Spring cleaning checklist: Tips, tricks and tools that make de-cluttering your living space a lot easier

How to declutter your living space: "Simple home furnishings, such as bed covers, table runners, and aroma based candles/fresheners, can add a wonderful touch to your everyday life," says Smita Vijayakumar Contractor, co-founder of ReNNovate Interiors

Spring cleaning is more than just a routine; it's an opportunity to refresh and rejuvenate your living space when the weather transitions from cold to hot. In the realm of luxurious living, spring cleaning becomes an art form and a refreshing activity to give your home a brand new look.

It's a holistic approach that seamlessly blends refinement, compartmentalisation, and the infusion of new elements to welcome and celebrate a fresh season.

Recycle the waste:

For some home dwellers, it’s usually hard to cull things due to the sheer effort it takes and sometimes sentimentality. However, it is also a logistic nightmare once you’ve moved past the emotional baggage. Mumbai-based architect Smita Vijayakumar Contractor, co-founder of ReNNovate Interiors, shares some interesting ways to get it right. “A simple idea is to separate the items into reuse, throw away, and sell buckets. Recycling is probably the easiest option with your local recycling centre or scarp dealer. In the throw pile, you can add a donate box especially for kids toys and clothes. Many NGOs today help with that cause. Furthermore, with the advent of OLX and Mygate, selling old furniture has become even easier. Even IKEA takes back old furniture,” says Contractor.

Add new elements:

Bringing home new colours and trends is the most exciting and motivating part of spring cleaning. Buying new curtains, cushion covers, bed covers, decorative bric-a-brac, artificial plants, and organizers is always a great way to rev up your space. Contractor adds, “Lamps, decorative lights, and wall papers are among my personal favorites. It’s a bold and joyful change that one can appreciate every day. The simplest of home furnishings, such as bed covers, table runners, and aroma based candles/fresheners, can add a wonderful touch to your everyday life. Buying nice glasses for everyday water and coffee, coffee mugs, and everyday use plates is a fun way to add a touch of luxury to your home. A must try in the easy spring cleaning and renovation category, these can be found easily at home stores, IKEA, on Amazon or Myntra and are quite affordable.”

A dash of renovation:

Often, undertaking a home renovation is a great idea. This can include refinishing doors, wardrobes, kitchen cabinets, or changing the paint on walls. The addition of wall textures like mouldings, metal inlays, grooves, and 3D boards is often recommended. Additionally, wall papers and paints with wall textures enhance each space’s aesthetics. For adding the final touch, Contractor recommends, “It is substantial how lighting changes the way we experience a space, whether it is task lighting or decorative lighting. In my opinion, area rugs, plants, and wall art also add considerable personality to a room. The key to design is always addressing storage and organizing it beautifully. With new technology, we can change flooring painlessly with SPC floors, vinyls and even tile on tile paste overs! Spring cleaning and renovation are fun and one can undertake them today with fabulous and substantive end results.”