Spring Cleaning Made Easy
Spring represents new growth and new beginnings. It’s time to wipe away the winter.
In years gone by, fireplaces were the main source for heating the home, and people would hibernate indoors more often over winter. The coming of spring and warmer weather provided the opportunity to air out the home, and clean all the soot and dust that had accumulated over the winter months. These days, central heating is more common and it’s usual for people to clean-as-you-go. However, a thorough, deep clean once a year makes us feel good!
Cleaning the home is not always as easy as it seems. For older people and those with limited mobility, many cleaning tasks pose a risk to safety. The most common injuries among people aged 65 years or older are caused by falls. If it’s not safe, don’t do it. Ask your local Simply Helping home care provider about domestic care services.
If you’re ready to tackle a spring clean, or want to let your care worker know what aspects of spring cleaning are important to you, here are a few tips:
1. Declutter
Now is a great time to declutter your home and remove tripping hazards. Decluttering also has therapeutic benefits. When our living space is disorganised, it easy to feel overwhelmed and our thoughts can become scattered. Many psychologists believe that when our living space feels uncluttered and tranquil, we feel more at ease and tranquil. This can help make it easier to process thoughts and maintain a happy mindset. To declutter, arm yourself with three big bags or boxes. One for items that are broken and need to be binned. One for items that may be useful to others, and one for items that need to be stored or taken to another room. Declutter one room at a time. It may help to set yourself a goal of one room a day. Sort through items in that room and either keep them or place them in one of the three big bags.
2. Clean
Always work from top to bottom. Start by brushing cobwebs and dust from ceiling fans and cornices. This can be a difficult job, especially for those with limited mobility. It’s important to always consider your safety first.
Remember, Simply Helping’s in home care workers can assist with a thorough spring clean. Click here to learn more.
Having all your cleaning products within reach saves time. Consider placing your cleaning products and cloths in a cleaning caddy or bucket. This makes it easy to carry them with you from room to room. Spring cleaning is the time to do the jobs that don’t usually get done in your normal clean-as-you-go routine. Disinfect knife blocks and bins. Wash cushion covers, or place them outside in the hot sun to eliminate dust mites. Clean the washing machine by adding 2 Cups of white vinegar in the detergent dispenser and running a hot water washing cycle, without any clothes or detergent. Clean flyscreens and windows. And, keeping with the process of cleaning from top to bottom – sweep, mop and vacuum the floors last.
3. Organise
To maintain a tidy and safe home, and a clear mind, it’s a good idea to organise your living space. Position essential items within reach. You can do this by using baskets to categorise items. For example, you can place all cleaning products and cloths together in a basket, and place it in a cupboard under the sink. Use another basket to store extra toilet rolls, and place it in the bathroom. Another basket in the laundry may hold shoe polishes, polishing cloths, and spare shoelaces.
In the bathroom, sort all your health and beauty items and only keep what you use. Haven’t used that hydrating hair oil for years? Throw it out or give it to someone you know who may use it. Discard any expired or unused medications. Many pharmacies will take unwanted medications and dispose of them safely.
Ask your handyman or home maintenance guru to install a few easy-to-reach shelves. These can be added to the bathroom, laundry, kitchen or bedroom, anywhere you need a bit of extra storage. Shelves make for the perfect place to keep those storage baskets we mentioned earlier.
If you need help with home maintenance, housework, or any other domestic duties, contact Simply Helping. We make living independently at home a little bit easier.
