The Definitive guide to Spring housecleaning (inside, outside and financial)!

Here it is!  The True Clean Restoration Spring Housecleaning checklist!  This will help you get your home clean, inside and out – even your finances.  Just follow the checklist!

As a spring special True Clean is offering 10% off all carpet cleaning of at least $100.  Trust your carpets to True Clean!  Need your HVAC ducts or dryer ducts cleaned?  True Clean can clean them for just $25 per duct ($75 minimum)   Call project manager, Cody, at 309-664-8577.  Our IICRC – Certified technicians are available 24 X 7 for Carpet & duct cleaning as well as water, mold and fire mitigation and restoration.

Now on with our Spring Cleaning Checklist!

FOYER

1. Dust lighting fixtures.
2. Wash walls and trim
3. Wash doors, knobs and switch plates.
4. Wash bench or other furnishings.  Launder bench cushion, if applicable.
5. Empty out coat closet.  Wash walls and floor, if needed.  Sort items as you return them to the closet.  Store out of season items, donate unneeded items.
6. Clean or replace entry mat.
7. Sweep and scrub floors.
8. Reseal grout lines, if necessary.

BEDROOMS

1. Open windows
2. Dust furniture.
3. For each drawer: remove items, wash drawer, place items back neatly.  Donate Items you no longer need.
4. Remove everything from closets. Sweep and wash closet floor. Put everything back neatly.  Donate items you no longer need.  Try not to store things on closet floor.
5. Move Bed.  Sort and put away anything that was under bed.  Sweep or vacuum under bed.  Try not to store things under bed.
6. Put bed back.  Freshen mattress by sprinkling with baking soda, letting sit briefly, and the vacuuming it up.
7. Launder bedding and curtains.  Wash pillows and duvet in hot water.  Air out mattress pad, if you have one.
8. Dust lights. Clean lamp shades.
9. Wash windows and window sills.  Take out and wash window screens.
10. Wash switch plates.  Wash walls and trim as needed.
11. Wash mirrors or dust art.
12. Wash doors and doorknobs.
13. Wash floor registers and other vent covers.
14. Sweep and wash floor or vacuum.

BATHROOMS

1. Open windows
2. Empty all cabinets and vanity.  Wash inside, replace items neatly.  Discard expired medications and cosmetics.
3. Wash outside of cabinets and vanities
4. Clean tub. Wax if necessary. Clean drain.
5. Clean toilet, inside and out.  Remove seat and clean around seat bolts.
6. Clean sink and drain.
7. Shine faucets.
8. Clean mirror and frame .
9. Dust light fixtures.
10. Wash windows and window sills. Take out and wash window screens.
11. Wash switch plates.  wash walls and trim.  Wash doors and door knobs.
12. Wash floor registers and other vent covers.
13. Sweep and wash floors.
14. Reseal grout lines if necessary.

KITCHEN

1. Open windows.
2. Remove and clean window coverings.
3. For each cabinet or drawer: Remove items, wipe out drawer, place items back neatly.  Donate unneeded items.
4. Wash and sanitize cutting boards
5. Sharpen knives
6. Wash cabinet doors and knobs
7. Clean and organize pantry.  Check food expiry dates.
8. Clean oven.
9. Clean stove top.  Remove elements and drip bowls, if applicable, wash and put back.
10. Clean and organize fridge and freezer. Defrost freezer, if necessary.  Check food expiry dates.
11. Clean under fridge and stove.
12. Vacuum refrigerator coils.
13. Clean microwave.
14. Clean crumbs out of toaster.
15. Clean and descale kettle.
16. Wipe down any other counter appliances
17. wash counters and back splash.
18. Wash and shine sink.  Shine faucet. Clean drain.
19. Clean Dishwasher.
20. Dust light fixtures.
21. Wash windows and window sills.  Remove window screens and wash.
22. Wash switch plates.
23. Wash walls and trim as needed.
24. Wash doors and door knobs.
25. Wash floor registers and other vent covers
26. Sweep and wash floor.
27. Reseal grout lines, if necessary.

DINING ROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Wash curtains.
3. Wipe down table and chairs.
4. Wipe down or dust other furnishing.
5. Clean chair pads, if applicable.
6. Polish table, if necessary
7. Create a pretty spring vignette on table!
8. Dust any displayed china or serving dishes.
9. Launder table linens.
10. Shine silverware.
11. Dust art.
12. Wash windows and window sills.  Take out and wash window screens.
13. Wash switch plates
14. Wash walls and trim.
15. Wash doors and door knobs
16. Wash floor registers and other vent covers.
17. Clean floors.

