Who wants to spend their spare time cleaning when the sun is shining outside? Do you hear crickets? Yeah, us too. Although spring is still a month away, if you get a head start now, you’ll be able to enjoy the fresh air and bright sunshine when it gets here — brilliant!

Everyone loves a tidy and clean home, but not everyone likes to clean. Luckily, we have a few helpful tips so you can get a head start. Don’t want to be stuck completely and utterly overwhelmed when the warmer weather arrives? Get a head start on spring cleaning with these 4 steps:

There’s no point in trying to clean and organize when you have extra papers, boxes, old clothes, and more lying around. Instead of shuffling things around so they look a bit neater, get rid of anything that needs to go. If you haven’t used something in the last 6 months (and it isn’t seasonal) it probably needs to go. As Marie Kondo says, if it doesn’t spark joy, get rid of it!

A great tip to properly purge is to start with clutter out in the open and then move on to closets and spare rooms where you’ve shoved your deepest, darkest secrets… or just the things you no longer use. Completing this first step is huge and you’ll feel so much better once you’ve decluttered your home.

Once you’ve decluttered, you’re ready to start cleaning. But first, take a look at your cleaning supplies and figure out what you need. We’re big advocates of eco-friendly products so if you’ve run out of your conventional bathroom, kitchen, or all-purpose cleaners, try replacing it with natural and eco-friendly products. Also make sure to stock up on rags, brushes, and any other materials you may need like white vinegar and baking soda to do a deep clean.

You know what they said, “Fail to plan, plan to fail.” If you want to successfully spring clean your home, you’ll need a proper plan. Whether you like using a checklist, weekly planner, or an intricate spreadsheet, make a list of all the rooms you need to clean and create subtasks for each room. Whether you want to immerse yourself in cleaning for an entire weekend or complete one small step each day, create a plan that works best for you and your schedule.

Once you’ve made a plan, make sure you don’t bite off more than you can chew. If you get into one task and it takes way longer than expected, don’t panic! Just divide the task into smaller parts and complete one at a time. The beauty of starting early is that you can adjust your timeline as you go. When you start with small tasks that are divided up over time, you’ll have a sparkling clean home by the time spring arrives!

When your living space is messy and disorganized, it can leave you feeling flustered and out of control. Cleaning things up can definitely help calm the chaos. If you put in the effort to spring clean now, we guarantee you’ll be able to spend more time relaxing and doing the things you love!

Are you ready to get a head start on spring cleaning so you can enjoy the season? Share your clean home tips below.