We’ve all heard of spring cleaning—that one time a year when you hunker down and give your home the good scrub it deserves. But the truth is, for most of us, one deep cleaning a year just isn’t cutting it. Especially now, as many of us are cooped up inside our houses or apartments for more hours a day than normal. Maybe you’re feeling cramped and tired of seeing the same four walls of your bedroom or office as you work from home, or feel like you really need to clear up some space and get new decor ahead of the holidays. Or maybe all these months indoors have made you realize that you’re surrounded by things you don’t really want, need, use, or love anymore. If any of these apply to you, a fall cleaning might be exactly what you need.

It may be tough to get started, but don’t worry. Ulysses Press has the perfect books that are essential for starting—and staying—on track with your fall cleaning! 

Start with a Scrub

If your fall cleaning is shaping up into more of a deep clean rather than a purge of no-longer-needed items and clothing, you’ll want to grab a copy of Homemade Cleaners. This book is a comprehensive guide to natural cleaners that completely disinfect, polish, and freshen without any of the dangerous toxins you often find in modern cleaning products. You definitely don’t want to be surrounded by toxic chemicals if you’re working from home all day.

The recipes in Homemade Cleaners will give you the most common, affordable ingredients that are both safe and strong enough to make your home germ-free. In addition to learning how you can use nontoxic materials like vinegar, baking soda, and even vodka to clean, you’ll get essential information on air-purifying plants, a primer on basic chemistry, a checklist of essential supplies, and tips for cutting down on waste. This guide is invaluable when it comes to making your living space spic and span without ever having to leave your home! Honestly, it’s the perfect book for fall cleaning in 2020.

Optimize Your Limited Space

Fall cleaning doesn’t just mean cleaning from floor to ceiling or sorting everything you own into “keep” and “give-away” piles. Instead, you might find that your living space is relatively clean and you love most of the things you own—you just might not have enough space to make your home feel like the relaxing, stress-free sanctuary it should be. If this sounds like you, you’re going to want to take a peak at Small Apartment Hacks. 

Small Apartment Hacks will help you tailor your fall cleaning towards optimizing your home space so you can comfortably store and display every little thing that brings you joy. This book will help you take advantage of every nook and cranny, whether it’s maximizing floor space with furniture arrangements like a lofted bed above your work-from-home area or inventive storage solutions like a dining table that stashes dishes. The author even gives tips on avoiding a cluttered look by using eye-deceiving tricks like a striped rug, a single, decorative splash of pattern, and a repeated row of paintings on a wall, which is just perfect for any of us that are stuck staring at the same four walls as we work from home everyday.

Make Cleaning a Habit

Creating lasting, productive habits can be tricky—especially in your home, a place where you just want to kick up your feet and relax however and whenever you want. But now that you’re spending more time in your home, it might be time to establish some great home cleaning habits that will keep you and your home in a state of constant relaxation. So, as you begin your fall cleaning, take this opportunity to plan some cleaning/organizing habits that may make next year’s fall cleaning completely unnecessary!

Make your fall cleaning a jumping off point for starting some amazing cleaning habits with Ready To Use Habit Trackers. This book offers two years worth of customizable, colorable trackers, as well as suggestions for foundational habits to build into your routine. So while you’re fall cleaning, take the opportunity to learn what simple cleaning steps will help keep your home in tip-top shape on a regular basis. Then use Ready To Use Habit Trackers to record those steps into new, healthy habits that you can keep track of and ensure that you and your living space stay clean and happy.

Post-Cleaning Re-Decorating

Your home is clean and sparkling, you’ve cleaned out all your junk drawers, and you’ve purged all the unnecessary items from your closet. But you’re still feeling like your fall cleaning hasn’t made your home quite what you want. It may be time to tackle some decorating. With basic design principles made easy to understand, Home Decor Cheat Sheets will help you take your fall cleaning to the next level and give your home a brand new look.

Distilling years of design school tips into a handy pocket primer, Home Decor Cheat Sheets has hand-drawn illustrations that will help bring you up to speed on a wide range of home topics, including furniture and lighting, rugs and tile, curtains and wall hangings, pillows and fabrics, and even hardware and fixtures. The universal design rules and timeless decorating secrets in this book apply to any space and situation, from small apartments to sprawling houses. With the help of Home Decor Cheat Sheets, your fall cleaning will absolutely result in a beautiful home space that you can feel good about—at least until your next fall cleaning!

-By Kierra Sondereker