The Spring Cleaning Edit
Reader secrets for keeping house, printable summer bucket lists, playlists for powering through to-do lists, and a cleaning supply index.
Good morning and happy Monday! I’m ending a back-to-back spree of hosting family this season. Early spring in New York brought a wave of family visitors, which is a great excuse to eat at all my favorite restaurants.
My husband’s birthday is in May, and it’s my favorite holiday. Months ago, in passing, he mentioned what a special time it was in his life when all his siblings were under one roof and would sit on the couch on weekend mornings and play a video game together. It’s a time that’s over now, he remarked wistfully. His older sisters have young children, and his younger brother is newly married and finishing school.
Perhaps it would be over if he had not married a member of the sentimental birthday mafia.
Secretly, I called up each of his siblings, and they all agreed to show up at our apartment door unannounced to be with their brother on his birthday weekend. It was the surprise of a lifetime, and perhaps as the family grows and evolves, an opportunity that will not present itself again.
Connor does this thing where he malfunctions a bit when he’s surprised, and this gives me some sort of fuel for living. I had them wait in the lobby of our building and arrive in five-minute increments so the surprise just kept going.
We played games on the couch, like they did growing up. Card games, birthday cake, and coffee shop visits followed.
It’s been a redemptive spring, full of a busy pull-out couch and lots of washing towels and sheets.
Hosting comes with cleaning. And I’ve been thinking a lot about the concept of “spring cleaning.” Why does the season prompt a clean-out instinctively? Even if it wasn’t a cliche, I think I’d still randomly start purging and deep cleaning with the close of winter. Why?
Today, I’ve organized real-life incredible cleaning tips from you (thank you!), created a cleaning supply index, and made two vastly different playlists for your next cleaning lock-in.
I made some printable summer bucket lists for you! They are all the same (with different color options) for your choosing.
I’ve also made some color palettes for sprucing up your digital calendar for summer. Here is a YouTube tutorial detailing how to actually change the colors of your calendar. I frequently put new palettes out in the “Notes” section of Substack, which is a great reason to browse on the app.
One of the perks of being a paid subscriber to Feeling! is a monthly collection of phone and desktop wallpapers. I am a big proponent of leaning into seasons. And each month marks a refresh for your digital spaces, too. If you are a paying subscriber, I will have the full June wallpaper collection for you in the chat today. For everyone else, here is a teaser of one desktop wallpaper and one phone wallpaper. Feel free to save and use — a little summer gift to you!
FEELING: CLEAN!
Welcome to the spring cleaning edit. If you have the itch to purge, clean, and re-orient your space this season, you are not alone. At its best, the process of cleaning can feel cathartic, and dare I say, creative. Readers of Feeling! have incredible advice for making cleaning feel less like a chore.
Cleaning Tips from Readers of Feeling!
Q: Does anyone have any housekeeping or cleaning secrets they are willing to dish?
On Structuring Cleaning Rhythms:
✸ Silly Goose HQ: “I have all of my daily, weekly, monthly, and quarterly chores programmed into a spreadsheet, then converted it to the daily calendar that gives me a checklist of what I need to do every day. Then I don’t have to use my brain at all to think about the million housekeeping items!”
✸ liv: “I have only a couple of things as someone who has grown up with a clean-freak mother (love her sm) and has adopted the clean-freak mindset:
- baskets/bins are an actual lifesaver!!! Also, pretty shopping bags can be fun to put stuff in!
- I use Notion for all my organizing stuff, and that goes for cleaning too. I have a whole weekly and monthly checklist, and have recently added a nightly “closing shift” into my routine.”
✸ The Purple Penguin: “I try to clean one thing each day of the week so I can enjoy my weekends and not use up an entire day for chores.”
✸ Emily Smith: “The five-minute rule: if it takes five minutes or less to do, do it right away! It makes tasks less overwhelming and clears the ‘to-do list’ cluttering the background of my mind (think making the bed, unloading the dishwasher, putting away laundry from a drying rack, tossing old food from the fridge, etc.)
