If, like me, you find seasonal cleaning tasks so overwhelming that you don’t know where to start, then the Spring Cleaning Bingo Method could make sprucing up your home this season more manageable than ever.
Essentially, a Spring Cleaning Bingo Method gamifies your to-do list by creating a small (and therefore more attainable) list of tasks you want to complete for a cleaner, more organized home. Once you’ve ticked off all items, you then get a reward for doing so.
To help you create a spring cleaning checklist of your own, we spoke to cleaning experts and asked psychologists just why this method works. Here is what they had to say, what to consider, and the reason it’s so effective.
What is a Spring Cleaning Bingo Method?
Unsure of where to start when it comes to spring cleaning? Or how to prepare for spring cleaning? Me too – but according to Marla Mock, president of Molly Maid, it's a common cleaning conundrum.
‘With a busy schedule, it can be tough to stay on top of cleaning duties,’ Marla explains. ‘Spring is all about fresh starts, and a clean home can help set the tone for a relaxing summer. However, the process can feel overwhelming, time-consuming and physically draining – unless you learn the tricks of the trade.’
But this is where this expert-approved Spring Cleaning Bingo Method steps up to the plate – which is, in essence, a smart spring cleaning tip or approach you can do for a smooth seasonal reset.
The idea is simple: containing just nine boxes, you fill out a ‘bingo sheet’ complete with the nine tasks you’d like to get done before or during the spring season. Then, just like in a real game of bingo, once you’ve marked off all your tasks, you get a reward for doing so.
For me, this reward was a wholesome day off doing some of my favorite things – including heading to a new yoga class, treating myself to a solo brunch, and then returning home to a clean and decluttered space.
‘With a Bingo checklist, you can work through each task one at a time, making the process feel more manageable and less stressful,’ Marla explains. ‘Plus, it adds a fun and rewarding twist to getting things done!’
I created my bingo sheet using a template from Canva. However, for an even quicker fix, you could jot down your nine spring cleaning tasks on Post-it notes and stick these in a 3x3 row somewhere visual. As I found with the Post-it note decluttering method, it’s much more handy to have cleaning reminders out in the open, to act as a nudge to get them done. With twice the amount of stickiness, these sticky notes won’t budge, no matter where you stick them.
What to consider on your Spring Cleaning Bingo sheet
Usually, there are at least 10 (or more) things on a typical seasonal checklist, whereas a Spring Cleaning Bingo sheet has nine. This list should be personal to you and your home, as there might be several things you want to declutter and clean in March across multiple rooms.
For example, alongside cleaning out my cutlery drawer, cleaning my oven, fridge, and dusting my bookshelf, on my own Spring Cleaning Bingo List, I knew I also wanted to include spring cleaning tasks I could do in under 20 minutes, like:
- Vacuuming my couch cushions: I’ve been using my portable, lightweight, and cordless Dyson Car + Boat Handheld Vacuum Cleaner, available on Amazon to do so, as its excellent filtration system traps 99.99% of particles as small as 0.3 microns.
- Descaling my kettle: As an avid tea and coffee drinker, I use my kettle multiple times a day. But with water often sitting inside this small kitchen appliance, limescale can build up. Therefore, to clean an electric kettle, I used equal parts water and distilled white vinegar, like this highly-rated $4.19 option from Target. After putting it on to boil and cool for at least 20 minutes, I then poured it away and it was as good as new.
- Deep cleaning my air fryer: Another appliance that gets a lot of use in my home? My trusty air fryer. While I clean this clever piece of kitchen kit after each use, I knew it was time to deep clean it. To do so, I used baking soda, like this highly-rated addition from Target, which is brilliant for a deeper clean and an old toothbrush to remove the grease.
- Washing my tile grout: Cleaning a bathroom is a chore I tick off weekly. But I recently made completing this task even easier, after I invested in a SonicScrubber Electrical Cleaning Brush, which you can pick up on Amazon for 11% less right now, to rid soap scum, grime and mold from the tile grout.
But you could always try slow cleaning this spring, which is the more mindful approach to preparing your home for the warmer months that prioritizes spring cleaning without getting overwhelmed.
Either way, Brian Sansoni, the senior vice president of communications, outreach and membership at the American Cleaning Institute, recommends making a spring cleaning plan to help you prepare for the cleanup and making an inventory of your supplies and adding what’s missing to your grocery list.
According to Brian, cleaning tasks like cleaning your window blinds or curtains, cleaning your ceiling fans and using a vacuum with a soft brush attachment to clean up any cobwebs in the corners, and tackling upholstered furniture could be a good place to start.
‘This is a recommended starting point, but you can always cater your checklist to your own spring cleaning needs,’ Brian explains .‘If you want to scale back, we recommend focusing on cleaning what matters most for health and hygiene, like tackling the kitchen, the bathroom, and frequently touched surfaces,’ Brian adds.
Marla says an all-purpose cleaner, like this eco-friendly option which comes with a biodegradable formula and a pink grapefruit scent, is 'perfect for cleaning countertops, appliances and other surfaces'. Cleaners with citric acid are not recommended for natural stone such as marble.
'Disinfecting wipes [are] a quick and easy way to sanitize high-touch areas like doorknobs, light switches and remotes,' Marla says. This product removes 99.9% of allergens on surfaces.
'Protect your hands when using cleaning products or scrubbing tougher areas,' Marla says. Made with a latex, neoprene, and nitrile formula, these gloves, which come with an extra-long drip-catch cuff, offer triple-layer protection.
Why the Spring Cleaning Bingo Method works
Usually, overwhelm and restlessness are two emotions I experience every time mammoth cleaning tasks, like the big spring clean or the fall clean, roll around.
Explaining why that might be, Dr Jordan Conrad, psychotherapist and a researcher, says, 'People often get anxious by large projects because their goals and what it takes to achieve them are unclear. Projects that aren't bound – that don't have a clear beginning and end – often cause people to feel dread and anxiety because they feel insurmountable.'
So, if you are feeling overwhelmed by the prospect of cleaning the whole house, Dr Conrad says it could be that it's because it's too nebulous of a goal. This is where breaking it down into smaller tasks – as seen with the Spring Bingo Cleaning Method – could help. 'Be clear with yourself about what it means for each room to be clean and tidy and make a list – when big projects are broken down like that they feel a lot more manageable,' he adds.
But the great thing about the Spring Cleaning Bingo Method is that it's not only more manageable, but it also has a reward element. This meant I not only had a series of small victories after each task was ticked off, but it was all building towards a bigger goal.
‘Incentivizing spring cleaning with rewards can significantly boost motivation,’ Dr. Patricia Dixon, a licensed clinical psychologist, speaker, author, and life coach says. ‘‘Think of it as setting up a simple exchange: if you complete a certain task, then you treat yourself to something enjoyable. This strategy transforms the cleaning experience from a chore into a more engaging activity, making it easier to push through the less pleasant aspects.'
Therefore, if you struggle to find the motivation to get your chores done, an external reward can provide that extra push as I know it did for me. 'Whether it's indulging in a favorite snack, enjoying some relaxation time, or planning a fun outing, these little incentives can reduce procrastination and make the entire process feel worthwhile,' Dr Dixon says. 'By focusing on the rewarding outcome, the once-daunting task of spring cleaning can become a series of manageable steps toward a satisfying goal.’
Meet our experts
Wondering why we spring clean in the first place? It's a good question, but according to professional cleaners doing so could make you happier. Or, for more quick and easy ways to clean, discover the six time-saving tips and mistakes to avoid when it comes to learning how to spring clean your house in one day.
