Closets are often the dumping ground for miscellaneous items, which can leave them bursting at the seams. Learn how to purge unwanted belongings, tidy up, and deep clean your closets with these easy tips!
593 Empty your closet. Take everything out. You need to inventory what’s there and organize from scratch.
594 Deep clean your closet. If it’s lightly soiled, just give it a once-over with a damp cloth and some cleaning spray. If you haven’t cleaned it in years, you might want to get a bucket of soapy water and really wipe it down. Clean everything—the walls, shelves, moldings, baseboards, and doorframes. Vacuum or sweep the floor, and mop bare floors.
595 Air it out. The next step is to sort through your belongings, so while you’re doing that, air out your closet to get rid of any stale smells. Spray some DIY room freshener throughout the closet, and let it work its magic.
596 Sort through your stuff. Put items into four piles: what to keep, what you can do without (the “maybe” pile), what to throw away, and what you can donate. Try to repurpose clothing in the trash pile as cleaning rags. Look at your “maybe” pile again. Try on clothes to be sure they fit, and donate anything you can stand to live without. Remember, you’re trying to lose the clutter here!
597 Put everything back in the closet. Make everything neat and tidy. Make sure you have enough hangers for all your clothes and jackets. Put off-season clothes and other rarely used items in storage bins with tight lids to keep them dirt- and dust-free.
598 Make a DIY no-slip hanger with pipe cleaners. Wrap pipe cleaners around clothes hangers where the shoulder of the garment rests on the hanger to keep clothes from slipping.
Every Day
Make the bed.
Spray shower with DIY shower spray.
Wash dishes.
Wipe counters and stovetop.
Sweep and vacuum floors in high-traffic spots.
Do laundry as needed.
Tidy up clutter and clean messes.
Every Week
Change bedding.
Vacuum and mop floors.
Vacuum upholstery.
Scour and dust.
Clean the microwave.
Wipe down kitchen appliances.
Sanitize sponges, and replace every 3–4 weeks.
Rinse drains with hot or boiling water.
Clean and sanitize makeup brushes.
Wipe off electronics.
Every Month
Dust light fixtures.
Clean heating and cooling vents.
Deep clean grout.
Clean windows and blinds.
Wipe down inside of refrigerator.
Clean the oven and dishwasher.
Wash trash cans.
Clean the washer and dryer.
Launder throw rugs.
Wash pillow covers.
Dust baseboards and moldings.
Clean and disinfect humidifiers.
Clean ceiling fans.
Wipe pantry shelves and inside cabinets.
Discard expired food.
Every 3–6 Months
Launder washable curtains. (Note: washing curtains can reduce their life span. Only launder curtains when they are visibly soiled.)
Clean comforters.
Vacuum, rotate, and deep clean the mattress.
Launder washable slipcovers.
Wash shower curtain liner.
Clean your vacuum.
Deep clean the freezer.
Clean books. Wipe books clean, and flip through the pages to prevent discoloration.
Every Year
Wash pillows (1–2 times per year, as needed).
Clean the fireplace, and hire a chimney sweep.
Clear the gutters.
Clean dryer vents.
Shampoo carpets.