How to Prepare for Your Spring Cleaning Ritual
By Rian Jackson
The spring season is all about sunshine, life, regrowth, and rebirth, and in some areas, the season has already sprung. It’s when we look forward to daylight savings time, embracing our newfound energy, and for some, completing our spring cleaning rituals. Spring is an amazing time to reorganize your closet, get rid of all your dust bunnies, and rework your space into something that better suits your vibe for the warmer months. When you have a go-to ritual to revisit each year, these chores can turn into a fun treat.
Cleansing your space may feel like you’re replacing winter's chills with spring’s bright, lively spirit. It’s known that winter tends to leave us feeling sad and fatigued, with 10 million Americans struggling with Seasonal Affective Disorder — a type of depression related to the seasons. That said, as the sun comes out, you may feel a newfound sense of purpose and even an urge to spruce up your space sooner than average this year.
If you’ve been feeling that springtime energy and are ready to welcome the season with a fresh area, here are a few of our favorite tips, including some of our top Black-owned home care products!
Thoroughly Clean All Surfaces
The best way to begin your ritual is to give all the surfaces in your space a good wipe down. This simple yet essential step will get you in the mood to handle more time-consuming tasks. It'll remove all the dirt and grime and leave you with all the fresh scents that will put you in a good mood.
We recommend the Blk + Green Natural All-Purpose Cleaner for cleaning and disinfecting all your surfaces. Not only is this a Black-owned brand, but it’s also eco-friendly, using hydrogen peroxide and orange oil to cut through those tough stains. It’s a natural disinfectant that cleans without harmful chemicals — and even comes in a recyclable bottle! Simply spray, wipe away, and you’re all set!
We love to start in the kitchen during our spring ritual and work our way around our home, but pick the most palatable starting point in your area! The idea is to find an easy beginning to start gaining momentum.
Set Up Your Spring Wardrobe
Tackling your closet is rewarding because you will finish with an open, fresh space to find your best spring outfits. Plus, you might re-discover a new piece that’ll become your new go-to! Start by locating all your winter clothes — your heavy coats, scarves, and anything you’re confident you won’t be pulling out in the warmer months — and store them in an open space away from your closet. If you keep your spring clothes in storage, now is the time to pull those out to replace your heavy clothes.
You’ll want to take care of any laundry as well, so be prepared to run a few loads as you’re working on other spots in your area! We love using the Dinobi Laundry Detergent — it’s a simple 4-ingredient formula that’s plant-based, seamlessly removes tough stains, and will leave your clothes smelling like roses. We’re also reaching for our stash of the LooHoo wool dryer balls, which you can toss in your dryer as an energy-saving, reusable alternative to regular dryer sheets. Plus, these gems reduce time on your drying cycle and leave your clothes smelling fresh.
Restock Your Essentials
As you’re cleaning, it is an amazing time to stock up on all your favorite everyday essentials — or even try a few new ones! Plus, it’s super satisfying to see neatly stocked cabinets.
We like to keep our daily-use items stocked in the bathroom, like extra toothbrushes, soaps, and our favorite beauty products, so we have them on hand for anything and everything. Prado Naturals is the perfect brand for handmade artisan soaps, natural body washes, lip scrubs, and more. If you’re looking to try a few new body products, opt for these goodies! We also keep the Coral Oral toothbrushes on hand. Not only are they aesthetically pleasing, but they also have fun patterns on the bristles to help you differentiate them from the other brushes. You’re sure to find something you enjoy because the brand carries a full line of oral care products!
Reorganize, Redecorate
It’s time for the fun part. There’s nothing like redecorating your freshly cleaned space — you have so many opportunities to turn it into something that inspires and motivates you. Take the time to be thoughtful as you roll out your spring decor. This is also a great time to rethink how you organize your home, assess what's working, and try to find solutions for what isn't.
If you’re looking to give your living room a new look, check out some of the chic, modern sofas at Sabai. The brand creates beautiful, luxury-style sofas that are both sustainable and affordable. Likewise, you can find gorgeous kitchenware, candles, and art at The Black Home, expressive, African-inspired finishing touches at Reflektion Design, and creative vases perfect for your living room at SampleHaus.
Making the most out of your ritual is all about the atmosphere. Before you begin, think about how to set the mood best! For you, this may mean grabbing your speaker and blasting your favorite music, enjoying your morning coffee or tea, or throwing on a movie or a comforting television show. To that point, be sure you set the tone internally before you begin as well! The goal is for the routine to feel cleansing, not like a chore, so be sure you start on a full stomach and are mentally relaxed. Once you're set up, open a few windows to let the cool spring breeze in and get to cleaning!