- have a weekly rhythm for laundry
- make the bed every single day—it’s the easiest way to make a room look instantly clean (same goes for propping up pillows and folding blankets on a couch)
- have a home for everything—that way, everything has a place to go rather than creating miscellaneous visual clutter.”
✸ Katie Butson: “I used to try to clean the whole house in one day, usually sacrificing an entire weekend. After growing careers and growing children, that was just not an option. Every day I try to clean one thing. Everyone in the house gets something too. We are an equal opportunity household! I’ve had to let go of my perfectionism so that I could actually enjoy my home and my life. Nothing is typically clean all at the same time, but it gets done, and my kids learn life skills in the process.
A few things I live by:
-Keep bath cleaner and shower scrubbers in the bathroom. I scrub the bathtub before I get in, and my husband is responsible for the shower. I wipe down my sink after I use it every day.
-Baskets for everyone’s stuff. They take it to their rooms and put it away, ideally daily, but I’ve relaxed on that a bit ;).
-The kitchen is, of course, the most used area of the house; we clean it every night and put the dishes away. It’s a group project, so it doesn’t fall on one person.
-Non-toxic cleaners, so I feel good about my kids using them.
-Every week, I try to get rid of five things. I know that sounds weird, but with five people in one house, two being children, there are so many random trinkets and items that accumulate. I always have a donate box by the garage door, and I fill it!”
✸ Eline // Studio Maddy: “Really want to see this article as someone with ADHD and a tendency to make my house explode, but what I started doing since I know is
- doing things immediately, especially when they don’t take long (putting away dishes, taking out trash…)
- Do small parts every day instead of doing a big clean at the end of the week. The big clean makes me feel overwhelmed and exhausted
- Get a cordless vacuum cleaner, it makes things so much easier
- Make cleaning nice: I got myself a carry basket with the supplies that makes it easy to carry.
- Make cleaning easy: have supplies in different parts of the house (I have separate supplies in my office to make it easy to clean the space and the end of the week)
- For short spurts, I use timers and try to be faster than the timer. I also like to use a D20 dice to keep the amount of time random, so it keeps changing up”
✸ Laura K Bray: “I used to stick to the schedule my grandmother followed:
Monday - Laundry
Tuesday - Ironing-I used to pick another chore since I didn’t have a lot of ironing, or you could fold clothes that day
Wednesday - Mending-I don’t need to do much mending, so that day is for things like making appointments & doing household paperwork, etc.
Thursday - Marketing-I save all my errands for that day
Friday - Baking/Food prep
Saturday - Cleaning
Sunday - Day of Rest
It really works! You feel like you accomplished something at the end of the day because you only focused on one thing.”
On Cleaning Tools:
✸ Gabriella Owen: “A good set of gloves motivates and makes me feel unstoppable (particularly for the toilet, my least least least favorite!!)”
✸ Jordyn Curtis: I love the baking soda + lemon kitchen sink wash, and boiling water down the drain to kill any gnats!
✸ Aubrey Major: “Ditto to this but use the baking soda/lemon juice combo to get sticky labels off of glass jars to reuse them 🍋 no more impulse cups or glasses purchases lol.”
✸ Kearstin | Among Friends: “My husband recently bought a cleaning brush attachment for our drill to scrub the stubborn hard water spots off our glass shower door. I was skeptical at first as it felt a bit over the top, but…it has been a game changer!”
✸ Rebekah Reed: “I have a handheld blower that uses a drill battery. I blow everything from top to bottom as my first step of cleaning. Crumbs on the counter onto the floor, fallen petals from a bouquet, dust or hair on woodwork, dog hair off the leather couch, and it will even blast non-embedded hairs off pillows. Dust on the toilet seat or leftover hairs in the bottom of the shower are blown out of the shower. Pollen off my grill, dust off my dashboard and car screen, the list goes on! I blow my dog outside after a good brush. I can’t stop blowing. Then everything is loose on the floor and ready to vacuum!!”
