Ah, spring. The time when the sun starts shining again more often and you can actually open your windows and smell the fresh air. The longer days might also start to give you some more motivation to get things done. This is the time when Cleaning, organization and new projects around the home start to actually get accomplished. But, as you bust out the cleaning supplies and turn on HGTV, you may want to know some of these Spring Cleaning Dos and don’ts first. Here’s our list:

Don’t feel like you need to completely re-arrange, clean and re-organize every room in one day to feel accomplished. Do start small and tackle little projects one at a time.¹ Think of a small project you’ve been putting off all winter, such as cleaning out your junk drawer. Most of the time, when you accomplish a small task, it can give you the motivation to keep going. However, if you try tackling an entire room when you aren’t motivated, you’ll probably end up giving up much quicker.

As you re-organize, don’t leave any dust and dirt behind!¹ When tackling a small area, take everything out, clean and then re-organize. A space won’t feel fresh and new if there is still yucky stuff left behind.

Don’t simply re-organize all of your stuff. Do make it a process.¹ Take everything out of a closet, room, drawer or cabinet and make different piles. Decide what you want to keep, throw away, donate or move to a different area of your home. Spring cleaning mode can be a great way to minimalize the amount of stuff you own as well.

When re-organizing linens and laundry, don’t stack. Instead, do roll towels or sheets to save space and make your closets look Pinterest-worthy.¹

Want to instantly clean up the look of your clothes closets and save space? Do throw away or donate any mismatched hangers and purchase all new hangers.¹ Another do? Sort clothing seasonally.¹ Put winter clothes in a bin or another closet during summer months and switch out clothes based on seasons. This can help open up a lot of space in your closets so you’re not always digging through so many clothes. Make sure to look for clothes with holes or stains to get rid of or any clothes you haven’t worn in a year to donate.

When you clean out your kitchen, do reduce the clutter. Make sure to clean items you might not deep clean that often, such as the refrigerator drawers and pantry. Do grab some new clear organizational jars and put snacks and food in those.¹ Not only will it instantly organize your fridge and pantry, reduce the number of times a bag of chips gets hidden way in the back, but it will also keep your food fresher longer.

Remember, do use clear organizational jars or baskets so you can view what is in them, instead of letting stuff get shoved back in closets only to be found years later.¹

Don’t just end your cleaning and organizing spree in the springtime! Carve out 5-10 minutes per day to clean up around the house, go through drawers or whatever you have the time and motivation to handle.¹ This will ensure your newly clean and organized home stays that way!

Are you a clean or messy person? Do you get a burst of motivation every year to spring clean or not? Will you use any of these tips? What tips would you like to share? Share with us by commenting below!

^{1 – Information from Refinery29}