The new year can mean a fresh start in many senses, but in a literal way, it’s a great opportunity to freshen up your home. A clear out and clean up can be good for your mental health, your physical health and even your bank balance!
Many people across the globe refer to a ‘Spring Clean’ but it’s often the start of different cultures’ calendars that motivate a clear out and clean up. We’ve taken a look at the best way to approach your big clear-up, why it’s important, and the backgrounds for this global custom…
Whatever prompted you to do a ‘spring’ clean this new year, there are some great reasons to do a thorough job:
Whether you are working from home, or you just need to be able to relax without distraction, a messy environment gets in the way. Decluttering and tidying makes it significantly easier to focus on the task in hand, whatever that is, and allows you to find and use things with ease – making you much more productive. Our brains struggle to focus when they are distracted and being surrounded by things we don’t need, or messy spaces, will affect how well we deal with the task in hand, even if that’s just trying to rest.
The physical act of cleaning is a great way to boost endorphins – not only can you burn as many calories vacuuming as you can in the gym, the sense of achievement and a fresh clean home can have a huge effect on your mood and even boost energy levels. Living in dirty and/or messy rooms has been shown to increase stress (measured by higher levels of the hormone cortisol), whereas a clean, clutter-free environment feels restful and orderly, lowering stress. Decluttering can be considered therapeutic and a clear, clean environment, especially in your bedroom, can even lead to improved sleep.
Good hygiene and sanitation has proven to be key in protecting populations across the globe. Although most developed countries have long left behind the diseases that are spread through poor hygiene, modern advice to still to practice good hygiene and keep a clean living environment to protect your household from any common illnesses such as stomach bugs or colds.
The air quality in our homes has been a growing issue as we discover the negative impact of modern living. As well as allergens that accumulate over winter, using fires, lighting candles, and even using strong cleaning products all have a negative impact on our homes’ air quality. Ventilating while you have a deep clean (with natural products!) will vastly improve the air quality in your home and can even minimise the symptoms of allergies such as asthmas.
It’s unlikely to be the driving force behind a Spring Clean, but if you are embracing a declutter, it’s never been easier to make money from your unwanted items. Apart from the juggernaut online sales sites such as Ebay, there are numerous specialist sites that will buy anything from old mobile phones to vintage records (oh, and of course old cars!). A big clear out is the ideal opportunity to make some money on the side and maybe even treat yourself to a new vacuum cleaner…
As well as making money, if you do a proper deep clean you might even find money! The back of the sofa, ‘that’ kitchen drawer, or the pockets of the coat you haven’t had cleaned, could all be home to coins and even the odd forgotten note.
Keeping a clean and tidy home can even save you money. If you manage to establish a regular cleaning routine, you will invariably use less cleaning materials. Keeping appliances and furniture clean and functioning also means they are less likely to need replacing.
We’re not going to give you specific cleaning tips – there’s Mrs Hinch for that! This is simply a useful guide for the process to go through, to make sure you get the most out of your clean up and clear out.
Before you start, think about the time and energy you have available – tackling your entire house and outdoor space, if you have one, would be a huge task in most people’s homes. If it feels overwhelming, you can still benefit from targeting one room at a time, or even just a small area of your home, such as your wardrobe, desk space, shed or the cupboard under the stairs. You can also get your family or friends involved if you need a hand, which can be very useful if you struggle to let things go and need a second opinion, or you need a bit of extra muscle for lifting or cleaning!
It’s the current fad, but there’s a reason it’s become so popular to declutter – the more stuff we have, the more stress we generally carry. The mantra is supposed to be along the lines of ‘if you don’t love it or need it, you shouldn’t keep it’. It might sound scary if you are the type of person that can get sentimental over an old pencil, but there’s a huge amount of relief when you get rid of things you don’t really need, especially when they can have a happy new home, or make you a little money!
We recommend going through your home, or whichever smaller area you’ve decided to tackle, selecting whatever you no longer need or use and either donate, sell or recycle it.
If you do have to dispose of anything then make sure you do so responsibly – anything with batteries or larger items may need to go in a special bin or have a collection arranged. If you’ve made it as far as outside your front door and your old wheels need to go, remember we can give you an instant quote online, collect your old car for free and at a time to suit you.
After you’ve had a clear out, the best way to enjoy your new-found space is to organise your belongings so everything is easy to find and use. It’s worth investing in storage solutions if you need them and there are hundreds of easy guides to clever methods of folding clothes, storing makeup, displaying books and labelling food containers, all over the web. Simply making sure all your cleaning products are in one place, or all your documents are filed properly, can make a massive difference to the ease in which you can just live everyday life and make the most of your free time.
Once you’ve de-cluttered and organised your space, it’s the best time for that deep clean. To really make a difference, uncover and clean the places you might usually over-look. Whether it’s wiping down your skirting boards, cleaning your light fittings, scrubbing the bathroom grout, tackling the back of the fridge shelves, rotating your mattress, or getting down to face whatever is lurking under the sofa! Move and clean behind furniture wherever it’s safe to do so and wash or take to the cleaners the larger material items that tend to get overlooked – bed throws, curtains and washable rugs.
There are lots of professional services for things like carpet washing, oven cleaning and other large home chores we rarely have time to tackle. But if something really needs a step up from your usual cleaning equipment, and you don’t want to have to pay someone else, you can also hire equipment like carpet cleaning machines that are very effective. You could even ask a local friend or family member if they want to share the hire charge with you and make the most of using the equipment as well as splitting the cost.
