Spring is officially in full bloom, the sun has come out of hibernation, flowers are cropping up and Easter is just around the corner. The desire to declutter and reorganise is hard to avoid! An annual Spring clean is a great way to reduce any stress from the beginning of the year, reset and start afresh for the new season.   

But have you ever thought about the amount of waste that a household Spring clean can cause? Whether it be from getting rid of items, clothes or clutter or the cleaning supplies you use day to day, we have some tips to have a more sustainable Spring clean this year!  

An obvious part of a Spring clean is reorganising cupboards, wardrobes, and that space under the stairs you don’t dare to go in! This can help you get rid of anything you don’t need anymore, as well as finding out what you have to avoid unnecessary purchases.  

When gathering all these things that you want to throw away, ask yourself if there’s anything else you could do with them besides just chucking them in the bin? Here are some options: 

• Ideally, the first thing to think of is to give the item a new home, so it can be reused somewhere else instead of becoming waste! There are loads of online selling platforms from eBay to Vinted to sell any unwanted items, or on the other hand you can always gift them to someone you know or donate any items to charity shops. Either way, you are giving these items new life whilst still decluttering your own!  

• If a particular item is broken, try and see if you’re able to repair it, and then either keep it or give it away! A simple google search gives a whole load of solutions and options for fixing clothing, furniture, and general household items to give them a new lease of life. But a broken item can also be repurposed into a whole new item, there’s no harm in trying! 

If these options don’t work, and the item you have needs to be thrown away, an easy way to minimise the amount that is sent to landfill is to recycle the items correctly. Everywhere has different rules in terms of recycling and what can be put in certain bins, Recycle Now has a great search tool that can help you learn more in your specific area! 

Next up is the actual cleaning part; dusting, scrubbing, hoovering, the whole thing! One step you can take to make this sustainable is to replace household cleaners. An option that has appeared a lot in my research is just using white vinegar, it is a cheaper alternative that is non-toxic and can be used to clean almost everything! It is a common replacement for bleach, with some more options to dilute it with water to create an all-purpose cleaner. You can even add lemon or some essential oils to create a fresher scent!   

If using white vinegar isn’t something you’re ready to do, there are so many companies out there making eco-cleaning solutions that are kinder to the environment. One example is Cleaner Living, who have a wide range of cleaning products and accessories for everyday use. Each bottle is refillable, and you can use their refill sachets each time you need to top them up. The products are a natural plant-based formula that is completely free of harsh and toxic chemicals.  

On a similar note, why not switch up your paper products in the process? Who Gives a Crap is a great subscription-based company that supplies you with 100% bamboo and recycled toilet paper for your home. They donate 50% of their profits to third world countries in aid of improving sanitation. Paper towels are also an easy product in your home that can be swapped out for something more sustainable, Bamboo Towels are a great replacement and can be washed up to 85 times in their lifetime.  

Small changes such as this throughout your household is a great way to become more sustainable, and what a better time to make these changes than when Spring cleaning!