The Best of British Blogging: Cleaning and Organising
More great ideas for sprucing up your home from the best of Britain's decor, DIY, and lifestyle bloggers.
When the worst of the winter weather has left and before the summer bugs and sticky ice lolly fingers have arrived, there's a perfect window of time for a dash of tidying up.
We scoured our favourite blogs in the UK for the best spring cleaning tips and organising DIYs so you can freshen up along with us this season. We're confident that the following ten projects will inspire and assist you in your quest for cleanliness, whether your home needs just a bit of airing out or an entire organisational overhaul. Enjoy!
Image: Moral Fibres
How to Make Your Own Cleaning Products
Homemade cleaning products are simple to make, budget-friendly, and are effective in the fight against grime.
Blogger Wendy shows you her recipes for sweet-smelling and chemical-free products to clean everything from your worktop to your dishwasher.
*Check it out here: *Moral Fibres
How to Clean Bath Toys
If you've ever squeezed a squirty toy in the tub, only to be spewed with gunky black bits, this tutorial is for you.
Daisies & Pie is an excellent resource for learning how to keep your home clean-- she covers everything from how to get ink out of your clothes, cleaning your shower head, weekly meal planning, and everything in between.
*Check it out here: *Daisies & Pie
Image: 18 Chelsea Mews
5 Ways to Make Your Home Cleaner and Greener
Did you resolve back in January to get the chaos in your home under control? If the new year feels as if it happened sometime last century, never fear: Nova's short guide will get back you on track.
We love her suggestions for de-cluttering and how to create reminders so your belongings always find their place at the end of the day.
Check it out here: 18 Chelsea Mews
How to Make A Sand-trapping Boot Tray
If your school-age children always seem to have a metric tonne of sand in their wellies, this project from Domestic Goddesque may very well change your life.
Parents, get ready to say goodbye to muddy footprints and gritty carpets forever. This project works miracles.
*Check it out here: *Domestic Goddesque
Image: Archie and the Rug
Storage Box Makeovers
There's no rule requiring storage options to be plain and sombre. We love how Nicolette made over these cardboard boxes; the intricate monochrome designs are a gorgeous contrast to the fabric-covered lids.
This is a great tutorial for turning any eyesore files you might have lying around into a true statement piece, using only fabric scraps, markers, and a spot of glue.
*Check it out here: *Archie and the Rug
How to Make A Peg Bag
This tutorial is so pretty and so easy to follow, and we loved blogger Gillian's whole attitude towards this project:
"Last year, my mother-in-law asked for a new peg bag for Christmas. My first thought was that it was a very utilitarian sort of thing to make and give someone, that there was nothing very special or gifty about it (...) But, do you know, the more I got into this project, the more I enjoyed it. It occurred to me that why not make everyday household items as pretty and lovely as possible, and ask for or give them as gifts? Why not take care to make them as nice as they can be?"
*Check it out here: *Tales From A Happy House
Image: Andrew Watson via Mummy Zen
Making Tidy Up Time Fast and Fun
These are our absolute favourite tips for establishing a tidy up routine with young children. Mummy Zen's guide is all about having fun and making cleaning an age-appropriate activity, rather than battling your way to an organised space.
Follow her steps to sing and play your way through tidy up time.
*Check it out here: *Mummy Zen
Bunny Jars
This DIY is gorgeous; we're not sure who it wouldn't appeal to. Perfect for using up small, forgotten toys, for packaging pretty spring gifts, and a great way to create a bit of extra storage that will start conversations for eons.
Blogger Torie Jayne has several renditions of this project with a variety of different animal creatures and colours, to produce a stunning array of different effects.
*Check it out here: *Torie Jayne
Image: Flutter and Sparkle
DIY Nail Polish Storage
Gemma's nail polish unit is a lovely example of how to create a simple piece of furniture entirely based around your own individual storage needs.
If you're a nail polish lover, follow her tutorial for complete instructions on how to build a similar piece, or use her post as a spring board for your own bespoke furniture.
*Check it out here: *Flutter and Sparkle
How To Have a Perfectly Organised Home
De-clutter your home' is a perfectly good piece of advice, but how exactly does one go about removing clutter effectively and permanently?
Becky's post is a collection of useful tips for real homes struggling with how to deal with incoming bills, what to do with old loo rolls, and how to empty your space of items you don't need. It works!
*Check it out here: *Family Budgeting
Image: Family Budgeting
For extra credit, take a peek at A Thrifty Mum's suggestions for how to clean your dishwasher without chemicals. If your cleaning spree is underway and you want to take things outdoors, The Cottage Smallholder's guide to cleaning your gardening tools with ease is the perfect project for tidy gardeners.
- If you liked these tips and want more DIY projects for the rest of your home, check in every week for more of The Best of British Blogging. Last week's theme? Gardens and Allotments.
