Not Sure Where to Start Spring Cleaning? We Asked the Pros Their Top Places to Begin (2024)

Spring is officially upon us, meaning it’s time to dust off the cobwebs of winter and freshen up our homes. But, where to start?

With so many things to declutter and so many surfaces to wipe, spring cleaning can quickly become overwhelming. Unless you tackle one space at a time.

Here are the best starting points for this year's spring cleaning marathon, as well as what to clean in each room, according to cleaning experts.

The Kitchen

Most cleaning pros agree that it’s best to prioritize the spaces you use most regularly when it comes to spring cleaning. For many, that is the kitchen with all its hard surfaces and nooks and crannies.

Here’s what to spring clean in the kitchen:

• Fridge and pantry: Get rid of all expired or unusable items.
• Kitchen storage: Go through each cupboard, shelf, drawer, and container. Decide which items you want to keep and which you can donate, recycle, or throw away.
• Appliances: Wipe down the inside of the refrigerator, clean the dishwasher (including the filter), and then tackle the oven.
• Wash the ceilings, walls, and baseboards with a clean microfiber cloth/mop and a mixture of warm water and dish soap.
• With those big tasks complete, do a basic cleaning that includes wiping down cabinets and counters, cleaning windows, disinfecting the sink, wiping down the faucet, sweeping, and mopping.

The Closet

Then some prefer to start with their closet to welcome the warmer weather.

“Our style changes each season and there’s bound to be clothes you no longer want,” says Laura Price of The Home Organisation. Goodbye, puffy coats, snow boots, and all those gloves, scarves, and pom pom hats that kept you warm throughout winter.

Here’s how to give your closet a new lease of life this spring:

• Pack up your thickest and warmest coats, jumpers, base layers, and accessories using lidded plastic boxes, hanging garment bags, or vacuum-sealed bags. Then find an area out of the way (in a lesser-used wardrobe, at the top of it, or under your bed) to store them till next season.
• Go through your remaining clothes and ask yourself if you want, need, or love each item. If you can’t answer yes, it’s probably time to bid adieu. Off to the donate or recycle pile they go.
• Give the inside of your closet/dresser/wardrobe a quick clean with a microfiber cloth or vacuum before organizing your hero pieces.

The Bathroom

It’s no surprise that the bathroom also tops the priority list of spaces to deep clean come spring. Because it’s visited so regularly, it’s bound to need some TLC!

“When it comes to cleaning, I like to work my way from back to front,” says Nicole Cullum, interior designer, professional organizer, and founder of Color Caravan.

Here’s what she means:

• Start in the back corner of your bathroom, making sure the tub, toilet, and shower are spotless.
• Toss your shower curtain, bath mats, and towels in the wash. Cullum also likes to wash her extra bedding so it’s clean and ready for winter storage.
• Work on surfaces. Dust your ceiling fans, light fixtures, and shades. Wipe your shower rod, mirror, countertops, and cupboards.
• Take stock of your toiletries. Get rid of anything that’s used-up, out-of-date, or unused.
• Clean the floors last so you can work your way out towards the door and let the floors dry spotless.

Utility Spaces

Ashley La Fond, founder of home organization company Of Space + Mind, always tackles utility spaces first when spring cleaning. Think spaces like the laundry room and mudroom. Here’s what she recommends doing:

• Move out seasonal items in your entry and mudroom and replace them with things you will need this spring. Hello, rain boots, sunglasses, and floral-scented candles.
• Collect items together (ex: tools, cleaning supplies, electronics, and toys) and dedicate a storage spot for each category. There is a lot of power in having a place for everything. Plus, it’ll help reduce clutter throughout your home.
• Review your linens and towels: toss ruined, stained, and worn items and donate anything you’re not using but are still in good shape. Her advice is that you don’t need more than two sets of sheets for each bed, two sets of hand towels for each bathroom, and two or three bath towels for each person in your household.

Home Office

There is no better time than spring to refresh your WFH space. Who doesn’t want increased productivity and creativity after experiencing the winter blues?

Here’s how to prep your workspace for spring:

• Organize cords: La Fond recommends wrapping or tying up cords for an instant refresh since exposed and tangled cords make spaces feel messy. Cable organizers are also a great choice.
• Go through your tech: Clear out those tech drawers and recycle or trade in those old iPhones, chargers, headphones, and cords you are no longer using. The same goes for old packaging—trust us, you don’t need it.
• Sort through old papers: If it’s not important, toss it out. But, if you think you’ll need it in the future, consider digitizing it.
• Wipe down your office equipment and supplies, including your desk, monitor, keyboard, phone, and lamp. Vacuum your office chair if fabric.
• Don’t forget to do a digital cleanup. Delete old files, organize your folders, archive old emails, and backup any important data.