As spring approaches so do the urge to tidy up preparing for an active summer. But, spring cleaning is about more than just picking up clutter and doing your regular chores. It is about performing a thorough deep clean of your home and storage unit. Here are a few tips to make your spring cleaning more efficient and secure.

  • Storage Preparation – Before you can begin to store away all of those winter garments and toys, you first need to have a place to store them. That’s why the first step to spring cleaning is to go through all of your storage locations both at home and off-site organizing and purging those items that may have been tossed in while you were rushing around living your daily life. This provides you with a clean organized space when storing the previous season’s items.
  • Dust and Disinfect – One of the reasons for storing an item is to protect it for future use. Unfortunately, unless you vacuum seal your items before storing them they are bound to collect dust that can stain and damage items when left to build up. Making it a practice to seasonally perform a deep cleaning to remove any dust, mold, or mildew that may inadvertently have made its way into your storage area will save you time when you want to use your belonging as well as extend the life of your belongings. Included in your dusting should be any shelving units or stands used for organizing your boxes and container to prevent incidental cross-contamination.
  • Stock-up on Plastic Storage Containers – Although it may be handy to use that box that your new crockpot arrived in to store belongings, it is not the best decision. Cardboard boxes are lightweight packaging, but not the most durable for long-term storage. Using plastic storage bins and vacuum seal bags provide durable protection as well as stability when stacking containers. Additionally, plastic storage containers and vacuum bags are much easier to move around since they have handles and uniform shapes and sizes.
  • Inspect Boxes, Cartons, and Storage Containers – As you shift boxes and containers looking for specific items throughout the year, boxes become disheveled and damaged leaving your belongings exposed and vulnerable. Regularly inspecting boxes; making sure to replace damaged containers will allow your stored items to remain stored for as long as you need without boxes collapsing.
  • Clean and Properly Wrap Items to be stored – If you want your belongings to last it is important to make sure they are in the best possible condition before you store them away. Using vacuum bags to store clean bedding, coats, and sweaters keep them protected from water damage, chemical spills, and snagging; while maintaining the items’ freshness. It is important to completely dry all items to be stored prior to storing to avoid mildew and mold from developing over time.
  • Bubble or Shrink Wrap Athletic Equipment and Furniture – Using bubble or shrink wrap to protect your furniture and athletic gear accomplishes two things. It locks in place hardware such as screws, nuts, and bolts, ski bindings, etc. that can sometimes come loose while being shuffled around. And, it protects finishes from bumps, drops, and contact with other stored items.

Preparing for spring cleaning may seem like a lot of redundant work. But, in reality, it is essential to keeping your items safe and protected and will save you time and money in the long run when it comes time to begin your spring cleaning efforts.