Although the winter was long and harsh, March is now upon us and the snow is finally melting. Springing forward for Daylight Savings Time can only mean one exciting thing: Spring is almost here! With this beautiful new season on the horizon, it’s time to think about cleaning and organizing the house in preparation. Over the past few months you’ve spent a lot more time inside, avoiding icy roads and entertaining kids during snow days. Of course the clutter and dust has piled up!

Let’s make a plan to clear all the accumulated clutter for spring cleaning. With just a little bit of advance planning you can make your efforts much more efficient and effective.

1. Identify heavily cluttered areas in your home

This is the pre-spring cleaning phase. Start thinking about what needs to be cleaned out by making a visual inspection of your home. Check out places where these seems to be an excess of stuff. This can be different for everyone: Maybe it’s your basement, dining room, or spare bedroom, or a few areas. Figure out the places that may have become storage hubs for clutter over the winter time and put these at the top of your organizational list.

Another thing you can do is assess the type and function of items that seems to be accumulating in places they shouldn’t be. Notice a bunch of books gathering in the spare room? Maybe it’s time to get an additional book shelf or create a storage solution for these items. Have too many kid’s toys in your study? It could be a good idea create a proper place for these items.

With this list of spaces and items that need to be organized, you can get a clearer picture of the work that needs to be done.

2. Set aside items fit for self storage

Obviously we are partial to self storage solutions for Spring cleaning – but with good reason! As you go from room to room you can begin a pile of unessential items that you wish to keep but do not need on a regular basis. you can then determine how much self storage space you would need to get these items tucked away. This is a perfect solution for seasonal belongings like skis, snow shovels, etc.

3. Make a cleaning schedule and assign organization tasks

Make a scheduled timeline of when you’d like to complete tasks. Choose the most urgent areas first and set a deadline for yourself. Consider the weather when you prioritize projects. Anything outside, such as the garage or patio, can wait until it warms up. Focus on inside projects first, because once spring is in full bloom, you’ll probably want to ignore them and head outside.

If you want family members to be involved with spring cleaning, start talking to them about it now. If they are less than enthusiastic to get involved, try to make it fun for them. Offer an incentive for anyone that completes their tasks on time. Or, hold a spring yard sale and allow the kids to keep a cut of the profits if they help clear the clutter.

4. Gather spring cleaning supplies

Start gathering supplies you’ll need for spring cleaning, such as rubber gloves, trash bags, and cleaning solutions. Figure out whether you have them around the house or need to go out and buy them.

Save some money by mixing some DIY cleaning solutions at home. Bonus: These are eco-friendly and natural, so that means less toxins and chemicals in your home.

• Glass Cleaner: Combine 1/4 cup white vinegar, 1/4 cup rubbing alcohol, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, and 2 cups water. Mix in a spray bottle and wash windows as usual.
• Wood Polish: Combine 1 teaspoon of olive oil with ¼ cup lemon juice. Mix and polish furniture as usual.
• Drain Cleaner: Pour ¾ cup baking soda down the drain and follow with ½ cup white vinegar. Let it soak for 30 minutes then rinse with teapot full of boiling water.