The Good Design Journal
What Needs Doing This Spring
By September, the jobs that sit outside the weekly clean have had time to accumulate. You notice them when the shower glass needs more than a quick wipe, or when finding the right sheet means pulling half the linen cupboard apart.
But now it's Spring, aka the annual time of the year to look around and decide what needs attention. Sometimes it’s a cleaning job that has been postponed. Sometimes it’s a household routine that has become harder than it needs to be.
This guide starts with those moments, then looks at what (think really good design) will help you deal with them.
Check What You’re Cleaning With
Spring cleaning gives the regular cleaning kit a heavier workout. Before you start on the jobs that have been waiting since winter, look at what you’ll be using to do them. If a tool has become awkward to use or is ready to be replaced, you’ll notice it every time you reach for it.
DESIGNSTUFF ETTA Bottle for Multi Purpose
A spray bottle gets picked up and put down repeatedly during a bigger clean, so the way it handles matters. The ETTA Bottle has a 10 x 10cm base, giving it a broad footprint when it’s set down. The nozzle switches between a light spray and a direct stream, so the application can change with the job without changing bottles.
DESIGNSTUFF Multi-Purpose Cleaner Concentrate, Lemon Myrtle & Petitgrain, 500ml
Benchtops and bathroom tiles can end up on the same spring-cleaning list, which is where a multi-purpose cleaner becomes useful. This plant-derived concentrate is made for everyday surfaces including both, with the 500ml bottle providing multiple refills for the ETTA Bottle for Multi Purpose.
DESIGNSTUFF ETTA Compostable Eco Dishcloth, Brick/Sand/Fern
Dishcloths can stay in rotation long after you first thought about replacing them. If yours has reached that point, the start of a bigger clean is a useful time to swap it out. This ETTA set includes three compostable dishcloths, giving you a fresh set to put into rotation as you work through the house.
EVA SOLO Sweep Table Dustpan & Brush Set
Clearing a shelf or emptying a drawer tends to leave another small job behind: whatever was hiding underneath everything. The EVA SOLO Sweep Set is sized for cleaning worktops and uses silicone bristles suited to wet or dry cleaning. When the surface is clear again, the brush stores inside the dustpan.
Take Another Pass at the Bathroom
A deeper bathroom clean usually reveals the jobs that are easy to leave until later. Shower glass shows where water has been drying between cleans, while the toilet brush and its holder need attention of their own.
DESIGNSTUFF CURV Shower Wiper, Light Grey
Water left on shower glass dries in place, so removing it after use reduces what needs to be dealt with during the next clean. The CURV Shower Wiper gives that job a dedicated tool and keeps the action quick while the glass is already wet.
DESIGNSTUFF ARC Toilet Brush, White
Cleaning the toilet is also a chance to clean the tool used for the job. The ARC Toilet Brush has a removable inner bucket that can be taken out and washed separately. Its silicone brush head is replaceable, so when the head needs changing, the holder can stay in use.
Deal With the Extra Washing
Changing bedding or going through the linen cupboard can add a few extra loads to the week. Once that starts, it helps to keep the washing moving through the house and make the clean linen easier to put back.
HAY Washing Laundry Basket, Bordeaux
A low, open basket is useful when you’re carrying a larger load between rooms. At 57.5cm long and 24.5cm high, the HAY Washing Laundry Basket has a wide profile that gives bedding and other larger pieces more room as you move them to and from the laundry.
ZONE DENMARK Ume Laundry Basket 60L w/Lid, Camel
Laundry that isn’t going straight into the machine needs somewhere to collect. The 60L Ume keeps the load contained under a lid, with a central opening for adding smaller items as they accumulate. When it’s time to wash, the lid lifts off and integrated handles make the basket easier to carry.
THREAD DESIGN Bed Sheet Bands, King
Putting clean sheets back can undo the sorting you just finished if every set has to be unfolded to check the size. THREAD DESIGN’s Bed Sheet Bands wrap around the folded set and label the size on the outside, so you can identify the King set before taking it off the shelf.
Give the Kitchen a Closer Look
A spring clean is a chance to deal with what has built up, then notice what keeps creating the same work. Around the sink, that can be water left on the countertop after washing up. In the pantry or fridge, it might be the opened packets that keep getting put back without a clear place.
DESIGNSTUFF DRIP Sink Mat, Sand
Water pooling beside the sink usually means another wipe once the washing up is finished. The DRIP Sink Mat has an angled surface that directs droplets from items placed on it back towards the sink, helping keep water off the countertop. It’s a small change to the setup, but one that can reduce the cleaning created by the task itself.
ENKEL STUDIO Keep Pouch, Silicone, Large, Burgundy
A pantry or fridge clear-out is also a good time to deal with the opened packets that have been put back half-full. The 1.5L Keep Pouch gives those ingredients a sealed container, with a clear front that keeps the contents visible once everything is back on the shelf or in the fridge.
Spring Cleaning Questions We Hear a Lot
Where do I start if the whole house feels like it needs cleaning?
Pick one job you can finish before starting another. If the shower glass has been bothering you, start there. If opening the linen cupboard creates another job every time, deal with that first. Finishing one visible problem gives you a clearer place to go next.
How do I stop shower glass from getting dirty so quickly?
Remove the water while the glass is wet. Running a shower wiper over the surface after use reduces the amount of water left to dry on the glass, which means less build-up to deal with during the next clean.
How do I keep sheet sets together in the linen cupboard?
Keep each set as one bundle and make the bed size visible from the shelf. A labelled sheet band holds the folded set together, so you can find the size you need without unfolding different sets to check them.
How often should I deep clean my fridge or pantry?
Use what you find inside as the trigger. Spills, crumbs or food you’ve forgotten about are all signs that a shelf or drawer needs attention. Empty one section so you can clean the surface properly. As the food goes back, deal with opened packets and anything you no longer plan to use.
So, What Needs Doing?
Probably the thing you noticed before you even opened this article.
And that’s kind of the point. Once spring arrives, it’s natural to look at the house a little more closely. You start noticing the jobs that have been hanging around, along with the small things that keep making those jobs harder.
Maybe a cleaning tool has had a good run. Maybe the setup around a task keeps creating another wipe-up afterwards. That’s where good design can help: by making the job easier now, and giving you less to deal with next time.
So, have a look around. What needs doing?
