The first day of spring probably feels a little different this year with many of us choosing to remain cooped up inside. However, this may have you feel extra motivated to give your house the thorough deep spring clean it’s been needing.
Should I Clean My Phone?
It’s no secret that your phone is dirty. You touch it about 2,000 times a day, so it’s inevitable that germs will get on it. However, your best defense against germs is washing your hands; if you’re not keeping up with other good hygiene practices regularly, cleaning your phone won’t really help.
However, if you are worried about germs on your device, (and let’s face it -can you remember the last time you sanitized your phone? Me neither.) Apple recommends using a soft, lint-free cloth. To disinfect, you can gently use a 70% isopropyl alcohol wipe on hard, nonporous surfaces of their products like keyboards, displays or exterior surfaces.
…But I Don’t Want to Clean
Finding the motivation to start cleaning is the hardest part. Luckily, there’s an app for that. The app store has plenty of free and paid apps to help you organize, make to do lists and stay accountable.
Todoist
Feeling overwhelmed with the mountain of tasks you want to accomplish? This app helps you organize and prioritize. Plus, it allows you to set daily goals and visualize productivity.
Download Todoist for iOS here.
Download Todoist for Android here.
Does It Spark Joy?
Marie Kondo rocketed to fame after her Netflix show had the entire world purging their house last year. With some extra time on your hands, it’s a great time to make a big pile of all your belongings and ask yourself, “does this spark joy?” Kondo’s tips don’t just have to apply to your closet -use this time for a digital cleanse as well! Click here for a full digital cleanse guide.
So now you have a big pile of things you don’t want sitting on your bed. Now what? Facebook now has a marketplace where you can list items for people in your area to view, similar to Craigslist but it’s attached to your Facebook profile. Poshmark is another app that lets you list your items for sale. While you have to meet with people in person when you sell things on Facebook Marketplace, Poshmark allows people to buy your items online and you ship it to them directly. Your local thrift store or shelter would also gladly welcome some donations.
Cards and papers can accumulate and take up a lot of extra space pretty quickly. You want to get rid of some clutter but are afraid of getting rid of too many precious memories. Try taking pictures of cards and letters you recycle and keeping them in a special folder, that way you can still look back on them later and save some extra space in your closet, nightstands, or wherever else you choose to hoard your cards.
What tips do you have for spring cleaning? Share any tips and tricks below -from apps you use, ways to stay motivated or commonly forgotten items that need to be cleaned, let’s hear them!