Nothing feels better than coming home (or waking up) to a house that sparkles! After getting through the long winter, you may already be feeling the urge to clean up, revamp, and organize. No matter if you only have 5 minutes to spare or a whole weekend, there's plenty to do to get your living space looking great and feeling more like home. Ready to get to work? Here are some tips from cleaning pros for getting your whole house gleaming inside & out! 

Tackle Kitchen Areas

Kitchens are a great place to tackle first because they see a lot of traffic and accumulate hidden grime over time. Give appliances a good once-over inside and out. Go through the fridge and purge old or expired items shelf by shelf, wiping down the inside as you go. Don't forget smaller kitchen tools, too! Knock the crumbs out of your toaster and rinse out utensil holders to remove dust or debris. Toss table linens in the wash and wipe down all surfaces and countertops. Give sinks a thorough scrub with baking soda to make them shine and remove odors. Wipe down or wash reusable grocery bags. And last but not least, give your junk drawer a look to see if you can declutter any items you don't need or haven't used in a while. If you have some extra energy, finish up by wiping down kitchen cabinets inside and out to keep dishes, pots & pans clean and tidy and shine up the overall look of your kitchen. 

Scrub Up Bathrooms

Beyond your usual cleaning routine, it's a great time to give bathrooms a thorough scrub, paying special attention to tile, grout, and drains. Throw your shower curtain in the washer or give it a good wipe-down with a cleaning spray. Go through drawers, organizing and removing anything you don't need. It's also a great idea to take a look at your medicine cabinets and make-up supply to purge anything that's expired or old, and clean make-up brushes so they don't carry bacteria or residue.

Move To The Living Room

I know you vacuum regularly, but carpets, upholstery, and drapes hold on to and trap bacteria, dirt, dust, and odors deep within the fibers. Consider getting carpets cleaned professionally, or at least give floors and furniture a thorough clean with the vacuum to get up as much as you can. Move furniture to get behind and under them (you might even find some missing items!) wiping down baseboards as you go. Most small couch pillows can take a spin in the washer for a quick refresh. Finally, wipe down bookshelves, lampshades, screens, and fans to remove settled dust and give the area a pretty, polished look. 

Declutter Bedrooms

Wash your bedding and vacuum floors. Go over fan blades to get off the dust and organize any junk on top of dressers or tables. If you're working on kid's rooms, organize toys and maybe cull a bag or two to donate if you have extra. While you're at it, give your closets a look to collect any clothing that you've outgrown or haven't worn in a while. The last year has changed a lot of our wardrobes dramatically! If you haven't worn an item in a year or more, it may be time to think about donating. 

Clean Out Your Car

Have a bit of extra energy? Let's tackle that car! Remove any trash or forgotten items from your car's interior and give it a vacuum – whether at home or at your neighborhood car wash. Don't forget about the trunk! Wipe down your steering wheel, console, and cup holders to get rid of dust and crumbs and make surfaces shine. Shake out floormats and wipe down the windows. Finally, give the outside of your car a nice scrub, or let a professional handle the job. 

Pat yourself on the back! 

Whew! You did a lot of hard work and you should feel proud of yourself for getting so much accomplished! 

While you're busy taking care of your home, LW Short Insurance is also working hard to make sure your property is protected and safe. If you've had any changes this year or want to review your coverage for savings or gaps, let us do a little spring cleaning as well to make sure that the policies that protect your home and vehicle are just as neat and tidy. Call our office at (843) 357-7493 and schedule a review or contact us online! We're glad you're a part of our family at LW Short Insurance. 

Happy Spring!