Spring Cleaning Tips for Seniors

Warmer weather and longer days are here, which means spring is right around the corner. While this brings a promise of brighter days after a long and gloomy winter, it also means it is the perfect time to start spring cleaning. Seniors especially should make sure that they do some spring cleaning this time of year to make sure that their home is safe, healthy and ready for the fun that warmer weather brings.

The best thing about spring cleaning is that it doesn?t have to be difficult or taxing?even for seniors with limited mobility. There are several easy things that any senior can do to not only keep their home looking and feeling cleaner, but to make sure it is safer as well.

1. Keep Safety in Mind

If you are planning on spring cleaning on your own, make sure that you are keeping safety in mind?especially if you have physical challenges or limited mobility. The good news is, there are several cleaning tools that can help make your daily cleaning efforts easier and less dangerous. This includes:

• Using a squeegee for cleaning your windows (it will help you reach higher places).
• Getting a vacuum with a cord retractor
• Investing in vacuums with a longer hose to vacuum with
• Getting a standing dustpan so you don?t have to reach over
• Using sturdy step stools to clean high areas instead of trying to reach

If you are worried about your safety while cleaning, always ask a friend or family member to help.

2. Hire Some Professionals

There are certain spring cleaning things you will want to do on your own, and other tasks you will want to leave to the professionals. Spring is a great time to clean out your gutters, swap out filters and make sure your exterior windows are clean and looking their best. It is also a great time to power wash your home and outdoor areas.

However, these tasks are big undertakings and it is best if they are left to professionals. Hire experts for big projects like this!

3. Check Your Smoke Detectors and Fire Extinguishers

Spring cleaning isn?t just about removing dust bunnies, it is also about making sure that the home is safe. This means checking your batteries on your smoke detectors. Many experts suggest that you check your smoke detector batteries whenever you change your clocks for day light savings times. During this time, you should also check your fire extinguishers. They have an expiration date on them and don?t last forever! Having an expired fire extinguisher in your home can be a major safety hazard.

4. Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet

If your medicine cabinet is overstuffed and crowded, it can make it really difficult to find the right items you need when you need them. While you organize your medicine cabinet, you should also make sure that you are checking the labels on any medications (including over-the-counter medications) that you have. If anything is expired make sure that you dispose of it properly.

This is also a great time to check your first aid kit to make sure it is fully stocked and has everything that you need in it.

5. Declutter, Declutter, Declutter

A lot of people have the bad habit of collecting clutter, and spring cleaning is a great time to make sure that the clutter gets put away. This will not only help your home look and feel cleaner, but it will make sure you aren?t living with any trip and fall hazards in the home.

Did you know that most senior falls happen in their own home?

Clutter that is sitting around like this can really get in the way and could be a potential fall hazard.

6. Clean Out the Closet

When your closet is well-organized, it will make everything in the morning easier and it will help you feel more organized and less chaotic. Go through your closet and think about what you really wear and what you really need. If you haven?t worn it in the past year?get rid of it. This will give you more space for the things that you actually use and wear.

7. Get Some Storage Bins

If you want your home to be more organized, then consider getting some small storage bins to help you with your efforts. Small storage bins are great for storing things that aren?t on display and keeping them organized?and they are safer than large storage bins which can be difficult for seniors to move.

8. Do Some Deep Cleaning

There are many people who clean casually throughout the year to keep their home looking clean, but when was the last time you did a deep clean? This means swapping out air filters, cleaning baseboards and on top of door frames and dusting the fan blades in your rooms.

These are all areas that dust mites can grow and hide and these dusty and dirty areas of the home may actually be making allergies worse (if you have them) and keeping your home looking and feeling less clean.

9. Clean Out the Pantry

Take the time to really clean out your pantry. Check all of the expiration dates on everything (including your spices) and make sure you throw away anything that is expired. This is a great way to make sure that you aren?t accidentally using or eating anything that has gone bad and could be potentially harmful to your health.

Plus, it is a great way to get your pantry looking and feeling cleaner and more organized!

Spring is all about new beginnings and spring cleaning is a great time to get a fresh start with those new beginnings and begin with a clean slate. No matter what your goals are with your spring cleaning, a concerted effort to make your space safer is a great place to start!