Spring cleaning: everything you need to start fresh
The past few years of extreme nesting has taught us a lot: We’re a natural in the kitchen, we can compartmentalize work, school, and downtime all out of the same space, and we can look like a boss on Zoom, even if we’re wearing no pants. But for many, operating strictly from home has also meant amassing more clutter than ever, which is why the ritual of spring cleaning is even more essential this year. Ahead, we share our favorite hacks for achieving a tidier space, including how to clean often-forgotten items — like barbecues and even the air itself.
MORE: Stock Up For Spring Cleaning — From $5
Yes, this suite of household cleaners, which covers everything from mirrors to granite surfaces, looks incredibly chic — and the essential oil spiked formulas smell incredible too (think: day spa, not ammonia). But the real boon is how effective the formulations are at leaving streakless stainless steel and cutting through oil and grime.
SHOP: Cleaning Starter Set, $52.50, available at Supernatural
This woven storage may be designed to house wayward toys, laundry, and other odds and ends, but it’s also primed to hide the blah pot that homes your favorite houseplant.
SHOP: Arrow Woven Storage Bin $7.19, available at The Container Store
Low on closet space? Forget the remodel and instead make way for plenty more room by switching from plastic or wooden hangers to an ultra-thin design. This option includes notches to keep spaghetti straps from slipping off, features a full, 360-degree swivel hook hanger, and is made to hold heavy and bulky styles, too.
SHOP: Elama Home 100-Piece Flocked Velvet Hanger Set, $33.59, available at Macy’s
Spring cleaning isn’t just about finally tackling that ever present laundry pile: It’s also about reducing waste to try to lessen our ecological footprint. Achieve both with this concentrated laundry detergent, which packs enough cleanser (free of synthetic fragrances, dyes, and artificial brighteners) for 66 washes in a recyclable bottle that uses 66% less plastic than a comparable 100-oz laundry bottle. Score this from Vitacost.com between May 11 and May 13, and get 15% off sitewide! Until then, you can also get 20% off vitamins, minerals, and herbal supplements until May 10.
SHOP: Seventh Generation Laundry Detergent Concentrated Geranium Blossoms & Vanilla, $14.99, available at Vitacost.com
If long-forgotten boxes of pasta and crumpled bags of snack lurk in the back of your pantry, try giving future groceries a more secure home by investing in airtight storage concealers. The see-through, BPA-free plastic in this set makes identifying the ingredient you’re looking for a no-brainer, while a stackable system means ensures nothing will get lost out of view.
SHOP: Oxo Pop 10-Pc. Food Storage Container Set, $112.99, available at Macy’s
For days in which cleaning is the last thing you can muster, fake the effect with this freshly-scented candle. Scented with notes of summer air, eucalyptus, and lavender, it’s the next best thing to spending time at the clothesline.
SHOP: Laundry Day 3-Wick Candle, $16.50, available at Bath & Body Works
Life is too short to sweep and mop floors, making this machine an essential tool for spring cleaners who hate to clean. With modes dry and damp sweep, and wet mop hardwood, tile and stone floors (and options to set cleaning boundaries even when no physical boundaries exist), keeping floors clean has never been more of a lazier cleaner’s game.
SHOP: iRobot Braava Jet 240 Mopping Robot, $179.99, available at Newegg
Considering household air itself is laden with pollutants, the items in your home aren't the only thing that need cleaning. Enter this air purifying fan, known to sense and capture ultra-fine air pollutants, then circulate the cleaner air for a cooling effect.
SHOP: Dyson Pure Cool Purifying Tower Fan, $499.99, available at BJ’s Wholesale Club
If a growing collection of utensils has left your silverware drawer in a jangly mess, try an organizer made to store both. This option features stacked compartments, which means you can fit more cutlery, spatulas, and serving utensils in a small space.
SHOP: Joseph Joseph DrawerStore Expanding Cutlery, Utensil & Gadgets Organizer, $19.99, available at Macy’s
Summertime cookouts are imminent. If your grill has largely been abandoned since last fall, try a clean without the elbow grease. This heavy-duty stainless steel cleaner and degreaser is made to loosen tough buildup in minutes flat.
SHOP: EASY-OFF BBQ Grill Cleaner, $4.47, available at Walmart
Add a few drops of included essential oil to these all-natural wool balls and toss them in the dryer for fresh-smelling clothes that don’t suffer from static clean. This method of separating and refreshing clothes not only cuts on dryer time, it ensures you never have to buy softener sheets again.
SHOP: Laundry Love Wool Dryer Ball Set & Laundry Blend, $24, available at Saje
Give bulky sweaters and winter clothes the storage they deserve with these stackable clear bins, which will keep investment pieces looking like a million bucks come next fall.
SHOP: Stacking Storage Bins, $7.99, available at The Container Store