Cleaning and fun definitely do not come together. However, it is a necessity to keep things together around the house. Instead of dreading the process, you can now find different ways to enjoy it and make things fun around the house. 

We have explored and compiled a few ways for you to have a good time while spring cleaning! 

1. Plan A Schedule

Don’t take on too many tasks and make yourself stressed out. Instead, plan out a schedule and chore list, and start gathering your supplies. Set realistic goals and an effective plan - for example, rather than having 5 people cleaning up the kitchen, have 2 people clean somewhere else. Set the dates, gather the people living in the house and have fun cleaning together! 

2. Put On Upbeat Music And Set A Timer 

Cleaning is a tough activity but you can lighten the mood by playing some music! Studies have shown that music can boost your mood and reduce stress. Just relax, switch on the music and have your own little dance party while cleaning. Here are some cleaning playlist recommendations on Spotify - Cleaning Kit, Cleaning Motivation and Get Chores Done. 

In addition, set a timer or clock to track your progress and keep yourself motivated. Allocate a goal time for each cleaning task and reward yourself once you hit the timing or finish earlier!

3. Cleaning Games

Switch up your sessions with fun cleaning games! You can make little bets throughout your spring cleaning day to hype things up. Some examples could be: pairing mismatched socks, sorting out expiry dates for dry ingredients or speed-folding clothes. This will make things fun and create some laughter around the house, while working hard. 

4. Upcycle Old Rubbish

Instead of thrashing your old junk, find clever ways to repurpose and recycle them. There are tons of ideas on Pinterest and the internet - such as stitching together old cloth to make a pillow, spray painting plastic containers to make beautiful planters and transforming cereal boxes into drawer organisers. Instead of just thrashing them, find cool and innovative ways to be creative! 

5. Host A Small Party After Cleaning

After a day of cleaning, host a party to celebrate your small wins! Be it a good dinner, ice cream or dessert treats, the rewards are just enough for you to commemorate a whole day of hard work. If there are kids cleaning with you, this will be a brilliant way to motivate them and they will definitely be excited for the next spring cleaning session! 

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With Chinese New Year (CNY) around the corner, some people would already be in the midst or finishing up their spring cleaning sessions. However, if you are on this article and waiting for the upcoming weekends to pack everything in, here are top 5 tips for your last minute CNY spring cleaning! 

1. Replace Your Door Mat 

First impressions matter. A positive first impression can make or break your guests’ image on your house, especially if they are only visiting only once or twice during festive celebrations per year. You can make a last minute touch to your house by switching up the entrance area with a door mat or decorations! 

2. Clean Or Replace Bulbs

To enhance the look of your house, replace the lightbulb to make your house brighter and full of life. More importantly, if your cover and fixtures are covered with a layer of dust or dirt, grab an all-purpose cleaner and cloth to give it a wipe down! Unsure of what lightbulbs to use? Different coloured bulbs will give your rooms a different feeling - soft white tends to be warm and yellow, and are best suited for your bedrooms as it gives off a cozy feeling; while bright white tends to give off a more energetic vibe and are best for your living room spaces.  

3. Wipe Your Windows 

Unless your windows are fully covered up by curtains, fingerprints and oily smears are the most obvious on glass surfaces. If you do not want your guest to see the stains on your windows, grab your nearby window cleaner and wipe it down! A clean, streak-free, stainless window will be your proud end product. 

4. Prioritise Your Areas

Ideally, spring cleaning should mean that the whole house is thoroughly wiped down and cleaned. However, if you are talking about last minute spring cleaning … it would be best if only obvious places are being prioritised. 

One little trick to go about this would be to start from obvious places that guests will visit when they come over. Some places would be: the living room, dining area, washroom and kitchen.

5. Surround Yourself With Lucky Colours

Now, we are not talking about Chinese New Year without some festive and lucky colours! Check your zodiac or birth year for your lucky colour and spread them all over your house. These additions to your house will bring about the festive vibes and luck! 

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The power of 5 minutes is real. If you are already spending time to give this article a read, it shows that you are ready to make a difference to your home! Indeed, you can get a significant amount of household chores done in 5 minutes that will make a big difference.  

We have collated a total of 10 different speed cleaning tasks that you can complete within 5 minutes.

a) Kitchen 

• Wipe down the kitchen counter and backsplash: Yes, the water that you leave behind at the kitchen counter will evaporate. However, it will also stain the counter. For 5 minutes or less, wipe down the kitchen counter and you will have a shiny one in no time! 

• Empty all garbage and replace the bags: If this is not a daily task for you … it is time to take out the trash! Keep to a daily routine or schedule so the bad smell doesn't linger. 

• Give your sink a spa: Before your sink starts to clog up or emit a weird scent, give your sink a little love with a spa day. You can do so by placing a chunk of citrus peel and turn on the water or use baking soda to reach the pipes. 

• Wipe down hobs and hoods: Whipping up more meals during this work from home period? If you have not been maintaining it after each use, take this 5 minutes to clean the grease and oil stains off your hob and hood. If you scrub it hard enough, it will look as good as new! 

b) Bedroom

• Make your bed: Give your sheets a fluff and a pull and you will achieve that perfect bed that you see in hotel rooms. 

• Separate your laundry: Use this time to sort and separate your laundry into different piles. (You will thank us when laundry day arrives)

• Take out the trash: If you have a trash can in your room, take some time to dispose it’s content. And if you do not have a trash can around, use 5 minutes to pick up the stray tissue paper lying around, cotton wool or contact lens cases.

c) Living Room

• Wipe your gadgets: That remote that you have been using with the greasy fingers you use to eat your chips? Time for you to clean it! Give your gadgets a good wipe down and it will definitely feel cleaner than ever. 

