Why You Should Spring Clean Every Room Of Your Home During The COVID-19 Pandemic

With over 50 percent of the American population currently under mandatory stay-at-home orders, anyone with a non-essential job has suddenly found themselves with lots of extra free time. Between that and social distancing, there isn’t a better way to take advantage of the situation and tackle home projects like spring cleaning.

After all, while it’s difficult not to feel completely overwhelmed by stress, anxiety and uncertainty, it’s important to remember our homes are the one thing we have control over. While spring cleaning is a daunting task under any circumstances, it’s far less challenging if a specific plan of action is implemented.

As for how to organize objects, many people believe the key to is being able to find things, but Brenda Prinzavalli, who is a professional organizer based in Las Vegas thinks otherwise. “When you are very organized, you can stay that way because you know where to put things,” she says. “If you know where to put things, they stand a better chance of landing in their home and then when you go to look for them, they’re where they belong.” 

Declutter The Bathroom

It’s best to take spring cleaning one room at a time, starting in the bathroom because it’s often the smallest room in the home. Once that space is finished, you’ll have the confidence to take on larger spaces.

Bathrooms are breeding grounds for germs, so disinfect doorknobs, handles, and other hardware before you begin the organizing process.

Get get rid of and replace old toilet brushes, shower curtain liners, trashcans, toothbrush and soap holders, as these items cannot always be adequately cleaned. Don’t forget to wash the shower curtain.

Sort through the medicine cabinet and vanity, tossing those nearly empty bottles as well as cosmetics, personal care products and medications that have expired. Then, take inventory of what’s left. 

If you find yourself trying to fit large items like towels, cases of toilet paper and products into a smaller space, consider purchasing pieces like the Dash Over The Toilet Storage unit by Dotted Line.

Dotted Line is one of Wayfair’s newest brands, launching earlier this month. It’s the retailer’s answer to The Container Store, with a variety of products from organizational accessories to larger pieces of storage furniture. 

“Our storage and organization essentials have been designed to bring effortless order into your home— so no matter how much you need to control that clutter, we make it easy (and more aesthetically pleasing),” Jill Pavlovich, general manager of exclusive brands for Wayfair tells me.

Organize The Kitchen

Like bathrooms, kitchens tend to get messy. From unused gadgets, like that vegetable spiralizer, to expired foods and condiments as well as miscellaneous objects that belong someplace else, its best to start by focusing on getting rid of these things first. 

Katy Winter, who is the founder of Katy’s Organized Home proposes starting with the junk drawer. “Take everything out and sort it by category,” she says. “What would make sense to keep in a top kitchen drawer? Maybe a pad of paper, pens and keys? Maybe stamps and envelopes?” 

While everyone home is different, the same rule still applies. “There is no need for a drawer that is solely a dumping ground of clutter,” she says. 

Winter also suggests measuring the drawer and then choosing organizational accessories based on size and need. “If everything has a home, it is more realistic that it will stay in that place.”

Approach the pantry in a similar way. Get rid of anything old, expired or unused.  

Sort through dishes and serve wear, throwing out any cracked or chipped pieces, damaged food containers, etc.

Go through your supply of water bottles. Kari George and Katie Hilbert of The Home Sanctuary urge their clients to toss out any that are broken or do not have a matching lid. “Recycle or throw away. We love to use water bottle holders to help contain your supply.”

Lastly, clean your refrigerator and freezer shelves. “This is one area we recommend taking everything out and giving the shelves a good scrub down. It is also the perfect time to check for any expired food,” they tell me.

Re-Work A Home Office 

Stay-at-home orders have forced many people who normally work from offices to work from home. So, getting these rooms in order is crucial.

“The optimal home office environment has the perfect balance of comfort and productivity. When organizing a home office, start first with clearing your workspace, because a tidier work environment helps boost productivity,” says Pavlovich.

Take inventory of old files, bills, etc and remove papers that are no longer needed or are available digitally. It might even be wise to invest in a paper shredder. Then, store anything that needs to be kept in a decorative file cabinet. 

Approach desk drawers the same way as the kitchen junk drawer, by taking measurements and choosing organizers accordingly. 