One specific area of your home that can have a huge impact on your environment is your windows – not only can windows get far dirtier inside than you might imagine, you’ll maximise the light coming in your home by giving them a thorough clean and polish.
Don’t forget your outdoor space when it comes to your big clear out and clean up. We’ve already reminded you about considering whether it’s time to get rid of your old car and the more you look around the more you’ll find – the kids’ old scooters, that rusty BBQ, or the warped garden furniture you meant to take to the tip last year. Go through the same de-clutter, organise and clean process you would for inside and it will be much easier to keep on top of and enjoy the space moving forwards, whether it’s a small yard or a large garden.
Maintenance checksWhile you are clearing out and cleaning it’s the ideal opportunity to do household maintenance checks. It might be the time to book in your house alarm service, or replace batteries in your smoke alarms. Your fridge filter may need replacing or your vacuum cleaner may need a service. Is it a while since you emptied your toaster of excess crumbs, checked the Carbon Monoxide sensor, or WD40’d the hinges on that squeaky door? By doing these checks and small fixes during your big clear up, you’re less likely to forget things and it will be a fresh and safe start to your year with everything working as it should – saving yourself time and stress in the future.
It’s great once you’ve finished your clear out and clean up, but after all the effort you’ve put in, what feels even better is keeping on top of it and maintaining your lovely new space! A simple plan and allotting small chores to others if you share your home, makes it much easier to keep everywhere clean and tidy. Preventing clutter and dirt from accumulating not only makes all your cleaning easier, but it also means future spring cleans are much more manageable.
you are far more likely to stick to anything that becomes part of your normal routine, so make sure your plan is realistic.
If you haven’t managed everything on these lists – whether that’s other rooms that need to be de-cluttered, or some bigger items such as sofas that still need cleaning, set yourself some goals for throughout the year – it helps you stay motivated.
These are some of the possible origins of our ‘Spring Clean’ rituals and the cultural and religious traditions still practiced around the world today:
Guatemalans observe Quema del Diablo at the end of each year. Familiar Christmas activities including decorating houses with trees and lights as well as a man in a red suit. However, he’s not Santa Claus, he is supposed to depict the devil who hide in piles of junk and in corners! So, on December 7th, to rid their houses of the devil, Guatamalans thoroughly clean their house and sweep all of their garbage outdoors into a huge pile where it’s set ablaze. Some cities have communal Quema del Diablo bonfires with music and fireworks. It’s certainly one way to get everyone involved in an enthusiastic ‘Spring’ clean, but clearly this tradition is centered around spiritual cleanliness.
Spring cleaning is often linked to the Jewish tradition of cleaning in preparation of Passover in April, which celebrates the ancient Israelites’ freedom from slavery in Egypt. According to the Book of Exodus, they had to leave before their bread could rise, so the Torah proscribes that no leavened products, known as chametz, be present at all throughout the holiday. Jewish homes are thoroughly cleaned to be sure that even the tiniest speck of grain is gone, with a candlelight hunt for any remaining chametz the night before Passover.
New Year’s Day falls during the spring months on many Asian calendars. On April 13th a two-day festival starts in Thailand called Songkran. This time is used to give houses a good deep clean, paying particular attention to any images or statues of Buddha in homes or at shrines. During Songkran parades, people throw water mixed with perfume and herbs at images of Buddha to ritually cleanse them, which is supposed to bring blessings and good luck for the new year.
The first day of the Persian calendar, and Spring, is home to the holiday known as Nowruz, which is celebrated across the Middle East and Central Asia. Before Nowruz celebrations can begin, a spring cleaning ritual known as Khaneh-Tekani has to take place, which translates as ‘shaking-house’ and not only means physically cleaning your house but also getting rid of the past and of evil spirits. The entire house and every single item within it is cleaned thoroughly inside and out for two weeks by the whole family.
The Chinese New Year is celebrated across the globe. Ninyabaat, which translates as ‘wash away the dirt’ is held on the 28th day of the 12th month in readiness for the New Year. Cleaning your home is supposed to rid it of the bad luck of the past year – literally sweeping in the direction of and taking any rubbish out of the back door. The cleaning prepares a house ready to fill with good luck in the new year, entering through the front door! Cleaning tools are all put away for the first few days of the new year to ensure good fortune isn’t swept away.
Across much of Northern Europe, the Catholic tradition of wiping the altar and surroundings on Maundy Thursday, before Good Friday during Easter, may well have led to annual domestic cleaning throughout Christian communities. The wider practise of ‘Spring Cleaning’ as time moved on, and as far away as North America, probably developed more practically because as winter turned to spring, it would be the first time in the year when the weather was mild enough to air a house thoroughly, but cool enough to avoid letting in insects. People could stop heating their homes and they would want to get rid of soot and ash marks. Laundry and could be aired outdoors and there would be more light hours in the day to carry out all these tasks. With modern appliances, certainly in the UK and Ireland, the expression ‘Spring Clean’ has turned into a description of a home’s deep clean at any time and clearly the new year is an almost instinctual opportunity for a fresh start, in every sense.
Whether your motivation for a new year spring clean has come from a cultural tradition, the need for a tangible fresh start, or because you’re trying to improve your health, we wish you every success for your big clear up. Hopefully our guides and info will help you tackle whatever space needs your attention effectively and don’t forget we can help if there’s an old car outside too! A spring clean can help a home and its occupants feel truly rejuvenated and revitalised so here’s to your clear out and clean up and a fantastic new year!
