Spring cleaning season is upon us! If you’re ready to shake off the winter doldrums and tame the dust bunnies, you’ll want to strategize your spring cleaning to give yourself the best chance of success. Well, you’re in luck! Check out how cleaning experts kick off their big spring clean—so you can successfully refresh your space.

The First Spring Cleaning Task to Take on: Proper Preparation

If you don’t have a spring cleaning game plan, you may end up either wasting time, or not getting to everything that you need to get done. So Katrina Teeple, professional organizer and founder of Operation Organization, says that the very first order of business should be taking key prep steps to ensure a successful spring clean.

Restock your cleaning supplies

Take a look over your cleaning tools and products, and make sure you have everything that you need to tackle it all. “Nothing kills momentum like realizing you’re out of supplies mid-scrub,” Teeple says.

Think of it like your first-day-of-school prep. She starts with new sponges, a homemade lemon-infused vinegar (just soak cut-up lemons in a jar of white vinegar for a few days), natural dish soap, and baking soda.

Make a motivational to-do list

Take a tour of your home to look for places that are especially cluttered or grungy, and prioritize your list accordingly. “Add tasks that’ll really make your home feel fresh—like wiping down cabinets, hiring someone to clean your carpets, rotating kids’ seasonal clothes, or rearranging a space to make it more functional,” Teeple says.

And don’t bite off more than you can chew—stick with what you can realistically accomplish in the time you have. “If you work outside the home or have a full schedule, don’t pressure yourself to do everything at once. Spring cleaning should feel good and can be done over a couple of months—so pace yourself with a realistic list.”

Declutter first

Take time to declutter each space before you spring clean it for an instant refresh. “Trying to clean around clutter is like mopping with muddy shoes on—it just doesn’t work,” Teeple says. “A quick edit of each space before deep cleaning makes everything faster and more effective.” Teeple suggests taking an hour or two to go around the house with a laundry basket for donations and a trash bag to help clear your space before you dig in with the deep clean.

Choose the First Room to Tackle Strategically

A room-by-room approach tends to be the most successful cleaning approach, whether you’re doing a deep declutter or a spring clean. It allows you to see and enjoy the newly cleaned space—which helps you feel motivated to take on the next one.

Teeple suggests two potential targets for the first room to spring clean: the entryway and the kitchen.

Entryway = quick win

The entryway is a fast and easy place to start, and it’s a room that gets a lot of traffic. “It’s the first thing you see when you walk in and the last thing you pass through when leaving, so it sets the tone for your entire home,” Teeple says. “A decluttered, clean entry makes the whole house feel lighter, and makes everyday life smoother.”

When you’re tackling this spot, here’s what should be on your spring cleaning to-do list, according to Teeple:

• Swap out winter coats and boots for sneakers and lighter layers. You can even add a hat and sunscreen!
• Declutter hooks, baskets, and drop zones; bags, keys, and mail pile up fast.
• Wipe down walls, doors, and baseboards for marks—high-traffic areas collect scuffs and dust.
• Sanitize doorknobs and light switches.
• Shake out rugs and wash doormats to clean off dirt.
• Dust and wipe down lighting fixtures.

Kitchen = MVP

If you’d rather give the heart of the home your first-priority spring cleaning energy, Teeple says the kitchen is the other best option for a first strike. “Because it gets used constantly, the kitchen benefits the most from a deep clean. A refreshed kitchen has a ripple effect, making the whole house feel more organized.”

If you’re planning to tackle the kitchen first, start this way:

• Clear the countertops and remove as many things as possible. “It’s okay to put away even things you use often. Plus, fewer items out means faster daily cleaning in the future.”
• Deep clean the small stuff, such as wiping down smoothie drips from the blender, vacuuming out utensil drawers, and scrubbing the sink and soaking the garbage disposal.
• Declutter your fridge and pantry, removing expired food and organizing by category.