Six Things You Don’t Want to Forget to Spring-clean This Year

By Nicholas Johansen

Everyone loves a deep spring cleaning inside and out of our home… of course, after the work is done. But when the Central Texas Heat takes over, it can be tough to get outdoor spring cleaning done. Here are some inside things to spring-cleaning ideas to complete when sheltering from the afternoon's heat!

Your Devices: Our devices are one of the dirtiest objects we own – sometimes up to ten times "dirtier" than your toilet seat; however, it is important to note that dirty in this context refers to the total number of bacteria – failing to account for bacteria that is not harmful. Nevertheless, it is critical to consistently – and adequately – disinfect our devices to prevent Streptococcus, MRSA, E. coli, or other possible dangers from entering your system. To clean your device, use a lint-free cloth dampened with soap and water. High-tech device cleaners such as the Samsung Qi Wireless Charger and UV Sanitizer are also effective ways to sanitize your devices.

Your Email/Texts: After you give your devices an excellent cleaning, let's look at what's stored on them. Take some time to go through your emails, texts, photos, or old apps and delete those you no longer need. You can also save important messages to folders on your device for future reference. This will clear up much-needed storage on your device for what you need. 

Your Budget: If your 2022 resolution was to save more money (like not buying fancy high-tech device cleaners), it's time to sit down and reevaluate your budget! Take the time to evaluate your expenses and your spouse's expenses, too. Ensuring you and your spouse are on the same page will make creating and adjusting your budget more straightforward. Perhaps turn this budget spring cleaning into a monthly get-to-together at the kitchen table. A routine will help you to stay on top of your budget!

Your Car: From kids dragging their shoes across the car with mud to spilled sodas on the seats, it's time to get out your bucket and sponges. Vacuum the rugs and seats thoroughly, wipe down the dashboard, and scrub the outside until it sparkles in the Texas sunshine. We recommend doing this early in the day or later in the evening to avoid that Texas heat. If you're feeling a little adventurous, visit a local car wash and spring clean your car, so it is ready for those early morning commutes and summer road trips. 

Your Wallet/Purse: Sometimes, the dark recesses at the bottom of our purses can be daunting; from old crumpled recipes to gum wrappers and who knows what else, we all have clutter taking up valuable real estate in our wallets and purses. Take a moment to declutter your most useful accessory so that you can always find exactly what you need.

Your Mail: Spam mail – whether digital or paper – quickly accumulates and can easily crowd up important documents that may be time-sensitive. Consider using the classical method of storing mail by filing it away in a drawer or installing hanging magazine holders on the wall to place your mail in. Organizing your emails depends on your email platform. For example, use labels to filter your emails in Gmail or use the tool "Sweep" in Outlook to move emails to a designated folder.

We hope this list helps put you in the spring cleaning mindset and prevents anything from falling through the cracks. Happy Spring! 

Photo Credit: Photos by Towfiqu barbhuiya & Daiga Ellaby on Unsplash