Spring Cleaning: Tasks With Big Rewards

As temperatures rise and flowers begin to bloom, spring cleaning feels like the last thing most of us want to do. It’s time to go out and play, not stay in and clean! From afar, it can seem like a never-ending list of tasks you put off the rest of the year, but in reality it’s the perfect opportunity to show your home some love and appreciation. Our homes definitely deserve it after this past year! As vaccines become more available and we look forward to the days where we can leave our homes with more regularity, this spring is as good a time as any to show the safe havens we call home our gratitude.

We rounded up our team’s favorite low effort, big reward tasks below. Pick your favorites and get the whole family involved. Your home will thank you for it!

• Clean not only the interior side of your windows but the exterior as well. Sprayway is our go-to for this dirty job. It can be oddly satisfying to see how much grime accumulates and the quality of light streaming through your spotless windows will not be denied!  
• Remove all the light bulbs from your easy to reach fixtures like lamps, sconces and lower chandeliers and give them a good dusting and polish. We recommend adding a drop or two of your favorite essential oil to the polishing rag as this will create a soft diffusion of aroma when the bulb is switched on! Our favorites are lemon, lavender or orange. Cleaner light and fragrance all in one simple task. 

• Show your velvet upholstery a little love with a quick spray and brush. Using a small misting spray bottle, fill it with 91% rubbing alcohol. (The odor dissipates faster than 70%.) Lightly spray your upholstery so it’s damp but not wet. Using a brush designed for cashmere and fine fibers, softly brush the upholstery following the natural grain of the fabric. This will help the fibers relax, leaving your furniture looking good as new! 
• Vintage brass curiosities have been a design staple in our clients’ homes for years. We recommend giving them a quick polish with a soft rag and Bar-Keeper’s Friend. If you’re wary about damaging the finish, start with a spot test on the underside of the item. An item’s patina is often what makes it special! 

We hope you’ll find these simple tasks easy and rewarding to implement in your home. Whether it’s layering vintage rugs or finding the perfect place for that art sitting in the closet, we’re delighted to bring you inspiration and ideas to keep your home clean, colorful and happy.