✸ Brittany Viklund: “Minimal cleaning products for the majority of my cleaning efforts: a refill box of Dr Bronner’s Magic Soap to make all-purpose spray in a reusable glass bottle, baking soda, and vinegar, gets nearly every job done without chemicals and with minimal waste.”
✸ Stewie: Swifter all areas like baseboards blinds and furniture anything with dust then take use really hot water in a bucket with your cleaner of choice and wring out a cotton rag that’s all cotton (not a microfiber cause it collects debris and holds on to it and causes scratches) it out really well to wear it’s damp then wipe the area then follow with a soft dry rag to wipe if needed. Also, never wear shoes in your house, it ruins your floors, and always wear slippers cause the oils on your feet will ruin your carpet. If you do this, your carpet will stay pristine for yrs.
✸ Sandra Serrano: If you have pets, get a robot vacuum. It’s incredible how much cleaner the entire house feels.
✸ Leanne Ray: “I bought one of those Bissell steamers, and it makes cleaning the showers MUCH faster and easier. There’s a grout attachment for scrubbing and a squeegee for the glass doors.”
✸ Lucy: “I leave a scrubby brush with a soap compartment attached to the top of it in my shower (see photo attachment of this one I got from IKEA for 2 euros). Every time I have showered and the shower is steamy, I quickly give it a scrub down and a rinse. It cleans it so much faster and easier and keeps it at a general level of cleanliness, which means that in between your deep cleans, it is still sparkling, shiny, and hygienic! Highly recommend!”
✸ Kelsey: “OH my coworker told me to wipe baseboard with a DRYER sheet, and it puts a dust-resistant layer on it to prevent dust from coming back, so you have to do it less often.”
On mindset:
✸ Grace Barker: “It’s often the little extra tasks we keep putting off that actually make home FEEL clean — wiping down the baseboards, cleaning the bottom of the oven, dusting the top of the fan, wiping down the whole microwave. But once I do these, I realize they took far less time than I thought and make my home feel so much better!”
✸ Tiffany Han: “Clean the kitchen every night before bed, no matter what!”
✸ Sunny Seoul Kitchen: “The FlyLady taught me that I can do anything for 15 minutes. I shortened that to 5 minutes. When I’m tired, stretched thin, and just want to decompress, I tell myself 5 minutes. 5 minutes of loading the dishwasher or putting away laundry. It’s amazing what you can accomplish in 5 minutes!”
✸ Alie Mackintosh: “I set a timer on my phone for 10 minutes and power through any chores that will make the space feel better. Empty dishwasher / tidy & wipe down counters / put a load of laundry on. It’s amazing what a timer does to give you a motivation deadline!”
✸ Heidi Marshmelo: “High to low: start with cleaning what’s high up, then move to lower surfaces. Works especially well for me when cleaning bathrooms. For example: start with mirrors, then countertops, then trash cans, and lastly, toilets. It’s a game-changer for me, especially cleaning at the restaurant I work at.”
✸ Krista Jahnke: “I’m someone who has struggled to adult in this way. But one thing that works for me is using the time the coffee is brewing in the morning to pick up the house. Just putting papers away and shoes back where they belong, etc. It helps!”
✸ Hannah: “I like to have ‘cleaning parties’ with my husband where we light a candle, play some music, have a fun drink, and clean! My college roommates and I also used to do this every week, and it makes things so much more fun:)”
✸ T.S. Grab: “My washing machine has a short program of 30 minutes. I start it, and then I convince myself that I have guests arriving when the washing machine ends the cycle :)) it works, I do it fast, without thinking and without taking breaks, 3-4 times per week. is not perfect, but it works :)))”
✸ Molly: “For the 5-10 minute bursts, I like to put the kettle on to boil instead of just setting a timer - it adds an element of surprise to when exactly the burst is over! Plus, I make tea or coffee after. And on the weekends, I have “puttering time” which is for putting things away, doing minor repairs/upgrades, or whatever other little thing will make my home a tad better!”
