After months of gray days, record low temps, and relentless rain, it’s finally happening!
Spring is here!
As the sunshine starts to thaw us out of our winter funk, we get the urge for a fresh start. We Amazon cart a new set of cleaning products. We side-eye the dust bunnies in the corner. We yell “ENOUGH!” at the long winter laundry pile that’s been languishing in the living room. Because all around us, the world is waking up from hibernation, and all this bright light and new beginning magic can mean only one thing: it’s time for spring cleaning.
If this is your first spring with a new little one, it’s probably also your first spring cleaning with a nursery. To keep things simple, we’ve made an easy-to-follow checklist that will take your nursery from winter dust to spring sparkle!
When you’ve got a new baby, even the simplest tasks take a little extra preparation. Tackling a major cleaning project while handling infant care on your own can be, well, a lot. Instead of diving in all by yourself, schedule a day when you can get some help with baby care from a friend, a grandparent, or family member. Invite someone over to snuggle and play with your little one while you do the dirty work of getting your nursery clean!
There’s no point cleaning things you won’t be keeping, so start by taking an inventory of your nursery. Once you’ve identified items that baby has outgrown, worn out, or just plain doesn’t need, divide them into three piles: Sentimental things to keep, useful things to donate, and trash. Pack the sentimental items away in safe storage boxes, throw out the trash, and bring the donatable items out to your car for drop off at a local charity the next time you run errands.
Next, strip all the linens - your crib sheet, curtains, any spit up rags or blankets laying around, and machine washable small toys - and get them going in the wash. Check if curtains need to be hand washed - if so, it’s easy to soak them in a big plastic storage bin or the bathtub. Keep the laundry cycle going as you work through the rest of your cleaning day. For plastic or other hard toys, consider sanitizing them with a quick run through the dishwasher - just make sure to follow all manufacturer guidelines! Delicate items can be wiped down with a damp cloth or a baby safe cleaner.
Time for those dust bunnies to move on! Remove any decorative items or books, then give nursery shelves a good dusting. Wipe down window sills, furniture, and baseboards with a damp cloth. Don’t forget to dust ceiling fans and light fixtures!
Now that the dust is tackled, it’s time for the floors. If you’ve got carpet in the nursery, consider renting a steam cleaner for the day to give it a real deep clean. At minimum, a good vacuuming will do! For hardwoods or other hard surfaces, use a mop or Swiffer to give them a good wash. While your floors are drying, it might just be time for a quick shopping trip!
End your day with a quick trip out to pick up any new organizational items you’ve been putting off buying for the nursery. Maybe it’s a few more hangers, or some new toy storage bins, or a diaper caddy. If you don’t have some at home, buy new batteries. Swing by and drop off your donation items on the way back home, and don’t forget to grab yourself a coffee or treat - you’ve earned it.
Once you get back home, the floors should be dry, and it’s time to load in all the clean linens and toys! Put things away using your new organization items, and make sure all smoke detectors, sensors, toys, and tools that use batteries have fresh ones.
That’s it! You’ve made it through your first major nursery spring cleaning. All that’s left to do is enjoy your sparkling clean space with your little one!
Happy Spring, everyone!