It isn’t quite spring — but it is never too early to get started on your spring cleaning. Before the sun starts shining bright enough for you to see all the clutter that has accumulated over the course of winter, you should take some time to get rid of items you no longer need and upgrade those that you do. Here’s a handy checklist for beautifying your living spaces during this spring-cleaning season.
Throw Away
Throwing away unnecessary items around your home is cathartic. Studies have found that clutter causes mental drain, as you must devote psychological energy to organizing, cleaning, tracking, and otherwise caring for all your possessions. When you start shedding things you don’t need, your mental load is reduced, making you feel freer and happier. Some things you can toss right in the trash in 2022 include:
Anything damaged. If you haven’t taken the time to fix it yet, you won’t.
Anything extra or “just in case.” Especially if you can replace these items for relatively cheap, you will likely waste more money trying to store them.
Abandoned hobbies. If it has been more than a few years since you picked up a hobby, you can safely toss out the tools.
Any actual trash. Take-out menus, old magazines and newspapers, ratty towels, cardboard boxes, expired products — these items and more belong in the trash can.
Any bad memories. It is particularly satisfying to throw away items that make you feel bad, like unflattering photos or gifts from ex-friends.
Any digital clutter. You can use a cleaning program to dust out your digital spaces to improve the performance of your most-used devices.
Give Away
There are plenty of things in your home that you might not need or want — but if they are still in good condition, other people might make good use of them. You should think about friends and family who might be interested in items you are trying to get rid of. If none come to mind, you can contact charitable organizations in your area, especially thrift stores, homeless shelters, schools, and libraries.
Baby stuff. Babies grow up so fast that much of their gear remains in impeccable condition. Worse, babies tend to be expensive, so many soon-to-be parents are desperate for ways to cut costs — like taking gently used items.
Barely used clothing. Just as you would never want to wear someone else’s threadbare clothes, others only want your gently worn clothing — so no holes, pills, runs, stains, or other signs of heavy wear.
Books. The beauty of books is they don’t go bad. Because you probably don’t have a Beauty and the Beast–sized library, you should get in the habit of keeping only the books you know you will read again, which means giving away all other items.
Upgrade
It might be tempting to empty your savings account on a home remodel to make your space as luxurious as the houses you see on HGTV, but the truth is you can radically improve the look and feel of your home with a small number of intentional upgrades. Some of the best places to spend money on enhancing your home include:
Paint. Interior color trends change every year or two, so if you haven’t painted the main spaces of your home in a while, they might feel dated. The painting also gives you the opportunity to cover up drywall patches and fill picture holes that might be peppering your walls.
Light fixtures. The eye is naturally drawn to sources of light in a room, so if your lighting fixtures are old or cheap, you should spend money on new ones. You might consider investing in a ceiling fan with lights to make the space more comfortable temperature-wise, as well.
Cabinet hardware. It takes seconds to swap an old drawer knob for a new one, but the feeling of this update can be revolutionary. You can change the hardware in your bathrooms and kitchen, which tend to be the most difficult spaces to design.
Landscaping. It might not be inside your home, but your landscaping can affect how you feel about your space. Sprucing up the plants on your property — especially the plants around your windows — can provide more curb appeal while impacting the energy consumption of your home.
Landscaping is a great way to add personality and flair to your home. The benefits of having a beautiful landscape are endless, including a better appearance, improved safety, and increased property value. If you need lawn and landscaping services, you can check online for experienced professionals.
You can find services that include planting, mulching, pruning, and more to help you design a landscape that suits your needs, whether you want a large, lush lawn or a small, low-maintenance garden.
It will enable you to find services for landscaping that match your needs and style, whether a complete overhaul or simple improvements to your existing landscape. There’s nothing quite like spending a welcoming and relaxing time in your yard and enjoying nature.