✸ Lonsdale: “After a shower, while the bathroom is still a little steamy, use whatever washcloth or towel is ready for the laundry to wipe down surfaces. Just that little bit of dampness and the cloth is often enough to tackle most surface grime and makes a soap/cleaning spray necessary less often.”
✸ Cut+Paste Magazine: “My current cleaning hack is to regularly have people over haha. It’s the best way to motivate me to *thoroughly* clean the house!”
✸ Cassandra Jackson-Baker: “Realise this isn’t for everyone since some people like a maximalist aesthetic, but my husband and I have spent years purging our belongings. We just moved back to London and sold SO MUCH STUFF while packing. For the first time in a long time, I don’t feel the weight of needing to tidy up because there just isn’t anything to tidy up. Can 100% recommend simply letting go of that extra stuff cluttering your space. It has been freeing.”
Granna’s Advice:
Sorry to you all, but I do have a favorite reader of this magazine, and it is my Granna. I asked her for her cleaning wisdom, and she delivered:
‘Everyone needs a Buddy....Grandpa is mine....always helping...inside and outside.
My advice...deep clean one or two rooms at a time as you lightly pick up and tidy up the other rooms.
Sometimes I will set the timer for 30 minutes (sometimes less) and fly through room to room just doing the most important thing in each.
Don’t have a designated chore day...just keep at it day by day.😊😉 its worth it. Clean and order are both good for the soul.💕”
Playlists for Maximum Cleanliness:
I’ve made two playlists with incredibly different vibes for your next cleaning party.
Cleaning Supply Index:
Preston Lane Palazzo No29 All-Purpose Spray: Absolute cherry-scented perfection. I think Preston Lane cleans my kitchen counters the best, and it never leaves a smudge.
Method Wood Mop Spray: Another cherry-almond scent that I have always found to make my floors shine, and make the entire house smell amazing.
Ouai x Dedcool Laundry Detergent: Rose-forward laundry concentrated formula that leaves my clothes smelling like a beach vacation.
Koala Eco Kitchen Counter Spray: Actual citrus magic, for making it smell like you just cut open a fresh orange any time of the day.
Dirty Labs Concentrated Detergent: A power-pusher for stains with a coastal scent. Incredible for transportation if you visit a laundromat or are going on a trip.
Seventh Generation Lavender Laundry Concentrate: A homey favorite that always gets stains out and makes my space smell amazing as linens are tossed in the dryer.
Koala Eco Bathroom Cleaner: A natural way to keep the bathroom fresh.
Preston Lane Terrace View Dish Soap: An incredible scent that feels unique and smells more like a luxury home fragrance than a cleaner. I love the squeeze bottle!
Spring Laundry Detergent: A woodsy-leaning, refreshing scent that makes my clothes smell like they are from a sophisticated clothing store.
Beach Sage Laundry Detergent: Classic detergent for making your clothes and linens smell like a never-ending vacation. Balanced and not floral. Gets stains out.
Xtra Milk Laundry Detergent: A light fragrance that lingers in the fabric of your home. My favorite scent.
Room + Linen Spray: To embellish linens, I follow up the detergent with spritzes of this spray to make the scent really come to life!
✸ The Scholastic Book Fair is soooo back. Over 1,100 readers have signed up for the Summer Reading Challenge! What does it entail? Read 15 fiction books before the end of July, fill them out on the form included in this article, and email it to jenna@feelingpress.com to be entered to win a very spectacular prize. The prize includes a very generous gift from Book of the Month. Join the challenge and learn more here. Readers, how are you doing on your goal? *You can enter the challenge for 15 books, and also enter your kids for 30! Hope it makes summer even better!
