How I Actually Approach Spring Cleaning
A room-by-room breakdown that makes it feel easy.
Thank you for being a subscriber to the Beyond the Kale newsletter. If you’re a new subscriber, I send newsletters each month complete with meal plans and guides meant to make cooking easier. For full access to all of my posts, consider upgrading to paid.
I’m going to say something that might be controversial. I actually really love spring cleaning. Like, I actually look forward to it. I’m also the kind of person who loves Mondays, so maybe that tells you everything you need to know about me, but there is something about a fresh start that I find so energizing.
The idea of going through every room, getting rid of what no longer serves you, putting real systems in place, and coming out the other side with a home that just feels lighter and more intentional? That is my idea of a good time.
I don’t do it all in one day. I spread it out over a few weekends, tackling one room at a time so it never feels overwhelming. And I go into each room with the same approach: purge first, then organize, then clean. In that order. If you try to organize before you purge, you’re just moving clutter around. And if you clean before you organize, you’ll be cleaning around things that shouldn’t even be there.
I’m a systems person—everything in my house has a place, and when it doesn’t, that’s usually when things start to feel chaotic. Spring cleaning is my annual reset to make sure those systems still make sense, get rid of what’s expired or outgrown or just unnecessary, and set myself up for a smooth few months ahead.
Below is my room-by-room breakdown, with everything I use and love linked. Whether you tackle it all in one weekend or chip away at it over a few weeks, this is the list I’d start with.
The bedroom is where I start because it sets the tone for everything else. A clean, organized bedroom affects how I sleep and how I start my mornings, and since I’m up at 5am most days, a calm space matters.
What to purge: Anything on your nightstand that doesn’t need to be there. Old magazines, cords that don’t belong to anything, products you don’t actually use. Check under the bed too—it becomes a catch-all over time.
What to organize:
Nightstand organizer (or drawer organizer) — keeps the surface clear
Under-bed storage bins — flat, lidded, and perfect for off-season items
Linen organizing bags — I store sheet sets inside one pillowcase so everything stays together
What to clean:
Wash all bedding, including the duvet insert if you can
Flip or rotate your mattress
Wipe down baseboards and ceiling fan blades (the most forgotten spots in every room).
This is the space that takes the most time but gives the most satisfying payoff. I go through everything (and I mean everything) once a year.
What to purge: If you haven’t worn it in a year, let it go. Be ruthless. Donate, consign, or toss. A closet with breathing room is so much easier to maintain.
What to organize:
Matching velvet hangers — this alone transforms a closet visually
Clear shelf dividers — for sweaters and folded items
Labeled bins or baskets — for accessories, bags, seasonal items
Drawer organizers — for anything folded in drawers
Over-the-door organizer — for shoes, bags, or accessories
What to clean:
Wipe down shelves before putting things back
This is also a good time to assess your lighting — a good closet light makes everything easier to find
Products I love:
Clothing steamer — faster than an iron and great for getting things back in shape after storage
The kitchen is the room I’m most particular about because it’s where I spend the most time. I recipe test, film, cook for the boys—it needs to work and it needs to work efficiently.
What to purge: Go through every cabinet and drawer. Toss expired pantry items, spices that are over a year old, duplicate tools you don’t need. If something hasn’t been used in a year, it probably doesn’t need to live in the kitchen.
What to organize:
Pantry bins or baskets — categorized by type (grains, snacks, canned goods, etc.)
Lazy Susans — for corner cabinets or the back of deep shelves
Drawer dividers — for utensils
Spice rack or organizer — alphabetizing your spices sounds extra but it saves so much time when you’re searching
Clear food storage containers — organize dry goods so you can actually see what you have
What to clean:
Deep clean the oven and stovetop
Wipe out every drawer and cabinet before reorganizing
Clean behind and underneath appliances (yes, the fridge too)
Wipe down the inside of the fridge and toss anything expired
Products I love:
Airtight food storage containers — I use these for everything
The bathroom may be smaller than other areas, but there’s always expired items in there and we all know it.
What to purge: Go through every product under the sink and in the medicine cabinet. Toss anything expired, anything you haven’t used in six months, and duplicates. Skincare and makeup have expiration dates—actually check them.
What to organize:
Under-sink organizer — stackable pull-out shelves are a game changer
Clear acrylic organizers — for makeup, skincare, and hair tools on the counter
Medicine cabinet organizers — small bins to group things by category
Hair tool organizer — for the blow dryer and straightener
What to clean:
Deep clean the grout
Wash shower curtain and liner
Replace your shower liner if it needs it
Clean the showerhead (a simple vinegar soak does it)
Products I love:
Squeegee — keeps the glass doors clean between deep cleans
An underrated room that makes your whole routine easier when it’s organized.
What to purge: Old cleaning products, half-empty bottles you’re never going to use, worn-out items, all those socks you never found the match to.
What to organize:
Labeled laundry baskets or hampers
Wall-mounted drying rack — saves so much floor space
Shelf or cabinet organizers — for detergent, stain remover, and supplies
What to clean:
Run a cleaning cycle on the washing machine
Clean the dryer lint trap (and the duct if you can)
Wipe down the tops and fronts of both machines
Products I love:
A clean workspace makes a big difference.
What to purge: Papers, cords you don’t recognize, anything that’s crept in from other rooms. If your desk has a drawer, empty it completely and start fresh.
What to organize:
Desk organizer — for pens, notebooks, and small supplies
Cable management box or clips — cords are the enemy of a clean desk
File folders or accordion file — for any physical paperwork you’re keeping
Shelf or wall storage — if you’re short on desk space
What to clean:
Wipe down your desk, keyboard, and monitor
Clean your desk chair
Dust shelves and any equipment
Products I love:
Desktop pad or mat — protects the surface and looks clean
Paper shredder — for anything you’re tossing that has personal info
A good cleaning caddy that you can carry room to room — load it up with your supplies at the start and it saves so many trips back and forth.
Microfiber cloths — I use these for basically every surface. Washable, effective, and you don’t need a lot of product with them.
A cordless vacuum — for quick cleanups between rooms without dragging a full vacuum everywhere.
Trash bags and donation bags — have both on hand before you start. The purge goes so much faster when you’re not hunting for a bag.
You can shop everything linked in this post on my Amazon Storefront and find all my home favorites on my ShopMy!
Consider upgrading to a paid subscription to unlock exclusive content.
Subscribe to the Beyond the Kale newsletter to keep reading this post and get 7 days of free access to the full post archives.
A subscription gets you:
Receive all subscriber-only posts and access the full archive (50+ posts with recipes, meal plans, and guides).
Get access to grocery lists, subscriber-only recipes, detailed prep guides, resources, and more — all ad-free!
Access subscriber-only chat and comments and reply to me directly to get support, cooking tips, and community discussions.
This is an amazing and resourceful post! Love a good spring clean! Thank you for everything!💛