In the winter and early spring months, we’re all looking for ways to make the house feel a little fresher. You might be feeling a bit claustrophobic with all the holiday decorations that you just shoved toward the back of a closet, or you might be feeling like your yard needs to be spruced up when you look around at all the falling leaves that are still scattered around the yard in March. For all of you early birds who can’t wait until April or even March to start on your spring cleaning projects, here are a few things that you can do now that will make you more prepared when spring is actually here.

Make a List

One of the things that you can do the earliest is to make a list of all the things that you want to get done. In fact, this is a task that you can start even in February. Take inventory of every nook and closet in your home to decide which areas you need to pare down and look at all the high shelves and remote corners that need a thorough scrubbing or dusting. Then, you can start making an itinerary of when you want to have each project completed.

Clean Out the Indoors

While you might not want to spend a lot of time in the garage, attic, or shed because of cold weather, you can get a lot done indoors during this time. For instance, if you have a closet under the stairs, you can start going through all the extra blankets, coats, holiday decorations, old clothes, and anything else that has piled up. Sort them, then decide if you want to keep, relocate, donate, or toss. After you have cleared out a space, it often becomes apparent that you need to have floors cleaned. Eli Rodriguez, owner of Lightning Carpet Care in Orlando, Florida, says that “Having your carpet or wood floors deep cleaned makes such a difference in the welcoming feel of your home.”

Get a Storage Unit

Even though you might not want to pay for a new storage unit – if you are not ready to relocate the items in your house, you can still look around for storage units that offer the best prices or have the extra features that you think your possessions will need. For instance, if you have certain items that need temperature and moisture control, such as collectible books or antiques, you will need to find an indoor storage unit facility that has these features. Otherwise, you can also start price shopping for a storage unit if you have a lot of children’s clothing but might be having another baby or want to hold onto some of your old furniture for when your teenager moves out of the house in a few years.

Buy Your Cleaning Supplies

If you are someone who likes to wait for the best deals on everyday essentials, start watching the sales on your favorite cleaning products. Even if you do not have the time to thoroughly clean every area of you home now, you will be happy later when you don’t have to go to the store to buy floor cleaner and wood oil for the banister. 

Get Ready for Outdoor Cleaning

Spring is a muddy time, and you will want to be ready to get your porch and yard in condition to host barbecues and other outdoor activities. Get your yard ready by listing which projects you want to do outside and coming up with the materials that you will need for each project. You might also want to start thinking about the storage shed and garage at this point. You probably do not want to be in unheated sheds or garages for long periods of time in the middle of February, but you’ll be happy that you’re ready to go when warmer weather arrives.

There are some spring cleaning projects that are best left for when warmer weather hits, but there are a lot of things that you can do right now to prepare. All of you spring cleaning early birds will love the feeling of accomplishment that you get when you know that you are ready to hop right in and make your house feel fresh and inviting.