It’s May. You Haven’t Done Your Spring Cleaning Yet. Here’s Where to Start.
You meant to do it in March. Then April got busy. And now it’s May, the weather is actually nice, and the last thing you want to do is spend a weekend cleaning.
Here’s the good news: you haven’t missed your window. In Colorado, spring runs long and unpredictable, which means there’s still plenty of season left to work with. And the even better news? A lot of what gets lumped into “spring cleaning” doesn’t actually need to happen in spring at all. So before you commit to a full weekend overhaul, let’s talk about what’s actually worth doing right now. We also tackle what you can put down without any guilt.
Start With the One You Keep Skipping
Smoke detectors. Carbon monoxide detectors. Fire extinguisher. These are the checks that live permanently on the to-do list because they’re easy to defer when nothing feels urgent. Do them first, before anything else. Replace batteries, test the units, confirm your extinguisher isn’t expired. In Colorado, where a home can swing from full heat to open windows within the same week, this one earns its place at the top of the list every time.
The Surfaces You Only Notice Once a Year
Baseboards, door frames, trim, and walls quietly collect a winter’s worth of grime without announcing themselves. A sponge, warm water, and a little dish soap is all it takes. Plus, once you start, it goes faster than you’d expect. Light fixtures and ceiling fans are worth adding to the same pass. Dust them before you clean anything below, so you’re not starting over.
Sliding door tracks are another one that’s easy to overlook and satisfying to knock out. An old toothbrush loosens the debris, a vacuum clears it, and a damp wipe finishes the job. Ten minutes, and your door to the patio feels like a different door entirely.
Windows: Wait for a Cloudy Day
Window washing is worth doing, just not on the first bright, sunny day you get the urge. Along the Front Range, that kind of dry, direct light causes cleaning solution to evaporate before you can wipe it, and you end up with more streaks than you started with. Pick a cloudy afternoon instead. A microfiber cloth and plain water handle most glass well. For stubborn buildup, a mix of rubbing alcohol, white vinegar, and distilled water works without the residue.
Reset the Garage Before Summer Gets Here
The garage is where seasons go to accumulate. If you haven’t already, now is the time to move snow shovels, ice scrapers, and winter gear to the back and bring garden tools and outdoor supplies forward. If you have a snowblower, service it before it goes into storage. It’s a much easier conversation now than in November when the first storm is two days out. An hour or two in the garage in May saves real frustration later.
A Walk Around the Outside
Before Colorado’s hail and afternoon storm season kicks into gear, take a slow walk around the exterior of your home. Clear gutters and downspouts of anything left from winter. Look for siding or trim that needs touch-up paint. Catching it early prevents a harder job later. If the exterior is looking genuinely tired, spring is the right time to start planning a repaint. The average exterior paint job lasts about ten years, and getting ahead of it beats dealing with peeling siding mid-summer.
Declutter in Small Doses
You don’t have to do this all at once. In fact, short focused sessions tend to work better than one exhausting Saturday. Move through the house with three simple categories: donate, discard, and return to its rightful place. The closet is a natural starting point. Swap out winter gear and make room for what you’ll actually reach for. In the kitchen, clear expired items from the pantry and refrigerator. In the bathroom, go through the medicine cabinet. None of these take long. Together they make the whole house feel noticeably lighter.
And Here’s What You Can Skip — Guilt-Free
This is the part worth reading carefully. Several things that get bundled into spring cleaning are genuinely better left for another time of year. Knowing this isn’t an excuse, it’s just smart timing.
Window screens. Front Range pollen is relentless through May and into June. Clean screens now and they’ll be yellow again by morning. Wait until after peak pollen season — early summer — and your effort will actually last.
Outdoor furniture. If you’re not consistently sitting outside yet, don’t clean it yet. One more late storm or a week of wind will undo the work. Wait for a stretch of genuinely warm, dry weather and do it right before you actually start using the space.
Carpets and upholstery. Late summer or early fall is the better window for professional cleaning. Lower humidity means faster drying and less risk of mildew or musty odors. Unless something specific happened this winter, a good vacuum is more than enough for now.
Heavy bedding. Pollen season is not the moment to hang comforters outside or run them through an already-strained dryer. Swap heavy bedding for lighter layers, store it away, and have it properly laundered in the fall before you need it again.
The furnace. Servicing it now means it sits dormant for months collecting dust anyway. Set a reminder for late September instead. For spring, simply swapping out your HVAC filter is enough to keep the air fresh as you move into warmer months.
You Don’t Have to Do It All
The best version of spring cleaning is a series of small, intentional choices rather than one overwhelming project. Pick two or three things off this list this weekend. Add a couple more the next. By the time summer actually arrives, your home will feel ready for it. And you’ll have done it without sacrificing the nice days you’ve already waited all winter for.
Inspired by articles featured in Better Homes & Gardens. All content has been rewritten and reimagined for a Colorado audience by the Nookhaven Homes team.
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