Spring Cleaning Tips and the Difference Between an Organizer and a Cleaner

Spring is a great time to get organized and do a deep clean in your home. I’ve got some spring cleaning tips to help you do this. I always suggest being organized throughout the year. I know, easier said than done right? For those of you that struggle to stay organized year-round, I suggest you take the time to get organized in the spring so that you can spend more time having fun and relaxing in the summer, instead of spending your time getting organized and cleaning.

If you don’t have the time, energy or skills to get organized and clean your home then consider hiring a professional organizer or cleaning company to help you. As a professional organizer, I often get asked what the difference is between professional organizers and a cleaning company. There is a big difference. Clearing the clutter and cleaning a home often go hand-in-hand, however, the majority of certified professional organizers do not do home cleaning. At Second Set of Hands, our staff of professional organizers will wipe down counters, kitchen cupboards, tables etc. as they organize but they do not clean our client’s homes.

A professional organizer can help you by doing the following:

1. Go through your items with you and help you decide what to keep, donate, sell, give to family members, recycle, toss etc.
2. Remove donations and drop them off for you
3. Organize any area of your home or office
4. Maximize your living space and help get your home ready for sale
5. Help you with productivity and time management
6. Recommend storage solutions and organizing products to help you stay organized
7. Pack and/or unpack your items and organize your new home

Once your home is clear of clutter or some of your items are packed up for your move, then we recommend hiring a professional cleaning company to come in and clean your home. It is much easier to clean a home when it has less stuff.

Cleaning Tips

Since cleaning is not our specialty, we asked Rebecca Page, Founder of Concierge Home Services in Ottawa, ON a few questions to help you with your cleaning needs.

1. What are common cleaning mistakes that people make?

A common mistake is to use too many cleaning products. It is easy to believe the marketing and think that new bottle will magically make everything sparkle, when the reality is that the right tools and techniques are just as important as the product. Sometimes, people use more product than necessary because they love the scent. When it comes to cleaning products, less is usually more. In some cases, too much product can cause damage. Oil-based cleaners are known to build up on wood floors, which dull them over time.

Another common mistake is not cleaning or replacing cleaning tools. That old sponge-mop may have been a great purchase 8 years ago, but today it’s musty and ineffective. You can’t get a floor clean with a dirty mop! We recommend using microfiber cloths and washable mop pads, and laundering them between cleans.

2. What cleaning products do you recommend?

We recommend that people start with a few all-purpose cleaners, and reach for the specialized products when necessary.

Basic cleaning products are:
a. Mild dish soap or all-purpose cleaner for bathrooms
b. Warm water and vinegar for hardwood, linoleum, vinyl, and tile floors
c. Baking soda for a gritty cleaner to scrub stove tops and tubs
d. A de-greaser for kitchen surfaces

3. What is the best spring cleaning tip you recommend?

For spring cleaning, use tea tree oil soap to sanitize and deodorize the areas which may have been neglected all winter.

I wish you all lots of luck with your spring cleaning. If you have any organizing questions, feel free to reach out to me here or Join our FREE Facebook group Organize for Success.

Happy organizing and cleaning!
Kathy

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