I'm the owner + photographer at Anne Casey Photography — serving Maryland & Pennsylvania

We’ve had our first hint of spring and there is no turning back! I’ve planted some seeds in my vegetable garden, given way too much thought to mulch options, and rerouted my stone path in the front garden to better serve the mail carrier. I’m READY. Like many, I love a little spring cleaning action in my life. With two kids, an enormous dog, and a love for the outdoors, things get a little messy in this house. Here are a few simple tricks I’ve picked up over the years!

Lint rollers are so handy to have around! As a pet owner, we keep one at-the-ready and recently I’ve found two new ways to use them! First, take that sucker to your lampshades. I never think about cleaning lampshades, who does?? They’re harder to clean than they should be! Not anymore! Roll the lint roller all over it and you’ll be shocked how much dust comes off! Ever broken a glass? Once you think you’re finished getting all those tiny shards cleaned up, go over the area one more time with a lint roller!

When it’s time to wash your pillows, grab some tennis balls! When you throw the pillows in the dryer, toss in the tennis balls. They’ll keep your pillows nice and fluffy. This also works on down comforters and stuffed animals! I keep a set of tennis balls in my laundry room just for this purpose.

Dog toys need to be washed! Think of all that time your pup spends soaking them with slobber. Yup. Gross. Every few weeks I toss them all into the laundry with some gentle detergent. Not only are the toys less gross, but I swear my house smells fresher. If your dog has those hard plastic-type bones like Nylabone or Benebone, I give them a good scrub in the kitchen sink.

Vacuums need to be cleaned. Which seems weird… since they do the cleaning. Don’t forget to take it apart, wash the canister in hot soapy water, clean any threads or hair off the brush, and wash out or replace the filter! You can add a few drops of essential oil to the filter for a nice scent. To clean the brush, get a stitch remover from your sewing kit! Scissors will do the trick if you don’t have a sewing kit because you’re not an 80 year old hiding in a millienial’s body… The point is, it makes that task super easy.

As far as my favorite cleaning supplies, I’ve been using Grove for a few years and I love it! I’m constantly discovering new products. They’re mission is to be friendly to the earth, and I think that’s something we can all get behind. I’m a huge fan of Mrs. Meyers products and all of the seasonal scents! I have a VIP membership with Grove which means I get free shipping and lots of free gifts! (YAY!) If you want free goodies of your own, I’ve got a referral link to share. Click here and they’ll send you some of everyone’s favorites

I wish you a happy spring cleaning season! I tend to do my spring cleaning in phases. Don’t feel rushed to get it all done in a weekend! Drop me a comment and tell me what you ordered from Grove!