about the top of your kitchen cabinets, behind radiators, inside cupboards, under the sofa cushions, and the seals around your washing machine.
Move your fridge and oven, and take a look at the back. The rogue spaghetti and crumbs hiding underneath are genuinely shocking, so give it all a proper wipe while you can.
Run an empty hot cycle with white vinegar or a machine cleaner to freshen up your washing machine, descale the kettle, and wipe down the door frames. While you’re at it, clean the bin properly rather than just emptying it.
Finish With Fresh Scents and Small Touches
The final trick tidy people use is making their home smell as clean as it looks.
Open windows throughout your home to let fresh air circulate for at least thirty minutes.
Wash soft furnishings like cushion covers, throws, and rugs that have been absorbing cooking smells and odours all winter. If you’ve got curtains that are machine washable, chuck those in too.
Add fresh flowers or a new houseplant to the rooms you use most. It’s a small touch, but it signals to your brain that this area is now properly clean and fresh.
Some people light a lovely candle or use a reed diffuser. Others prefer keeping things simple with the natural smell of cleanliness. Whatever works for you, just make sure your home smells fresh rather than like cleaning products mixed with yesterday’s dinner.
Conclusion
There you have it: seven tricks that separate the perpetually organised from the rest of us mere mortals. The beauty of spring cleaning is having a proper fresh start after months of closed windows and central heating grime.
You’ve made it through the entire guide, which means you’re already more committed than most people who just keep scrolling past cleaning articles. Now comes the exciting bit, which is actually doing it.
Pick a weekend, grab your list, and get rid of that grime. Your summer self will thank you for it.
