If asked when to start spring cleaning, the most natural answer is … spring. We’re still in the midst of winter, but as spring slowly (but surely!) inches closer, it never hurts to start thinking about how we can get ready for the amazing cleanse that is spring cleaning. Get in a sunny state of mind and begin early spring cleaning so you can enjoy the nice weather when it’s actually here to stay. While you might be tempted to save most of the heavy lifting in terms of cleaning for spring, here are some great spring cleaning tips you can put to work now to get a head start. Try the following tips for effective and early spring cleaning:

1. Take stock of your closet

Go through your closet and decide what you still wear and what you probably won’t wear ever again. Plan to donate or consign these clothing items at Turn Style. If you’re not exactly sure which items to part with, try this tip from Apartment Therapy: Turn all your closet hangers to where the hook is facing out. When you place an item back after wearing it, put the hanger back the way it would ordinarily hang. After a 6-month period, take all the items where the hook is still facing out and get rid of them (you probably won’t ever wear these items again!).

2. Organize cabinets & drawers

If you’re going to dip into spring cleaning in the winter, take your time when decluttering. You’ll be surprised how many things you end up throwing in cabinets and drawers just to hide them from plain view – yet so often, these are items you’ll never use again. Go through each cabinet and drawer to eliminate clutter. Throw things out you don’t use and reorganize the things you keep so that they’re easier to find.

Here are some great spaces to start with:

• • Kitchen cabinets and drawers
• • Mirror medicine cabinet
• • Bedroom dresser “junk” drawers

3. Build on your defined aesthetic

Once you’ve begun your early spring cleaning and have found some items to donate, take some time to evaluate what pieces you’ve kept and why you’re attracted to them and continue to use them. Part of learning how to spring clean your closet is discovering what you actually do wear in your wardrobe. This will make it easier to understand your own style and desired aesthetic when you make your next shopping trip. When you start to fill out the gaps in your wardrobe, think back to the observations you made and consider shopping sustainably at secondhand shops or consignment stores (like us!).

4. Create your spring cleaning game plan

While you may indeed want to wait until actual spring to do most of your cleaning, spring cleaning in the winter presents an opportune time to develop a game plan. For the coming months, set up a calendar and checklist of one heavy-duty cleaning task you’ll take care of per month. For example, tasks such as deep cleaning your bathroom (tiles, sink, bathtub or shower), scrubbing down your floorboards, dusting your ceiling fans, etc. You will thank yourself later when you can enjoy the warm weather and have a clean space to come home to.

With these tips, you can get a great head start on spring-cleaning! Learn more about how you can consign clothing and household items you no longer use at Turn Style.