Blooming flowers, April showers and fresh green grass all mark the beginning of a time of restorement and renewal – spring. As nature refreshes outside, it may be time for you to take charge and refresh your living space inside. So follow by nature’s example, and participate in spring cleaning.

“Spring cleaning allows for you to change your mindset into something you can physically see and take part in,” Coppell High School sophomore Georgina Bourbon said. “It allows for a cleanse of your space that can open up your mind to new opportunities.”

Spring is filled with new beginnings, and with new beginnings comes new responsibilities. Once this time of year rolls around, people start becoming happier, and have a newfound love for renewing their New Year’s resolutions and trying new things.

“There are certain things we just never get around to cleaning during the year, or we get lazy,” Coppell resident Laurie Shuman said. “But knowing it rolls around every year makes it easier to face.”

Although many people dread cleaning, it is something that has to be done.

“[It] is important because it helps you get organized and makes like easier,” CHS sophomore Simin Bhayani said. “It may be hard at first to get started, but once you finish, all of the effort will be worth it.”

So follow these tips to ensure that you get a thorough clean – it just might make the task a little bit easier.

Wood Floors

When tackling wood floors, water based cleaning sprays are the best to utilize because they are cheap and are guaranteed to work. Damp mopping is another method to use when cleaning hardwood floors. It is a technique of dipping your mop into water, wringing it until it is damp and then going over your floors a couple times.

Organizing (bookshelves, closets, desk, etc.)

A fresh start each year helps to get your life back in order. Day-to-day activities may seem monotonous at times, but re-organizing your productive work areas can help boost your creativity, and even be stimulating. A great way to go about organizing your work places is to plan out how you want it to look. Book shelves can be easily ordered by author, alphabetized by the book’s title or even by color. Make use of empty spaces and use file organizers to organize your messy papers.

Carpet and rug cleaning

The cure to carpet stains? Vinegar. When removing stains, it is important to blot them, instead of rubbing them into the carpet or rug even more. Also, vacuuming a carpet is a lot more difficult than you think. So take your time to ensure that all dirt is terminated.

Stainless Steel

Make sure you always go with the grain when you are cleaning stainless steel because it will make the stainless steel look shiny and healthy. Windex is a good option to use when cleaning stainless steel because it is common in most households and it get’s the job done.

Once-a-year chores

Donating your unwanted household items is often understood as a “once-a-year” chore. As people get busy with their day-to-day life, their items start piling up, turning their living space into a mess. Sell unwanted items on Ebay to make a little cash, or donate them to your local charity.

Windows

A squeegee and Windex is what you should use to clean your windows. Paper towels and cloth towels are not as effective as squeegees because they just move the dirt around, leaving unsightly streaks. Make sure to clean your squeegee prior to use with dish soap and warm water so that no leftover residue counters your cleaning.

Bedrooms

Cleaning your bedroom is one of the most important places to tackle when you go about spring cleaning. If you have not recently washed your comforter and sheets, then now is the perfect time to do it. Your closet can be hard to face at first, but it is important to figure out what clothes you actually wear versus clothes you never wear. Another odd, but useful tip, is to flip your mattress. The reason why flipping your mattress is beneficial is because it gives it a longer lifespan, preventing sagging because of uneven pressure.

Driveway and garage

Many useless, random items can easily get piled up in your garage as you place them there “temporarily” with future intentions of finding them a permanent location. Cleaning out your garage can prevent you from gaining the title of a hoarder. So donate or throw away your unwanted items to help yourself in the long run.