• Do a quick pick-up: As a common space for gatherings, the items will lose its designated spot easily. Place it back or trash items that do not belong in the living room. 

d) Bathroom

• Give the floor a rinse: A 5 minute floor scrub is good enough to remove all the stray strands of hair lying around or yellow stains. If you are feeling it, go ahead to give the walls a scrub down as well! 

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With Singapore moving into phase 3 on 28 December 2020, you will be making plans with a bigger group of friends over the holiday season. And of course, instead of flocking to the crowded malls or an hour wait for your fancy meals, gatherings at the comfort of your own house always top the options. 

Before you invite your guests over, we rounded up some of the best tricks for small tasks that will make a big difference to your home. If you are ready to go beyond the usual vacuum-and-mop routine, switch things up and you will see a sparkling clean and brand new looking home! 

1. Arrange Your Furniture 

A cheap, quick and easy way to give your home a makeover is by moving your furniture and changing your room layout. Shifting a few key pieces, such as your couch, television stand or dining table, is an uncontestable method to refresh the area. Position yourself at a corner of the room and test (imagine) your layout before getting down and dirty to move them! Start by moving big pieces, and the smaller ones will automatically follow suit. 

Now that you are moving things around, you will also be able to clean those hard to reach areas, like under your couch. Once you shift an item, do remember to vacuum or clean before dust starts flying around! 

2. Add Details 

“It’s all in the details” - This cannot be more true when it comes to adding character and personality to a room. More often than not, the details are what tells a story of the owners who live there or a conversation starter. Start by placing throw pillows on your empty couch, photo frames or art pieces on the walls. The options are endless so find options that will match your budget and room. 

You can also show off your green fingers by placing a few potted indoor plants around your house. Not only will it add some life to your place, it will also purify and beautify the area! 

3. Declutter

A magazine that no one touched? Missing remote you found after a year? Start decluttering! Thoroughly wipe down the area and put aside items that you do not use or have simply been left untouched for the longest period of time. Remember to search between tiny in-between spaces - such as under or between the couch, and you can thank us later when you start to find treasures. 

4. Scent

Surprisingly (or not), scent is one of the first things people notice about your home. Besides artificial room freshening sprays, there are other smart ways to get your house to smell good. Start by disposing your garbage from the trash bins and ventilate the house by opening all the windows. If that is not enough, put a few drops of essential oil into your air filter to freshen up the place.  

5. Wipe Down Bathroom Mirrors And Surface

After you are done washing your face and brushing your teeth the morning before the guest arrives, give your bathroom surface and mirrors a thorough wipe-down. It is the most likely place in the house other than the living area that your guests will need to visit, so make sure that the cleanliness is on point. Ensure that all toothpaste and soap stains are removed, and trash the rubbish lying around.

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Being an adult is tough - juggling between a career and social life, while maintaining a clean home? Not easy. But, at the end of every busy day, you will always want to go back to a cosy and comfortable place. How is that done? You know the answer. 

Yes, cleaning! It will definitely not be your favourite to-do or weekend task, but if you keep to a schedule and make it a habit, you can have complete control over your home. 

Here are some quick and easy how-to cleaning tips that will help you win at adulting and relieve some unnecessary cleaning stress that you are facing:

1. Stick To A Cleaning Schedule

To maintain and keep things in an orderly fashion at home, you can draft out a cleaning schedule or routine so dirt will not pile up. To start off, you can schedule days for big cleaning items such as vacuuming or mopping the whole house, or bi-weekly sessions for window wipe down. This will ensure that you will not miss out on them! However, do remember to set realistic goals so it can be achievable and used for a long run. 

Keeping a cleaning schedule will work especially well when you are sharing an apartment with roommates. Create a list of chores and you can split the load within the group. 

2. Cleaning On The Go

Instead of leaving things around, make it a habit to clean on the go. This would be simple chores like making your bed, arranging the pillows on your couch and folding your laundry just when it comes out of the dryer. A little cleaning goes a long way - at the end of the day, you will notice a significantly neater home.  

3. Cleaning Equipments

Cleaning will definitely not be your favourite weekend activity. However, a good set of cleaning equipment will make your life much easier. A reliable vacuum cleaner will make it effortless and easy to keep your floors clean, and an automatic spin mop set will save the additional strength needed to squeeze the mop dry. 

Your cleaning supplies should be kept in a central location, making it easy to grab what you need.

4. Clean Mirrors and Glass

Many interior designers claim that mirrors and glass doors complete the appearance of a house. As much as the style best fits our aesthetic eyes, we should also agree that they are the hardest item around to clean. Unfortunately, mirrors and glass are best known for collecting fingerprints and stains are really just not in our control. 

To easily clean fingerprints and stains off your mirrors, use one wet and dry microfibre cloth that will not leave streaks. If you see streaks on TV and monitor screens, it can be easily removed using window cleaners.

5. Make Sure Everything Has A Home 

Instead of leaving things lying around, ensure that all your items belong somewhere or “have a home”. Clear your countertops and tables from stray mails and loose items, like pegs or keys. This way, not only will it be easier for you to clean up, it will also look like you have a bigger space and are visually appealing.  

If you find it hard for you to store loose items without losing them in your cabinets, here’s a quick hack: Use ice trays to sort them in 6 or 8 little compartments! 

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From cleaning tools, laundry items to kitchen accessories, Leifheit got all you need to make life at home easier.