(How to Adult Intro plays)

Emma: Hey.  So spring has come to the Northern hemisphere apparently.  Okay, it's actually pretty cold outside, but nevertheless, it's time to shoo old man Winter away with a broom, so today we're going to talk about some of our favorite tips for spring cleaning. 

Tip #1: As we like to say here at How to Adult, one of the keys to getting things done in adulthood is having a compelling 'why'.  So ask yourself why do you want to have a spick and span homeplace?  To feel renewed after an unbrrr-lievably long winter, to have more buddies over in this seasons of bunnies?  Without a why, spring cleaning can become another boo, hiss adulthood thing that you don't really wanna do.  With a why, it can actually be pretty fun.

Tip #2: Declutter your space!  We've covered this topic in its own video, but making your space a little less jam-packed is a great way to freshen up.  This doesn't have to be done all at once, but it's something to keep in mind as you're going through the cleaning process. 

Tip #3: Baby steps.  A lot of little things that kinda bug you can add up during the blah months.  So take care of those things.  Change the light bulbs.  Straighten that picture frame.  Open the fridge and throw out that old moldy bread that recently became self-aware. 

Mike: I hate when you talk about me like that.

Emma: Take some time to restock your cleaning supplies and change the battery in your smoke detector, you'll be happy that you did.

Tip #4: Carpets and rugs.  To quote Real Simple magazine, "Step One: determine which areas need the most care (near entryways, where people eat, play spaces).  Step Two: Take a vacuum to the problem, going back and forth for about 30 seconds in bad spots.  For rugs, do the top of each rug, then lift and fold back the corners to vacuum the underside.  Step Three: For any stains, dampen a cloth with cleaner and degreaser, and apply it to the stains, let sit for five minutes, then blot with a fresh dry cloth, working from the edges of the stain towards the centers.  Blot again with a fresh cloth, this time applying pressure with your foot to get really deep.  Step Four: Use a hair dryer set on high to dry each spot, open the windows to finish the job."

Step #5: Windows are the eyes to the soul...or something!  Anyway, clean them up.  If possible, you might want to start on the outside of the window, because that's where most of the build-up will be.  One window washing hack from Apartment Therapy, instead of using a cloth to wipe off your window wash, use a newspaper.  FYI, a newspaper is like a papery BuzzFeed with fewer quizzes and no .gifs.

Mike: It's '.jifs'

Emma: We are now moving on.

The sharpness and absorption power of the paper makes it A+++++.  Also, if you'd like to make your own window washing fluid, check out the link to Apartment Therapy in the Dooblydoo below.

Tip #6: Blinds.  To quote Martha Stewart, who knows what's up, "Once or twice a year, wipe wooden blinds with a few drops of gentle wood cleaner on a nearly dry sponge.  Aluminum blinds can be wasted outdoors.  Place them on an old sheet on a slanted surface and scrub with water and noncorrosive cleaner.  Use a hose to rinse well and then dry the blinds thoroughly with a towel to prevent rust." 

Tip #7: Your bed is your head.  So if you're so inclined, make your bed refreshed.  Change out your bedding, for instance.  Real Simple Magazine also recommends throwing the mattress cover in the wash.  After it's done, line-dry it or toss it in the dryer with a couple of clean tennis balls to fluff it back to form.  Also, to make it smell nice, maybe tuck a few dryer sheets, try ones with essential oils, under the mattress cover so that it releases a fresh scent while you sleep.

Tip #8: Don't let it drive you bananas!  Spring cleaning should be about renewal and not about being sad and overwhelmed and whatnot.  So don't beat yourself up if it takes a while.  Do little things to make your surroundings fresh, maybe change out some of the pictures in your picture frames or bring in flowers or other things that smell nice. 

We'll cover some more specific, more in-depthy approaches to clean all the things in a future video, so if you have anything you'd like some more information on, please let us know in the comment section below, and if you have any awesome spring cleaning tips, we would love to hear from you.  In the meantime, I have a catchphrase for you, and I'm certain that I left it around here on the floor somewhere.

Mike: Was it the beautiful and world-changing thing?

Emma: Yeah, it was the best one of all times.

Mike: I think I vacuumed that.

(Endscreen)