Here’s your list of what to clean in February! Use it as your simple guide to what jobs need to be tackled this month around the house.
In my opinion, February is probably the quietest, least busy month of the year so it’s the perfect time to get yourself set up for the busy spring months ahead with Easter and all that gardening we’ll be getting ready for. I love the opportunity to slow down a bit, step back, and take stock of what’s going on around my home and consider what I might want to do about it. And also drink lots and lots of hot tea. 🙂 February is a great time to do some of the more – let’s not call them tedious – let’s call call them “slow and meditative” tasks that are good to tackle at some point during the year. I’ve thrown in a few quick and easy ones as well to balance this list out, of course. This list should allow you to feel quite accomplished in your home-cleaning endeavours by the end of the month, while still allowing for lots of time to read books snuggled under blankets next to the fire.
Your Simple List of What to Clean in February
Read through this explanation of what to clean this month and why, then scroll to the bottom to print out the checklist. Post it on your fridge or file it away in your homekeeping binder so you can check off what you get done!
Dryer Vent and Lint Trap
This is a fairly simple job and it’s actually pretty fun to see what comes out of your dryer vents, but it’s also a very important one to tackle regularly to prevent house fires and to keep your dryer working properly. See how to clean a lint trap here!
Organize Photos and Photo Albums
You may have a big pile of photos that you’ve been dreading going through and organizing. The funny thing about this task is that it will actually be a lot of fun once you sit down to do it, and your office/cabinet/shelf where you’ve been throwing all those photos for the last little while will finally be tidy. Make yourself a big mug of hot chocolate and sit down to get this done. Be prepared for everyone else in the house to join you once they see that you’re looking through old photos!
Change Furnace Filter
This is one that should be done often if you live in a cold climate and run your furnace a lot. I did suggest that it needed to be done a few months ago at the beginning of furnace season, but if you haven’t changed it again since then, consider this your reminder!
Interiors of Windows
Let that winter sunshine in if you’re lucky enough to have the sun show up at all this month!
Baking Cupboard and Bakeware
We’re about midway through the busiest baking time of the year for most people, so now’s a great time to reset and reorganize all your supplies in the cupboard and also take a look at your glass and metal bakeware. Give them an extra good cleaning or replace any pieces as necessary.
Throw Pillows
You may clean the pillow covers a little more frequently, but did you know that you can actually clean the pillows themselves? Now’s a great time to do it! Check out this post to read about how to clean feather pillow inserts.
Sleeping Pillows
While you’re on a roll, might as well do those too! Here’s how to clean memory foam pillows if you have some like the ones we use.
Bookshelves
Every once in awhile, it’s a really good idea to take everything down off your bookshelves, dust them, wipe them down, and maybe get rid of a few unnecessary things that have been placed there over the last little while. These quiet February days are perfect for a task like this that might take a bit of time, but that will be super satisfying when you’ve finished it.
Wipe Down Interior Trim and Baseboards
Trust me. You might think they look fine, but they need it. You’ll notice a huge difference when you’re done.
Polish Wood Furniture and Accessories
This one can definitely feel tedious if you have a lot of antiques around the house, but it’s also just so great to see how the furniture polish makes them shine. Plus, you’ll be protecting your furniture to keep it looking beautiful. See my post about how to clean antique furniture for more info.
Click here to download the free printable February checklist! Use it on your phone or print it off and put it in your cleaning binder!
If you’re looking for more ongoing guidance and detail on what to clean and how to get it done quickly and easily, check out my book The Cleaning Ninja!
MORE IDEAS LIKE THIS
- What to Clean in September
- What to Clean in October
- What to Clean in November
- What to Clean in December
- What to Clean in January
- The Five Finger Trick for Controlling Clutter
- Homemade Dry Shampoo for Dogs
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Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.