Spring cleaning tips to revitalise your home

By Holly O'Mahony on 25/2/2021

From refreshing your wardrobe to reorganising your drawers, here’s how to spring clean your home and the hacks to help you through it

Lockdown is beginning to lift, and with the prospect of entertaining à la maison on the cards from 17 May, these final weeks of confinement are the perfect time to give your home the thorough spring clean you soon won't have time for. From reducing your drawers to coveted essentials and servicing garments in need of some care, to organising your new work-from-home desk and finding the right scent to fill each room, here are some suggestions and essentials for your spring clean.

Re-evaluate and reduce…

With freedom finally in sight, now is the perfect time for going through our wardrobes, drawers and cabinets, taking an inventory of what’s there and stripping them of any excess baggage. Chances are, you’ve been unintentionally hoarding pieces of clothing, make-up, jewellery or perhaps stationary you’ve forgotten about. Use this downtime to evaluate what you’re harbouring and adopt the Marie Kondo approach of asking: does this item give me joy? If the answer is no, it’s time to let it go.

The next step – the physical removal of pre-loved items – is slightly trickier while we’re still social distancing. Having a removal van come to collect old furniture might not be feasible right now, so focus instead on the items you can easily and safely rehome (or throw away if they are no longer in working condition). Check whether your nearest charity donation points are currently accepting second hand goods, or look to organisations like Little Village, a children’s charity with hubs in Wandsworth, Camden and Southwark, which has continued to take donations throughout the pandemic.

Spritz, spruce and scrub…

Cupboards uncluttered, it’s time to roll up your sleeves and get scrubbing. Cleaning your home from top to toe might prove to be the task you’ve been looking for to take your mind off the news or to help you vent your frustrations. If not, look to cleaning gurgu Mrs Hinch for inspiration, whose videos somehow manage to make scrubbing services and dusting away cobwebs look productive and energising. As for what to use, switch products which are heavy in toxins for eco-friendly ranges that will clean your home without damaging your health or the environment. With so much time spent indoors, the last thing we want is to compromise our health by using chemicals which could potentially cause skin irritations or trigger allergies, respiratory issues and headaches.

1. ECover all-purpose cleaner, £2. 2. Mangle and Wringer natural bleach, from £3.50. 3. Tangent stain remover, £7.50 . 4. Method Floor Cleaner, £3. 5. Tincture Eco Kitchen Set, £19.96. 6. Kinn Eco-Friendly Neroli Laundry Detergent, £9.85.

Service…

Before rearranging your wardrobe with the items you’ll be keeping, check for any servicing that needs to be done. While your favourite tailor might not be operating at present, services like Laundrapp – which collect garments from your door and bring them back freshly laundered or dry cleaned – could become your new best friend.

Beyond that, it’s a time for adopting a ‘make do and mend’ attitude. From massaging your make-up brushes with cleansers and washing your woolens to steaming out crinkles and polishing your shoes, see what you can do to fully service your wardrobe.

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1. Redecker cashmere clothes brush, £31.97. 2. Liberty London compact sewing box, £19.95. 3. Arket wool and silk wash, £7. 4. Tangent shoe care set, £59.68. 5. Liberty London clothing steamer, £110.

Organise…

House cleaned and cleared, it’s time to reshape your drawers and organise your cupboards, wardrobe and desk. Apply logic to your cupboards, catagorising your items into food groups and positioning these items together so they’re easy to find. Place the items you use most regularly at the front of each shelf.

Shed your winter wardrobe, folding items you don’t have room for into compression bags and (moth-proof) storage boxes for safe keeping until the next chilly season. Replenish your hangers with your spring and summer essentials, organising these by colour for added aesthetic appeal.

Organise your drawers too, using dividers to arrange items neatly and trays to contain any loose keys, buttons or pens. Those in need of a little help should look to organisational connoisseur Marie Kondo's 2020 book, Joy at Work: Organising Your Professional Life, designed to help its readers overcome workplace mess.

Keep your desk tidy with any books or papers stacked neatly to one side and plenty of space to set up your laptop each morning. Add a touch of personality – a candle, some flowers or a photo – to make it a space you look forward to coming to each morning and ensure it’s well-lit by adding a desk lamp.

Clockwise from top left: 115 Umbrella Stand Natural Lacquered Birch, £457, Cutter Box, £149, Aster Coat Stand, 6 hooks, £562, Lene Bjerre Nancy Basket Set, £179, Ledge:Able Wall Shelf White, £118, John Lewis vacuum storage bags, £10.

Scent…
Spring cleaning complete, it’s time to fill your home with uplifting scents that will help centre the mind and make you feel positive about spending prolonged periods indoors for the time being. Right now, our preference is for natural scents with woody or floral notes and soothing, aromatherapy blends ideal for calming and balancing the nervous system. Here’s some inspiration…