Lastly, Pavlovich recommends installing a charging station to keep electronics looking neat and cords at bay.

Edit The Master Bedroom And Closet

Pavlovich believes that editing your wardrobe is the first step to tackling the master bedroom. “Clothing organization starts with a few trips to your favorite donation or re-sale center like your local (or online) consignment store.” 

Her personal rule of thumb is to get rid of clothing that hasn’t been worn in a year. Another option is to take a Marie Kondo-style approach. If an object sparks joy, keep it. If not, let it go.

Even if donating old clothing isn’t possible right now, that isn’t an excuse to avoid cleaning out your closet. Consider repurposing old textiles and turning them into homemade masks. The New York Times recently reported that due to N95 mask shortages, some hospitals are accepting donations of homemade ones.  

If your current closet system fails to adequately organize your things, Pavlovich recommends looking into Grid’s closet systems because they don’t require professional installation.

Make the best use of the space you have by swapping out wire and plastic hangers for matching slim non-slip hangers. It’s better for your clothing and gives the closet a more cohesive aesthetic. 

“Finish the look with storage baskets and bins for items like bulky sweaters, especially ones that have a clear window that lets you see what is inside,” Pavlovich notes.

If your room lacks closet space, opt for storage furniture like Dotted Line’s Dillon Garment Rack because it has a decorative, modern look with clean lines. If you don’t want to leave your clothing out, consider an armoire with doors. 

Make More Space In The Living Room

Living rooms tend to become incredibly messy, especially in family homes. So, Prinzavalli tells her clients to give every family member a basket or bin for their belongings. “This keeps clutter contained and then everyone knows where to find their things.” 

She suggests starting to clean by removing objects from the living room that don’t belong there. “But keep things that do belong in that room tidy. Fold blankets, straighten pillows, etc, to keep the overall neat appearance.”

If you have a lot of meaningful objects and things are starting to look un-styled or cluttered, it’s best to switch up favorites seasonally. This also gives the space a minor refresh at no cost.

Get The Kids Involved

Cleaning out kids’ rooms should be a family project.“Getting the kids involved in finding storage places for their things helps them know where to put them and you stand a much better chance of them ending up there,” Prinzavalli says.

Winter instructs starting by going through all their clothing and make them try on all of last season’s clothes. “Make donation piles and keep an ongoing shopping list for what is missing in their closet,” she says.

Put bulky winter sweaters and ski gear into storage and bring back spring and summer items such as swimwear and shorts. “It’s therapeutic and it sparks excitement for spring and summer days ahead,” she explains.

Winter also encourages teaching children how to fold their clothing and holding them accountable for putting things back in their drawers.

Don’t Forget To Clean And Disinfect

While a major element of spring cleaning is organizing, it’s particularly important to physically clean and disinfect surfaces during the pandemic.  

George and Hilbert recommend cleaning all the ceiling light fixtures in your home. “Check for dust, dead bugs, and burnt out light bulbs. If possible, have lightbulbs match. Lighting in your home is essential to give it the ‘homey’ vibe we all aspire to achieve.”

Then they suggest wiping down the inside and outside of all the windows, including the windowsills. “It helps to open the window and vacuum out any dirt and dust that has accumulated over the past year. Also, make sure to use the right kind of paper towel or cloth to not leave dust or streaks.”

Then wash or dry-clean linens. “Run items that received a lot of love over the winter months through the wash such as throw pillows, blankets, and rugs, especially high traffic rugs and outdoor rugs,” they say.

While disinfecting surfaces like countertops, doorknobs, handles, etc, can help prevent germs from spreading, remember many disinfectant products like Clorox and Lysol, aren’t safe for all types of furniture and flooring, especially wood because they can damage the finish. If that is the case, choose safe, less toxic products (especially if you have young children), like Eco-Me  floor, wood and glass cleaners. 

Remember, you don’t need to spring clean the entire house in a weekend. Instead, consider taking on one room per day. The result will give you a much-needed feeling of peace during this period of chaos.

This post first appeared on Forbes.com. To see the original, click here.