We can’t thank our friends at Innovative Residential Inc. enough for the tag-team on this series. We loved working with them, and highly recommend signing up for their newsletter to stay on top of their latest developments!
Without further flourish, straight into the tips we go!
1. The Clutter Killer
Divide everything you can’t just stash away into two piles: junk, and charity. Then, take action accordingly. You’ll be shocked by the amount you’ll get rid of, but the weight off your chest will feel incredible!
2. The Dust Buster
Make sure you regularly check your furnace and HRV filters. Monthly is our recommendation, and more if you have pets! It’s such an easy thing to clean and replace, and doing so will keep your indoor air quality high and cut down on dust!
3. Let the Light In
Clean the dust off of your light bulbs to improve efficiency and allow more of the fixture’s intended natural light to shine in. Bright spaces feel more spacious, after all!
4. Cutting Board feeling like a lemon? Give one a squeeze!
Did you know you can fight those tough stains on your cutting board by rubbing a cut lemon into it? Give it a try! Nothing like adding a little zest to your meals!
5. Cleaning with Peace of Mind
Finding environmentally-friendly cleaning solutions for around the house is a wonderful alternative to the classic cleaners: While some can contain toxins and irritants, others still have harmful effects on the environment and water systems – Canada has regulations, but some environmentalists worry they aren’t enough. No time like the present! At Fresh Living, we use Melaleuca and Young Living products!
6. Keeping cool when cleaning in three easy steps:
Step 1. Before you Begin: Start with the End in Mind & You’ll Get There
When the grime gets tough and you’re tempted to throw in the paper towel and wave the white flag of defeat, you’re going to need motivation to push through. To stop yourself from succumbing to surrender, imagine what the “After” picture of your home will be like. Clean, calm, and clutter-free. Visualize. Deep breaths. It will be worth the effort in the end, so don’t give up!
Step 2. Set the Scene for Your Spring Clean: Select a Soundtrack
It’s best to gather the tools you need to get the job done in advance (and to choose eco-friendly alternatives to conventional cleaning products where you can – see previous tip!). But one tool you don’t want to forget? Your tunes! Prep your spring playlist — or just play your go-to for workouts — because scrubbing to the beat beats the sound of elbow grease. Get into the groove, and get that grotty tile grout glistening again.
Step 3. The 1-10-10 Trick: Tackle Tasks & Get it Done and Dusted (on a Dime)
It’s easy for us to say “don’t deliberate or procrastinate on your plans, just get started!”, but we know a long list of to-dos can be overwhelming. So here’s a quick-start trick to get yourself unstuck: just pick 1 thing on your list that will take less than 10 minutes and less than $10 to tackle. Once you complete that task, you’re likely to tackle the next thing on your list, too — it’s Newton’s 1st Law of Motion!
7. How to zen out your space, also in three easy steps:
Step 2: No clutter allowed.
8. Making the most of the mudroom
Oh, hello there, outside – haven’t seen you in a while! And you brought your friend, mud! Delightful!
Here are 3 steps on turning your coat closet into a mini mudroom!
Step 1: Once spring is in full swing there’s no need to stumble over bulky winter coats and boots — swap them out for lighter jackets and shoes, and stash the heavy gear in storage to free up space.
Step 2: Designate some low shelving near the bottom of your closet to store spring shoes, and add a boot tray below to keep wet footwear contained, catch drips, protect your floors from salty meltwater and mud.
Step 3: Sort hats and gloves into a few storage baskets on the top shelf of your coat closet for easy access on chilly spring mornings. Don’t forget to save some space for recycled rags and a pitcher of water there too, so you have them handy for wiping down muddy paws or stroller tires after walks at the park.
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9. Baking Soda = BEST
The practical uses of baking soda cannot be undersold! It can:
– Mix well with water to make a paste that not only works as a topical for bug bites, but also serves as a fine substitute for silver polish!
– Be sprinkled in the oven, then sprayed with water and left overnight, et voila! Oven cleaner sans elbow grease!
– Be poured down the drain (around 1 cup), followed by 1 cup of vinegar to help unclog the sink!
10. Space-maximizing storage solutions on a budget
Make the most of a small space by using your wall space to express your shelf!
- Shelving units and floating shelves help free up square footage elsewhere in your home and provide a place for you to display your most treasured belongings.
- Bookworm? Limit your library shelf to only your favourite books, download the rest of your must-reads into a digital library, and give away your hard copies to a friend or charity.
- Green-thumbed gardener? Make the most of natural sunlight and bring the outdoors into your home by adding a dedicated plant shelf near a window.
- Audiophile? Showcase your record collection, and consider swapping out the bulky Victorian gramophone for a more compact vintage turntable.
Don’t forget to add shelving to your storage room and closets too! A neat and tidy storage space makes for easy access to seasonal stuff — without a giant stack of boxes and bins toppling over on you.
Thanks so much for reading! Remember to give both Fresh Living and our partners at Innovative Residential Inc. a follow on social media for more great tips! The links are all below:
Innovative Residential: 
Fresh Living YXE:
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