Simple Spring Cleaning Tips for Seniors

Spring has sprung! Now, it’s time to get our homes in order after a long, cold winter.

Are you ready for spring cleaning? Try these simple tips to help get seniors’ homes clean, healthy, and organized.

Work in small chunks of time

We’ve all done it – we let some things go in the cold, dark months of winter, and now we’re staring at a massive cleaning project. It can be overwhelming, and honestly, intimidating.

Not sure where to start? Simple – anywhere. Spring cleaning does not need to be completed in one day. Instead, break up tasks into small chunks of time throughout the week, weeks, or month. This will make cleaning up much more manageable and motivating.

Make getting rid of clutter a priority

When is the last time you decluttered your home? Or, do you have a certain room or closet deemed as the “dump room” where you tend to throw items into without order? Now is the time to go through it!

Decluttering helps you free up space, decrease stress, and even relieve insomnia. Removing clutter from your home also reduces your risk of tripping and falling.

Ask a friend or family member to help you separate items into three categories: keep, donate, and trash. Organize the items you keep in the space with appropriate-sized containers and shelving.

Leave the heavy lifting to someone else

To prevent injuries, do not try to move heavy objects or furniture on your own. It’s important to stay safe while spring cleaning, especially if you have reduced strength or mobility issues.

Enlist the help of friends and family to assist you with moving heavy objects. Or, hire a professional who will come in, clean, and move furniture so that your house is tidy without risking your wellbeing.

Check your medicine cabinets

One often overlooked area to pay attention to is your medicine cabinet. This is important to spring clean because it houses the things that keep us healthy.

Check the expiration dates on all of your medications, both prescription and over the counter. If you find expired medications or medications you no longer need, properly dispose of them.

First, check to see if you have any local drug take-back sites that will safely take the medications off your hands. For example, Summit County’s D.U.M.P. program provides boxes across the county where you can drop off the unused medicine. The medications are safely disposed of, no questions asked. If a drug take-back program is not an option, consult the FDA’s flush list.

Once you’ve cleaned out your medicine cabinet, be sure to replace any items that are missing. It’s better to be prepared ahead of time with the medications and tools you might need. You can find a list of medicine cabinet necessities here.

Don’t forget the detectors

Your smoke detectors and carbon dioxide detectors keep you safe from serious harm. Make sure you have fresh batteries in all of your detectors and that they are functioning properly.

If your detectors are too high to reach without climbing on a ladder or chair, ask someone to help you. Call on a friend, family member, neighbor, or landlord to take a look.

Give your kitchen a refresher

This spring, take some time to clean out your refrigerator and pantry. Make sure no old, expired food items have been pushed to the back and forgotten.

Organizing your refrigerator and pantry by categories can help preparing meals easier. For example, put all of your cold produce in the produce bin, your condiments on the door of the refrigerator, and canned items together in the pantry.  

Clean your dishwasher and washing machine

Your dishwasher and washing machine work hard to keep dishes and clothes clean. But, every now and then, they need cleaned, too.

To do this, simply purchase specialty dishwasher cleanser and follow the directions for your dishwasher. Don’t forget to wipe down the exterior.

You can use white vinegar and baking soda to clean your washing machine. Just add hot water to the machine, add the vinegar and baking soda, let it sit for 30 to 60 minutes, then restart your machine, and let it drain and dry.

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