Spring is a season of renewal. When the flowers are blooming, the trees are budding and the weather is pleasantly warm, people often feel inspired to make changes around their homes. Work may begin with culling belongings and organizing essentials.

As people embark on their plans to tidy up, these suggestions can help them along.

Create a ‘Cleaning Caddy’

Lisa Payne of Cullman’s Cleaning and More LLC, said preparation is key when performing a deep clean throughout one’s home. Creating a portable tote with all of the essential items saves times and avoids the hassle of having to track down a new set of tools each time a new task is started.

Tackle one big task a day

Who hasn’t started one project only to be distracted into moving along to another room?

This often occurs when people discover something out of place in one space and then move that item where it belongs, only to find a new cleaning task at hand in that space. Inefficiency can make you give up on spring cleaning prematurely. Agree to address one room/task a day. Keep a basket or box handy to store errant items until you move on to the next room.

Let your cleaning products do the work for you

Especially for those who lack the virtue of patience, it can be easy to want to begin scrubbing only moments after a chemical is applied to a dirty surface, but in doing so you could simply be creating more work for yourself. Payne said many products are much more effective after sitting for a certain amount of time and it is much easier to “let your chemicals do all of the hard work for you.”

“If they have to sit, let them sit. Let them do their job, and save yourself the elbow grease,” Payne said.

Tackle seasonal chores first

Some tasks need to get done to prepare for the spring and summer season. These may include cleaning the grill and sorting through outdoor furniture and decor. Spring cleaning may involve readying the pool for another year of use or cleaning out rain gutters to prepare for spring storms. Tackle time-dependent tasks first and then move on to others that are less time-sensitive.

Top to bottom/left to right

By working in a linear fashion, you are able to ensure each area is addressed, but not needed to be cleaned more than once.

“You don’t want to clean your floors and then go and dust, because then dust will fall and you will just have to clean them again.”

Place rugs at each door

While many springtime activities are enjoyed outdoors, you don’t want to bring the dirt from the baseball field or your freshly planted flower bed into your living room. Placing a rug at each entrance is an easy way to ensure the traces of those activities steer clear of your freshly cleaned floors.

Change air filters monthly and ensure bathroom fans are running

By changing the air filters on your air conditioner’s return unit regularly — Payne recommends monthly — you create a greater of amount of airflow throughout your home, which can reduce the ability for dust to gather.

In the same way air filters can prevent dust from gathering, Payne said running the exhaust fan in bathrooms — opening a window also does just as well — will cut back on moisture in the air to prevent the growth and spread of mold and mildew.

Purchase or rent a carpet cleaner

Speaking of dust gathering … carpets help filter indoor air by trapping debris and allergens. By deep cleaning carpets, homeowners can improve the indoor air quality of their homes. Use a carpet cleaner on a warm, dry day so that windows can be opened and cross breezes will help dry the damp rug.

Spread out the work

Some people like to devote full weekends to spring cleaning, but that can be overwhelming for others. Breaking down cleaning tasks into 15- to 30-minute intervals each day can make the job more tolerable.

Curate your cleaning playlist

Create a playlist with songs that will get you moving and motivated to clean or binge a podcast.