Mmm, those fresh flowers smell so pleasant, but the extra dust and dirt from the winter months… not so much. It’s time to let spring inspire you to get your home clean and ready for warmer days. Now is the perfect time to set your cleaning budget for the next several months.
You’ll need to consider both what it will cost you to clean, and what it would cost to outsource your chores. You’ll also need to take an inventory of your cleaning supplies and tools, and create of list of products you might need to purchase.
Let’s get to work.
Start with Something Simple
You might start the season with massive amounts of energy and motivation. Lofty goals are great, but when it comes to spring cleaning, you might want to tackle the simple projects first, and then progress to harder more timely tasks.
It is worth investing in a cleaning service for a one-time cleaning service to jump start your to-do list.
A simple cleaning service means you shouldn’t need to set a spring cleaning budget of more than $100-$200 depending on where you live, and what you need accomplished. A deep-cleaning budget will need to be set a little higher.
Inside appliances will be cleaned, baseboards hand wiped, light fixtures polished
When you have help, you can build up momentum, so you’ll have the motivation you need to keep working long after the cleaning technicians leave your home.
Stock Up on Supplies
In 2017, the average family spent $600 during the year on cleaning supplies. All those bottles of cleaning solutions, paper towels, rags, soap, mops, vacuums can add up fast. Before you know it, you’ve spent hundreds of dollars before you’ve even started sweeping the floors.
There are few ways to save on important cleaning supplies.
- Take inventory of what you already have in your cabinets.
- Choose multipurpose cleaners.
- Make your own eco-friendly cleaning solutions.
- Purchase quality tools (i.e., vacuums) and they’ll last longer than cheaper tools.
- Make reusable options a priority (i.e., rags instead of paper towels).
Take time to create a list of what you need, and then include the price of each item. Add it up, and determine where you can save. Look for coupons, or decide if the product is even necessary.
Make Cleaning a Family Effort
Put those kiddos to work! If it’s just you living in the house, that’s one thing, but kids are inherently messy.
Help them start exercising their life skills by creating a detailed chore list to keep the home in order between professional cleanings. The more everyone works together, the less often you’ll need to outsource the cleaning projects.
You might need to budget for your kid’s allowance if you pay them for the household work. While they will likely be cheaper, it is still worth noting the extra $10 or $15 going to their pockets.
Budget Time and Money
The best thing about warmer months is going to explore outdoors. After staying inside all winter, the whole family wants to go camping, hiking, to the zoo or out to another baseball game.
Your time might be more valuable than the cost of a cleaning company. Write down how you spend your time each week. Do you have a few hours of free time to dedicate to cleaning? How would you spend the time if you had someone else do the work?
Decide if a cleaning company is cheaper than you spending your time to clean the house.
Pet Parents Budget More
While a pet parakeet or a little lizard won’t make that much of a mess, your faithful friend may bring the outdoors inside, especially on rainy spring afternoons. If you have a cat or several, there may be hair in unexplored places and litter may extend beyond the box.
Pets are great, but they are messy. They will enjoy a clean home just as much as you will. It may be worth it for their sake at the very least, even if half of the mess may be theirs.
Be sure to consider any pets in your spring cleaning budget, because you might need special supplies to accommodate their needs.
Ready to get your house clean for the summer? Call us at 2 Green Chicks at (405) 928-8535 for a quote.
If you are ready to tackle all the projects solo, then download our checklist to get started.
