How to Spring Clean: The Pros, Cons, and Budget-Friendly Tricks You Need
Find out whether spring cleaning is for you and then do it like a pro with these ingenious spring cleaning ideas.
By: Erin Hoffman, Editor, CheapThriftyLiving.com
If there’s one thing that brings germaphobes, home decorators, clean freaks, and thrifters together, it’s spring cleaning. It’s a time to start anew, to cleanse your home of everything from dust to bad vibes to even worse fashion. Spring cleaning gives everyone the chance to reinvent their living space and, in turn, themselves. It’s is just like New Years, except the resolution actually sticks.
As Shakespeare said, “To clean, or not to clean: that is the question.”
Fact: Spring cleaning isn’t for everyone. While many have been shamed for their decision to opt out of this tradition, they may have been onto something. Find out shocking reasons why you may want to keep the dustpan in the closet this year with this list of spring cleaning pros and cons.
However, if you do decide that spring cleaning is for you, then there’s only one way to do it: the right way. Here at CheapThriftyLiving.com, we know how to make your home pristine without also cleaning out your bank account. Learn how to spring clean on a budget with these must-have tips and tricks, and you’ll cut your cleaning costs in half!
Pros and Cons of Spring Cleaning
Pros
- You can skip the gym when you put your cleaning gloves on. According to Shape.com, you can burn over 150 calories in half an hour doing most cleaning activities, like washing floors, scrubbing the tub, and vacuuming. That’s nearly as effective as running.
- The best part about warm-weather cleaning is that you can finally clear out the stuffy, stale air that’s been trapped inside since November. Cleaning your house gives you a chance to throw open your windows, air out the house, and help remove any wintertime dust.
- Who doesn’t like a fresh start? Cleaning out your home, from closets to kitchens, means that you’ll have extra space to rearrange your furniture. Bring good vibes, better health, and a sense of fulfillment to your living spaces by adding some zen feng shui aesthetics.
- Why not start your spring off on a healthy foot? If you don’t like getting sick, then disinfecting the grittier parts of your home is just what you need. Spring cleaning gives you the chance to eliminate illness-causing bacteria, dust mites, and germs from your home.
- Sure, the holiday season may be over, but that doesn’t mean you have to stop treating yourself! When you clear out your home of the old, it’s time to ring in the new. Spring cleaning lets you fill recently emptied spaces with new decor, furniture, and clothes.
Cons
- Indoor pollution is a serious reason to opt out of spring cleaning. According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, indoor pollution, like the fumes that come from cleaning chemicals, can cause discomfort, respiratory diseases, or even cancer in the long run.
- When you’re inside cleaning, you can’t be outside playing. While spring cleaning can make your house come to life, being stuck inside makes you miss out on everyone’s favorite outdoor weather. Why forego your favorite blooms to scrub a toilet?
- If you thrive on the holiday spirit, then spring cleaning is the worst time of the year. It’s the official sign that the time of Christmas carols, hot cocoa, and snowtime frolicking is over. Keep your wintertime joy for a few more weeks by keeping spring cleaning at bay.
- Nobody likes to say goodbye. The emotional strain of clearing out your home of once-loved but no-longer-used items can turn off potential spring cleaners. Save your tears by keeping childhood mementos, beloved ensembles, and antiques close to your heart.
- The biggest reason not to spring clean? The cost of it all! Using up your valuable time to buy expensive cleaning equipment doesn’t seem like a good financial plan. Lucky for you, though, we’ve collected the best ways to spring clean on the budget so you can clear out your home without breaking the bank.
How to Spring Clean on a Budget
- Opt for DIY household cleaners instead of name-brand solutions. Most of these easy mixtures are made from common household items, like vinegar, baking soda, and lemon, and they work just as well as name-brand chemicals. Not only are these homemade cleaners super cheap to make, but they’re also eco-friendly.
- If you don’t want to buy cleaners in bulk, buying non-name-brand cleaning solutions is the next best thing. Just like medicines, generic store brands often work just as well as their name-brand counterparts at a fraction of the cost.
- Make dust rags out of old t-shirts or dryer sheets so that you don’t have to keep buying paper towels. Dryer sheets are especially handy for cleaning TV and computer screens, blinds, and shining stainless steel. Their anti-static properties also repel dust in the long-run and leave behind a linen-fresh scent.
- Use old toothbrushes to scrub between floor tiles. You don’t need to invest in a specialized scrubber when you have this inexpensive hack at your fingertips. By opting for this household item, you can get the same scrubbing power at half the price.
- When you go through your closet, make your fashion faux pas work for you. Sell clothes you no longer want, from shoulder-padded blazers to bell-bottom jeans, for a profit at used clothing stores like Plato’s Closet, ThredUp.com, or even eBay.com.
- What people don’t often realize is that when you buy cleaning solutions, you’re largely paying for the bottle. Buy cleaning solutions in bulk in their concentrate form to cut the cost of the packaging. Just add the right amount of water, and you’re good to go!
- Use newspapers instead of paper towels or cloths to wipe down your windows. Newspaper fibers don’t cause lint or scratches like other materials do. You’ll love watching your spring garden grow through your streak-free windows.
- Unleash your upcycling guru when you go through your old stuff. Whether you use tackle boxes to hold your jewelry or old mason jars to hold bathroom toiletries, creatively reusing things you already have will save a pretty penny this spring.
What's your favorite room to spring clean? Let us know below in the comments!