12 Spring Cleaning Tips for Seniors

In contrast to the winter months, when staying warm and expelling the least amount of energy sounds like a good use of your time, spring is full of movement. Animals and plants spring into action to embrace the nicer weather. Spring can often bring new experiences—and that typically means “out with the old and in with the new.”

12 Spring Cleaning Tips for Seniors

If you’re ready for a fresh start, here are a few spring cleaning tips you can use to make the most of your efforts. Just keep in mind that this list should be about refreshing your space and feeling good - so don’t overdo it! If you need assistance with any of these tips, feel comfortable asking a family member, friend, or professional to help you.

1. Make a Cleaning Checklist

It’s easy to get started on cleaning a particular area but then gravitate toward another. You might even end up with two rooms that are halfway cleaned or doing something else entirely. Create a cleaning checklist to avoid splitting your efforts or getting distracted.

2. Clean Your Appliances

We rely on them day in and day out, but all that wear and tear can have a massive impact on how clean our appliances truly are. Take a moment this spring to clean your dishwasher, refrigerator, stove, microwave, washer, and dryer. You can even include smaller appliances on your cleaning list, like emptying the crumb tray from the toaster.

3. Separate Trash, Donations, and Keep Piles

As you come across objects when you clean, begin organizing them in three piles: what to discard, donate, or keep. If you have unwanted clothes, furniture, appliances, etc., you can call Helping Hands Charity, Inc. They’ll come to your house to pick up your unwanted things, which they donate to help Houston-area families in need. You can even schedule a free pickup online on their website.

4. Organize Your Files

Spring is an excellent time to get your filling done and in order. Take time away from cleaning to sort through your files and discard or shred what you no longer need. If you haven’t created a filing system yet, now’s a great time to start.

5. Hire Muscle to Do the Heavy Lifting

Sometimes, you might want to do some serious spring cleaning, requiring someone younger to help lift furniture or other large objects. In these times, call upon your immediate family or hire a strong mover to help. No amount of decluttering is worth physically injuring yourself.

6. Focus on Big or Small Tasks

If you like to take cleaning by the horns, figure out which big tasks you’d like to accomplish. Alternatively, you can pick smaller tasks to help build momentum. However you approach spring cleaning, set yourself up for success. Setting realistic goals is the key!

7. Check Smoke and Carbon Monoxide Detectors

It’s critical to check your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors as you clean. These devices may require new batteries or testing to ensure they’re working correctly. The Webster Fire Department has an excellent resource section on its website with useful tips and education.

8. Organize and Restock Your Medicine Cabinet

Keeping updated medications in your medicine cabinet is not only going to keep you better organized, but it will keep you safe so you don’t forget or miss medication doses or take expired ones. You can also invest in various pill holders to ensure you take your medications as directed. Discard any expired medications.

9. Focus on One Room at a Time

Cleaning a single room at a time can help you stay focused and allow you to see your progress. Once you clean a room, you can quit for the day or continue, if you wish. This is a great way to feel accomplished and check off the items on your checklist.

10. Prioritize Safety

Stay safe as you clean, and quit if you get too tired. Safety should be your main priority as you clean up the environment around you, whether having a chair handy to sit down on or pacing yourself in cleaning your immediate surroundings.

11. Improve Air Quality

We often focus on what we can see when we spring clean, but improving your air quality can also help give your lungs a boost. Check your furnace filters and clean air vents to help promote airflow in your home and clean air flowing through the ducts.

12. Purchase Storage Containers

Proper containers to house your extra or loose belongings can make a huge difference in your spring cleaning efforts. The storage bins you purchase shouldn’t be larger than what you can carry or pick up easily. You can even find or make your own labels for the bins to make organizing and locating items in the future fast and easy.

How Visiting Angels Webster Helps Seniors Stay Independent

Participating in spring cleaning can make anyone feel like less of a spring chicken. If you’re looking for advice on tackling your spring cleaning or want help supporting your aging loved one, check out the following resources:

If you’d like to learn more about how Visiting Angels Webster helps seniors stay independent, contact us for a free consultation. Our caregiving staff are no strangers to spring cleaning and welcome the chance to help you and your aging loved one craft a personalized care plan.

12 Spring Cleaning Tips for Seniors