It’s spring, so let’s spring clean!

At this time of year, when the sun finally has some warmth, the gardens are filled with daffodils and suddenly the journey home from work happens in daylight again, we have a noticeable increase in energy that often translates into an almost primeval need to spring clean.

If you’re in the process of putting your home up for sale, we say harness this primeval need and get your home sparkling clean and decluttered to show off to potential buyers. Don’t forget – people viewing your home will be feeling the same need for fresh air and brightness, so by giving them what they are subconsciously looking for, you’re being very persuasive that this is the home for them.

Here are our steps to an easy but effective spring clean if you’re selling your house. Do this in short bursts, perhaps just one room a day, or you risk getting overwhelmed, or bored, and giving up halfway through!

1. Declutter 

Take three cardboard boxes with you into each room, and label the DUMP, STORE and DONATE. Start in the far left corner and circle the room, collecting items to place in the boxes as you go. Place personal knicknacks, photos, bits and bobs you want to keep but are taking up space into the STORE box. Be very firm with what you can DUMP and what you can DONATE. 

2. Open the windows

Candles and scent diffusers are marvellous, but fragrance can build up. Open the windows and let the room blow fresh.

3. Mix white vinegar into warm water and wipe down every hard surface. The vinegar not only serves to clean, but acts as a room freshener too, as it dries.

4. Vacuum like a madman. Move the sofas, shift the beds, do the tops of wardrobes and shelves, swoosh along every skirting board and door frame.

5. Clean the carpets and rugs. Borrow a wet-dry vacuum, or hire something more substantial, and spend a day getting the grime of winter out of your house. Run the vacuum over your sofas and armchairs too, if it’s safe. Spending a day cleaning carpets might not sound like a fun weekend pursuit, but oh my, when you see the colour of the water you’re tipping away after each room, it will soon become an obsession.

6. Book a local window cleaner to come and do all the insides of your windows. Cleaning windows is horrible, we all know this, so unless you love it and have that magic no-smears touch, getting the experts in will be the most stress-free option. Most can whip round the insides as fast as they do the outsides, and charge the same. Just check the windowsills after they’ve gone!

Your home is now sparkling, fresh and delightful. Light will pour in through streak-free windows, every room smells fresh and clean and by decluttering and removing so much of your personal bits and pieces, you have taken a major psychological step towards moving on. At this point you should definitely reward yourself with something just a little bit naughty…

Eddie – Friday 17th March 2023. (Picture used from Kingshill Road, Chorlton Green).