Spring cleaning provides a fantastic opportunity to refresh your home with a whole-house clean, but it can get a little overwhelming. Skip the stress by prioritizing your spring cleaning to-do list.

Getting to every task on your list is, of course, ideal, but sometimes there just aren’t enough hours in the day to do it all. During spring cleaning, it’s best to prioritize tasks that get neglected during everyday tidying. Here are some tips to help you decide which spring cleaning tasks to focus on in your home.

Decide on the biggest project for each room

One of the best ways to keep from getting overwhelmed by the big picture is to go from room to room and decide on the main spring cleaning tasks that need to get done in that room. This will give you a good idea of where your biggest tasks lie. It also helps to keep you from expending all of your energy in one room or area of your home and not having any time or energy left for the rest of the house.

Clear away clutter

Early spring is a great time to de-clutter your home. Crack the windows to let in a brisk breeze while you purge every room of items that have piled up over the past year. Start up different bags or boxes of items that are to be thrown away, recycled, donated, or placed into storage. Getting all of the clutter out of the way first will make it much easier to get your other cleaning tasks done.

Focus on deep cleaning

During spring cleaning, your energy is best spent on deep cleaning tasks. These are tasks that tend to be out of sight and therefore out of mind. In the kitchen, for example, deep cleaning may include cleaning the oven, cleaning the fridge, and cleaning behind and under appliances. Other common examples of deep cleaning tasks include vacuuming behind and under large pieces of furniture, wiping down walls, cleaning windowsills, cleaning window drapes and blinds, and organizing closets.

Look ahead to the coming year

Your plans for the coming year can also give you an idea of where to focus your energy during spring cleaning. If you have any renovations or just some plans to redecorate, then spending more time on those areas of your home will make it easier to tackle those projects when the time comes. De-cluttering the areas where you plan to do some work will be especially helpful.

Create a schedule

Don’t try to cram all of your spring cleaning tasks into just one day or one weekend. There’s no reason to rush, so try to draw up a schedule over a week or at least over two separate weekends. Give yourself a feasible amount of time for each task to ensure that it gets done right the first time, and make sure to take plenty of breaks while you work.

Once you’ve decided what your main spring cleaning goals are, the process will seem much less intimidating. Remember that you do have every other day of the year to clean as well, so don’t be disappointed if you don’t quite get through your entire list. Throw open your curtains, let in the spring breeze, and try to have some fun with it!