Use this list of what to clean in May as your simple guide to what jobs need to be tackled this month around the house.
May is definitely the start of that time of year where we really would rather just be outside as much as possible. That means that often things inside start to get a bit overlooked as you start to want to spend more time on gardening and less on cleaning. Then when the garden is planted, and everything is happy and growing well in July, you start to turn your attention back inside as you go in to escape the worst of the heat, and *boom* suddenly you realize your house is a bit of a disaster. As you know, I like to avoid these situations as much as possible so I’ve put together a list of a few things that should help to prevent any nasty surprises later on in the season. The goal here is to allow you to feel like you’re always on top of things around the house and like you never need to do a big panic-clean to get things back to a presentable state. So here’s what to clean in May!
What to Clean in May
I love to put together these lists of what to clean each month because they make the whole process of keeping on top of cleaning around the house so much less overwhelming. I pick ten items that are perfect to do at exactly this time of year, so we’re doing just the right thing at the right time and not wasting time on things that don’t need to be done yet, or that we’ll end up having to re-do in a month or two. Efficiency is the name of the game here!
Dust Ceilings
I love this little task because it’s surprisingly quick, but I always find all kinds of cobwebs and dusty areas that I didn’t realize were there.
Replace Furnace and A/C Filters
I drafted my basic notes on what to clean for each month quite awhile ago and this one is extra funny this month because, as it turns out, rather than just replace the filters, we ended up replacing our whole furnace and A/C this month! Ha!
Clean Drains
In your kitchen, bathroom, tub, and laundry sink.
Clean Air Vent Covers Around the House
Vacuum them first to remove the thickest dust, then give them a wipe-down too. If yours are looking a little rough, you can spray paint them as well to make them look like new!
Clean All Outdoor Covers of All Kinds
Outdoor furniture covers, BBQ covers, umbrellas. All those types of outdoor fabrics where spiders like to hide. Give them a good cleaning and they’ll stay that way because you’ll be moving them on and off frequently for the rest of the season.
Create a New Summer Chore List for the Kids
If you have any kids in your home, the unofficial start of summer is a great time to start some new habits. You might think of summer as a carefree time, but having a few simple tasks to accomplish each day can actually help keep summer boredom at bay and give kids a sense of achievement during a long summer break. And it makes those fun times even more fun. 🙂
Organize Craft and Art Supplies
Get all set up for rainy days and those hot spells where going outside isn’t an option by getting your craft and art supplies in good shape. You’ve probably been meaning to do this anyway, so here’s your sign that now’s the time.
Clean all Faucets with a Toothbrush
Honestly, it’s just fun and so satisfyingly effective.
Clean the Freezer
Make way for popsicles and ice cream!
Do a Big Donation Run
We’re currently in lockdown here and all of our thrift stores and other places that accept donations are closed, so this one is on my mind because my donation bin is definitely overflowing right now. Is yours too? Take care of it if you can!
Read next: What to Clean in June
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- What to Clean in April
- What to Clean in March
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- The Creek Line House Homekeeping Archives
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.