Spring cleaning has always felt like a double-edged sword to me. On one hand, the weather is getting nicer, the days are getting longer, and I finally feel like I have the energy to tackle some projects that have been on my list all winter. But on the other hand, the weather is getting nicer (lol), and I don’t want to be stuck home all weekend doing chores. In an effort to strike a healthy balance of work and play, I’ve made this guide to getting the most out of your Spring Cleaning energy. This way, you can make some meaningful changes in your home that will reverberate through the rest of your year.

To start, I want you to make a list. If you could snap your fingers and change three things about your home today, what would they be?

What I’d Change Today:

_____________________
_____________________
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Here are mine:

A more functional and spacious pantry
Less stuff out on my kitchen counters
An organized mudroom / laundry room (with clear counters)

Now, think about available time. Look at your calendar for the next couple of weeks. Is there any time you want to devote to these projects? Maybe you’re willing to set aside four hours for three weekends in a row. Add these appointments to your calendar.

Look back at your list. What feels manageable to you in the amount of time you’ve allotted? If you’ve said “clean the garage” or something rather large, maybe you pick one shelf or corner to start in. If you want to fully redecorate a space but it’s cluttered, it’s probably best to start by organizing and then tackle a redesign down the road. The key here is to take meaningful bites out of a project and complete something from start to finish in your scheduled time.

clean cabinets and organized baskets with labels

Before you dive in on your organizing / cleaning days, I want you to do the following:

Eat something! You can’t focus or work if you aren’t well-fed and hydrated.
Now, go in with a plan. Try to stay focused so you can feel like you’ve created meaningful change.
Play music or put on a TV show you like. If you make it as fun as possible, the time will feel less endless and the task less daunting.
Take a “before” pic of your space. There’s nothing that will motivate you to keep organizing than a good ol’ before and after to look back on.

Ok it’s time to get to it! Keep reading for a list of some great bite-sized spaces to tackle if you need some inspiration. And if the idea of doing this yourself sounds exhausting, ask a friend to come help, or reach out to us! We’d love to help you whip your spaces into shape in person in Los Angeles, or via our course if you live somewhere else.