✸ I had the joy of launching a new series interviewing designers, small business owners, and artists that I admire. Each interview will include a beautiful video as well, so you can actually see inside the lives of these incredible makers. My first interview went live on Friday with Shae Studio. I had the privilege of exploring her little Italy apartment, where she handmade ceramic lava lamps. Meet Shae here.
✸ I am celebrating the launch of my first published work! My color dot calendar was picked up by a publisher and will be available for 2027. Sometimes online, things seem so simple, but in actuality, there were years of loss and confusion behind them. I shared more about the process of self-publishing for six years here.
Thanks to your kindness and support, it's currently the number one best seller and the “Calendar” category on Amazon! I'm learning a lot about publishing, and now know pre-orders are essential for book shops to see demand, so they will order your product. And so I cannot thank you enough for your early pre-orders and kind words. I am blown away! It's currently available for preorder on Bookshop and Amazon, but after July 21, it will be available in stores too. I will need your help hunting them down because I will have no way to see where it will end up! (The great Feeling! summer book store scavenger hunt, anyone???)
Here are 7 Things I use, wear, and enjoy! (By the way, have I ever shared the inspiration behind the name of this section?)
Cropped Jeans: The best way to do summer denim is a light cropped jean! This pair from Sezane is the perfect blend of light stretch but structured shape. I love pairing this wash with ballet flats or sandals.
Beachy Bag Charm: I've been looking for the perfect summer trinket bag charm to add a pop of color to my darker leather bags. It is my favorite season after all, and I want it to feel like Summer in every aspect of my life while it lasts! This paracord bag charm from Bauble Bar features a gold fish and a pearlescent shell charm for a subtle beachy feel.
Shorty Pinky Sweater: This piece from the small brand Du & Berry might be my favorite summer top! It's a soft, lightweight cashmere top with a super fun bow accessory at the collar. It actually comes with both a gray and a pink string for an interchangeable accessory. I am blown away by the quality, but also how breezy it feels even when it's hot outside. I've found it to be perfect for events where I want to dress up a bit more, but don't wanna sweat.
MOOOOO SHOES: Cow pattern mules are on my summer wish list! This pair from the New York brand, Margaux, absolutely feels like a seasonal staple!
The Cast Iron Game Changer: I've recommended it before, but I want to emphasize how much this cast-iron pan has changed the game in the kitchen for me. I am not sure about the science of this, but I feel my food tastes better when I use it! The pop of color is a fun feature on the counter. And truly, the best over-easy eggs I've ever made come from this surface.
Photo Frame Bag Charm: Small business, Have a Nice Day, created a photo frame bag charm so you can interchange feature photos and hang them on your bag. This would be a perfect gift for someone to capture a favorite memory, and definitely an incredible back-to-school gift for high school, middle school, and college students who want to hold onto a summer memory.
The Best White T-Shirt Ever: I now have two of these white t-shirts from Sézane, so I always have one to wear! It's a 100% cotton tee, and the best white t-shirt I’ve ever owned. My reasoning: the fit is flattering, the fabric is thick, so it doesn’t get all weird and see-through-y, and the sleeve and neckline hems have a slight scallop. Will be wearing it every day this summer.
Later this week, a new series will launch about creating a lifestyle of creativity! Just in time for summer! Can’t wait to share more!
JOY-SCROLLING:
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Working with brands and businesses helps me make this magazine dream come true! If I do work directly with a brand, I am very picky about it, and I disclose the partnership to you, my readers. A few of the links I included in this article are from ShopMy, which gives a small payment if someone buys a product from a recommendation. This helps fund future creative projects for this publication — thank you!
P.S. Telling my Substack friends before anyone else…new secret Instagram for the upcoming greeting card business is here. I would love to have you join the journey and see some familiar names!
⭐️ Using the comments as a Summer Reading Challenge check in! What books are you loving?
Also: telling everyone I know to go read The Unselected Journals of Emma M. Lion 👌🏻