LIVING ROOM/ FAMILY ROOM/ PLAYROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Vacuum sofas.
3. Spot clean sofas, if applicable.
4. Launder throw pillows and blankets.
5. Dust shelves, furniture and decor.
6. Clean lamps and lampshades.
7. Wash windows and window sills.
8. Take out and wash window screens.
9. Clean television screen.
10. Carefully dust electronics.
11. Tidy electronics wires.  Tuck nicely out of sight.  Label them, if practical.
12. Sort through music and DVD collections.  Purge things that no longer suit your families interests.  Organize what is left in an attractive manner.
13. Sort books and magazines.  Donate or recycle ones that no longer suit your families interests.
14. Wash hard plastic children’s toys with warm soapy water. Rinse and dry.  Launder stuffed toys.  Donate or store toys that your children have grown too old for.
15. Wash switch plates.
16. Wash walls and trim as needed.
17. Wash doors and knobs.
18. Wash floor registers and other vent covers.
19. Clean floors.

LAUNDRY ROOM

1. Open windows.
2. Wash windows and window sills.
3. Take out and wash window screens.
4. Wash cabinet doors.
5. Wash inside cabinets.
6. Wash laundry sink.  Shine faucet.  Clean drains.
7. Wash outside of washer and dryer.
8. Wash inside of washing machine.
9. Wash lint trap with soap and water to remove filmy build-up from laundry soaps and dryer sheets. Let air dry thoroughly before putting back in place.
10. Wash switch plates.
11. Wash walls and trim.
12. Wash doors and door knobs.
13. Wash floor registers and other vent covers.
14. sweep and wash floors.
15. Reseal grout lines, if applicable.

STAIRWELLS

1. sweep/vacuum stairs
2. Spot clean walls.
3. Wipe down handrail.
4. Dust art and light fixtures.

OUTSIDE

1. Sweep porches and walkway.
2. Wash thresholds.
3. Wash exterior doors.  Give front door a fresh coat of paint, if necessary.
4. Clean or replace welcome mat.
5. Wash siding.

REMEMBER TO:

• Clean blades of ceiling fans.
• Sort through and organize family photographs (digitally or into albums).
• Sort and clean any extra zones such as linen closets, utility closets and office spaces.

As you clean, keep a list of any jobs you notice that need to be done around the house: little paint touch-ups or a pillow that needs to be mended.  Don’t get distracted by these chores during your cleaning, save them for when you are done.  (Or else you may never be done!)

Keep another list of things you notice you need. Especially when you clean out your fridge and pantry, you will probably become aware of some supplies you are out of or running low on.

Now that your home is spic and span, lets tidy up your finances.

1.  CHECK YOUR CREDIT REPORT

By law, you’re entitled to order one free credit report yearly from each of the three major credit bureaus.  You can get yours at no cost from annualcreditreport.com.  Make sure your credit reports are free of mistakes.  Under the Fair Credit Reporting Act, both the credit reporting agency and the information provider (that is, the person, company, or organization that provides information about you to a credit reporting agency) are responsible for correcting inaccurate or incomplete information in your report.  To take advantage of all your rights under this law, contact the credit reporting agency and the information provider.

2.  ORGANIZE AND OR SHRED OLD FINANCIAL DOCUMENTS

Sort through your statements, pay stubs, bills and other financial records, and keep only the documents that are absolutely necessary.  Since the IRS has up to six years to audit you, keep your tax returns, cancelled checks and receipts, and any records supporting your tax deduction for at least six years.  If you’re unsure about whether you should get rid of certain types of receipts, scan them or make a copy, then go ahead and shred the rest.  But don’t simply toss paperwork in the trash.  Leaving important documents in the trash without properly shredding them is a bad idea.  They are just waiting to be picked up by an identity thief.

3.  RECORD YOUR FINANCIAL PASSWORDS AND STORE RECORDS IN A SAFE PLACE

Make sure you’re not using the same password and log in information for all your online bank accounts and other financial accounts.  Even though you might be logging in over a secure internet connection, there’s still a risk that someone who figures out your password will attempt to access other accounts with the same log in information.  Be sure to put important financial documents like a will, stock certificates or bonds should be put in a safe place like a locked box or an online secure vault.

4.  REVIEW YOUR BUDGET

Is your budget up to date?  Have you incorporated any increases or decreases in your income?  Take a close look at your budget to see if you need to make any modifications.  Make sure you’re reporting expenses accurately and have made some room for savings account contributions.

5.  SET UP AUTOMATIC BILL PAY

Spring cleaning isn’t only about decluttering – it’s also about making things more efficient.  Set up automatic bill pay, and link it to your primary checking account.  Automatic bill pay will eliminate the chances of missing a payment and paying those pesky late fees.

6.  PAY OFF HOLIDAY DEBT ONCE AND FOR ALL

What does your current debt load look like?  Spring is a good time to look at your total outstanding debts and see which loans or credit cards you could pay off entirely this year.  At the very least, put yourself on a stricter debt payoff plan, and pay off any debt you accumulated over the holidays.  Cleaning up this debt quickly can put you in a much better financial position for the rest of the year.

True Clean Restoration wishes all our customers a wonderful spring!