Participating in spring cleaning is the perfect opportunity for seniors to clear out some of the items they've accumulated over the years and simplify living spaces. By keeping just what you need and a few favorites, you can focus more easily on resting and enjoying personal interests instead of managing possessions.  

A tidy home is naturally a more comfortable and relaxing environment than a space that is cluttered and dysfunctional. For older adults, keeping rooms organized also increases safety by reducing risks for falls due to tripping. By thoughtfully arranging household furnishings and supplies, seniors can even make daily tasks easier.

If you want to reap the benefits of spring cleaning, start with these six tips.

1. Make a Plan

Spring cleaning is a broad term that can describe anything from deep cleaning your home to decluttering a room.

Before getting started on your cleaning venture, consider what you want to accomplish. Break down tasks into steps and make a checklist that you can use to track goals and stay organized.

2. Ask for Help

It's common for many seniors to hesitate to ask for assistance. However, it's important for family members and caregivers to be included in cleaning plans.

This allows those around you to lend a hand with tasks such as lifting boxes, taking down curtains or reaching out of the way items, ensuring work is done safely.

Here at Bethesda Gardens in Monument, our friendly housekeepers and maintenance personnel are standing by to help keep our residents' apartments in top shape.

Whether that means taking out the trash or changing a spent light bulb, we prioritize our residents' comfort and safety, and as such, we encourage them to let us help move items or hang decorations in their apartments.

3. Start in the Bedroom

Getting proper sleep is a key component of good health. Improving quality of sleep can help boost overall mood and energy levels, so time spent enhancing your sleeping environment is a good investment.

To start, carefully check the condition of your bed to maximize comfort. Worn-out bedding that's uncomfortable should be replaced. Seniors may wish to add a dust cover to their pillows and mattress to reduce allergens, which studies have shown can help individuals sensitive to dust mites wake up with fewer symptoms.

Aim for a minimum number of decorations and furnishings directly around the bed so that it's easy to walk to other rooms. Similarly, only keeping a few necessities on nightstands makes them much easier to quickly locate and use.

4. Clean Out the Medicine Cabinet

Seniors need to monitor the expiration dates of their medications, but they shouldn't overlook over-the-counter remedies stored in medicine cabinets either.

Antibiotic ointments, cough drops and pain relievers are examples of supplies that need replacing when the best-by dates are reached or the container is worn and no longer seals tightly.

Inspect makeup, sunscreen, shaving creams or lotions, and get rid of any with visible dirt or that are old to prevent exposure to germs and bacteria. Though it may be tempting to hang on to partial containers of eye shadow or blush, it's best to refresh even dry powders at least once a year.

5. Go Through Seasonal Clothing

With the arrival of spring, seniors can finally start stowing their winter garments and coats in favor of warm weather clothing. As any resident of Monument, CO, knows, storing winter clothes can take a lot of closet space, so it's a good practice to do a careful review of your wardrobe as you make this seasonal switch.

Clothes that don't fit correctly should be cleared out immediately, including shoes, to help prevent issues such as falls, pinched nerves and skin irritation. Be honest with yourself as you go through clothes and get rid of anything you honestly don't like or resist wearing.

If you keep pushing the same garment to the back of your dresser in favor of a favorite piece, it's probably a good candidate for the donation box or trash bin.

6. Take Your Time

Spring cleaning goals can be as simple as spending a single afternoon clearing out old clothes. But for bigger tasks, arrange the workload over a period of time that works best for you.

When decluttering, seniors should consider setting up an area where items still being cleaned and sorted can be placed. Leaving piles of objects on the floor or a table can hamper daily activities and potentially create tripping hazards.

Breaking up decluttering goals into smaller tasks can make cleaning out more manageable. If seniors are struggling to complete even day-to-day activities, it may be time to consider joining a retirement community such as Bethesda Gardens.

The round-the-clock support provided in an assisted living setting equips seniors with the tools necessary to live a vibrant, active lifestyle. This includes personalized care plans under the supervision of medical professionals, nutritious meals prepared by professional dieticians and fitness programs specially designed to boost seniors' mobility and strength.