Why wait for spring to return to give your home a thorough clean? There’s always the opportunity for a deep clean at other points throughout the year! Although this is sometimes difficult to plan into a busy lifestyle, it’s nowhere near as tricky as leaving it all to the warmer months when you could be outdoors enjoying yourself.
Sometimes the thought of those big cleaning jobs can be overwhelming and so it helps to break things down. With this in mind, we’ve created this helpful month-by-month guide, featuring how you can keep top of cleaning in your home.
Don’t fancy doing it yourself though? Then you can still keep hold of this timeline but take on the services of a high quality cleaner. Molly Maid cleaners, for example, can visit at a time that suits you, as frequently as you need and you might just find that the money you spend on a cleaner, saves you bags of time that money just couldn’t buy.
For now though, check out this task list to work through:
January
The post Christmas clean is always one of the hardest, but with that New Year motivation behind you, you should be able to get stuck in. Use January to de-clutter your home from top to bottom, piling all of those forgotten items into bags for the charity shop or landfill – depending on whether you can see anyone else wanting them. If you have some bigger items you can’t see yourself getting to the charity shop all in one go, why not try to sell them online? There are lots of local Facebook selling sites on the Marketplace now where you can sell items for free and make yourself a bit of cash.
February
Hopefully you’ve got the clutter levels down in January but what February might reveal is the grime left behind. Use this shorter month to vacuum and dust all of the nooks and crannies in your house – while keeping the windows open to get all of the bugs out. You’ll find this little bit of cleaning can also help clear your home of potential winter colds and freshens up the air.
March
Things start feeling spring-like at the end of February, and with lambs bouncing around the fields March is always a lovely month in Britain. Fling your doors and windows open to let the light in and have a thorough clean of the areas you’ve missed from a lack of light, you should also use this month to clean windows and doors that have had a tough time through the winter months.
April
It’s likely that by April, you’re thinking abut switching up your diet and moving from warming comfort food to things that are a bit lighter. With this in mind, use April to tackle your kitchen including cupboards, fridge, oven and – if you’re lucky enough to have one – the pantry. Consider whether any of your ingredients have been hanging around for too long and give your fridge, freezer and oven a deep clean. When it comes to your oven, you can buy oven-cleaning kits or get in the professionals to get it looking like new, depending on how much time you have. If you dare, you can also start vacuum packing your winter clothes and replacing them with your summer wardrobe in April, likewise with duvets and blankets if you’re feeling brave then begin the transition of moving to your summer stuff.
May
We often have more of a summer in May than we do in August these days, so make sure your home is summer ready. Give your home a once over with the duster, not missing the electrical items such as the TV that attract some of the worst dirt. Then, it’s time to take things outside. With all the extra sun and April showers, it’s perfect growing weather for plants but weeds too. Prune your shrubs and herbs in the garden and weed out everything that’s not meant to be there, focusing on the edge of your home too and along the pavement. May is also the perfect time to plant up hanging baskets and pots if you want to dress up your home for summer.
June
June can be a relaxing month as long as you’ve put the groundwork in, over the last five months. Use the warmer weather to sit back and enjoy your garden and take advantage of kids still being at school to chill out. Around your home, carry out routine cleaning tasks like cleaning bathrooms and vacuuming but rather than have a big sort out, consider the areas of your home you’d like to change. Whether it’s wall colour, décor or a new bathroom keep some notes in chronological order of importance, then begin planning your new interiors sat out in the garden.
July
It’s summer! If you have children, it can become a challenge to keep the house tidy throughout the summer months, but as long as you have a quiet space to yourself that you can keep tidy and the main areas in your home (kitchen and bathrooms) are kept clean, don’t put pressure on yourself to keep your home in impeccable order. Use July to start on your interior projects and rope everyone in to help, even toddlers can be helpful with pulling wallpaper down! Work through your home methodically so that the mess doesn’t become overwhelming and give your home the transformation you’ve always dreamt about.
August
By now you should have established a weekly routine for cleaning bathrooms and keeping on top of everything in the kitchen. Keep your focus on the big tasks like redecorating and updating your soft furnishings. You can also use these warmer, hopefully dryer months to re-grout the areas around showers and baths.
When you buy grout, make sure it contains an active ingredient to prevent mould. Once you’ve cut away what was already there, go around the edge with a stiff cleaning brush and further bleach, clean up after yourself and leave to dry. Follow the instructions on the grout you have purchased, and then using a grout float, spread the white mixture along the tiles evenly. After around 20 minutes of allowing it to dry, clean away the excess with a damp sponge. You need to follow the instructions for your grout on how long it takes to dry completely, then you’ll have to get caulking to finish off and voila, a shiny clean, mildew free shower!
September
Ah September, children are packed back off to school and you might just get to have some blissful alone time again. September is the perfect month to start preparing your home for the winter months. If you have a wood burner, now is the time to replenish your log store, have the chimney sweep out to make sure there are no obstructions in your chimney and it’s never a bad idea to have your boiler serviced too. Make the most of the warmer air and keep on top of your window cleaning while you still have the light. You may also want to start replacing your summer bedding for the thicker winter options. Wait for a fresh, windy day and hang your duvets out on the washing line for a good airing before storing them.
October
You’re probably wondering how summer went by so fast, but October means a cosy winter is just around the corner. Give your fridge freezer a good clear out to make room for winter soups and stews. You will also have to winter ready your garden for the first visit from Jack Frost. Cut back plants that have died down and harvest any apples and pears you may have. This is also the last chance to mow your lawn into shape, so get that done before it’s too frosty or muddy.
November
When you realise you’ve already sorted your winter stores, November is a breeze and you can focus on de-cluttering your home before the big Christmas push. Use November to have a thorough clean of your home, change your scents to something seasonal and buy an abundance of candles for the darker evenings. You’ll soon be hanging Christmas decorations so make sure everything summery is now stored until next year and you have plenty of room for all of the new belongings you’re likely to accumulate over the festive period.
December
Find the perfect balance between a cosy home and a clean home in December. This means keeping bed sheets fresh, bathrooms clean, kitchens in order and surfaces clear so that you’re ready for any last-minute plans. As you hang up your Christmas decorations, make sure you throw away the odds and ends that haven’t been used for years and are just taking up space. Once your home is feeling festive, make the most of enjoying this lovely time of year with your family and leave the rest of the sorting out until January when it starts all over again!
