Spring Cleaning Guide

It’s almost that time of year! Such a bitter sweet time … sweet because it is starting to look and feel like Spring outside, but a little bitter because we need to get that Spring cleaning done! Hopefully I can help you get through this dreaded event a little easier than normal! Did you know that there is a history behind spring cleaning? You can read all about it here.

Let’s get started! What I like to do is separate my cleaning list by rooms … I live by checkoff lists! My goal is to get my cleaning done in one weekend because if I start deep cleaning and then stop, I will not start again for quite a while. I separate my cleaning into the following: kitchen/dining room, bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms, and miscellaneous. Personally, I do one category at a time and do not start another category until I am completely finished with the previous category.

What order of the categories should you go in? That is a tricky question. I usually start with the most cluttered or dirtiest room. I then choose the easiest category and go back and forth using that system. I usually leave the “miscellaneous” category for last because I sometimes add items to that list that involve each of the rooms. Before you can start cleaning, it’s a good idea to gather all of your cleaning supplies in one place for easy access.

Annie provides a list of all the products you should have before starting your spring cleaning!

Kitchen/Dining Room

  • Clean out and sort items in drawers
  • Clean out and wipe the inside and outside of refrigerator
  • Run cleaning cycle on dishwasher
  • Dust above cabinets
  • Wipe down cabinets
  • Sort and organize cabinets and pantry (throw out expired food)
  • Sweep and mop kitchen
  • Wipe down kitchen table, chairs, and barstools
  • Sweep and mop dining room
  • Wipe down inside and outside of trash can

Bathrooms

  • Replace toothbrushes
  • Replace loofas
  • Replace air fresheners
  • Sort and organize drawers/cabinets
  • Scrub inside and outside of toilet
  • Wipe down mirrors and counters
  • Wipe down tub and shower
  • Wash shower curtains
  • Sweep and mop floors

Living Rooms

  • Clean out TV stand drawers and cabinets
  • Dust all furniture and decor
  • Clean couch and chair cushions
  • Wash any throw pillows

Bedrooms

  • Wash bedding, pillows, and blankets
  • Sort and organize clothes (a good time to start a donation box)
  • Dust all furniture and decor
  • Vacuum floor (including under the bed)
  • Rotate mattress
  • Sort and organize children’s toys

Miscellaneous

  • Wipe down all baseboards
  • Wash all curtains/ wipe down blinds
  • Wipe down doors
  • Wash windows and sills
  • Check smoke alarm batteries
  • Change air filters
  • Dust any light fixtures
  • Wash any rugs or mats
  • Go through coat closet
  • Wash all blankets
  • Shampoo carpets
  • Dust ceiling corners

Now that we have a few lists, write them down. I always put my lists on paper to keep me accountable! I like getting all of my spring cleaning done within one weekend, two at most, but I know that people have busy schedules and that is not always possible. If you need to split up your spring cleaning into multiple weekends, I suggest that you complete your cleaning in categories rather than complete a couple items from each list every time. For more Spring cleaning tips, click here!

If there are any items that were not on my list that you would like to add, leave a comment below! Happy Spring Cleaning!

Talk to you later!

Samantha

Spring Break in The Biggest Little City

Hey there! With Spring Break approaching, I wanted to give a little bit of insight on events and activities to check out in the Reno, Nevada area! Whether you are traveling to the Biggest Little City or you are having a stay-cation here, I want to help you come up with the perfect activities for an eventful Spring Break! Outdoors, indoors, or night life .. there are plenty of things to do in Reno and the surrounding areas to have a Spring Break to tell all of your friends and family about.

Outdoors

Reno is located less than an hour away from Lake Tahoe .. a destination on many people’s bucket list. Between Reno and Lake Tahoe, there are countless activities outdoors including trails and hikes with amazing views. Let’s take a look:

  • University of Nevada, Reno Wolfpack Baseball game
  • Aces Baseball game
  • Hunter Creek Waterfall Trail (5.7 mile trail located in Reno, dogs and horses welcome, moderate trail with waterfall)
  • Upper Thomas Creek Trail (14.7 mile hiking trail in Reno, dog and horse welcome, mountain biking)
  • Tom Cooke Trail (3.7 mile loop trail in Reno, dogs welcome)
  • Mount Tallac Trail (10.2 mile trail in South Lake Tahoe, rated difficult)
  • Eagle Lake Trail (1.8 mile trail in South Lake Tahoe, moderate difficulty, dogs on leash welcome)
  • Rubicon Peak Trail (3.5 mile trail near Lake Tahoe, primarily used for hiking and running, dogs welcome)
  • Pope Beach (located in South Lake Tahoe, sandy beach with picnic tables and trees for shade)
  • Lakeside Beach (located in South Lake Tahoe, renting stations for paddle boards/kayaks/umbrellas/chairs)
  • Sand Harbor Beach (located in Lake Tahoe, picnic tables and trees, beach and cove dedicated to scuba divers)
  • Kings Beach (located in North Lake Tahoe, gets a lot of winter sun, parasailing/kayaking/paddle boarding)
Top of Tom Cooke’s Trail with my beautiful friend, Alyssa!
The beautiful view of Reno, Nevada from the top of Tom Cooke’s Trail

Indoors

Reno is known for its very sporadic weather, especially in the Spring. So having a back up plan to stay in doors for Spring Break in Reno is a great idea. Also, depending what month your Spring Break is, it might be too chilly to attend one of the beaches in Tahoe mentioned above. There are plenty of fun indoor activities in Reno that can fill the time of those chilly Spring Break days!

  • Nevada Discovery Museum (fun for all ages)
  • Nevada Art Museum
  • National Automobile Museum
  • Puzzle Room Reno (an escape room)
  • Local breweries (Great Basin, Lead Dog Brewing, The Depot, Silver Peak, Revision, etc.)
  • Spa day at the Atlantis or Peppermill Hotel
  • Need 2 Speed (premier indoor kart racing at high speeds)
  • Coconut Bowl (32 bowling lanes and arcade)
  • Mini Golf and Go-karts at Wild Island
  • Cabela’s and Scheels (great shopping spots)
  • Three malls: Meadowood Mall (indoor), Summit Mall (outdoor), and Legends Mall (outdoor)
  • Circus Circus Midway (indoor carnival games and arcade games for all ages)
  • Urban Air Trampoline and Adventure Park or Fly High Trampoline Park (fun for all ages)

Night Life

So, you’ve done your activities for the day, either indoors or outdoors, and now you want to see what nightlife looks like in Reno! Reno has it all: outdoor bars, dancing bars, breweries, fancy bars, clubs, and any other type of bar you can think of. A majority of the action is either located in downtown Reno where a majority of the casinos are located or in “Midtown” which is located a few miles south of downtown. Here are some bars I find most people like in Reno:

Downtown

  • The Eddy (outdoor bar with lots of outdoor games – family environment during the day and adult environment when it gets dark)
  • The Stick (bar with good food and good music)
  • Sierra Tap House (both indoor and outdoor seating, lots of board games)
  • Ole Bridge Pub (both indoor and outdoor seating)
  • Brew Brothers (in the casino, often has live music, DJ, dancing)
  • Novi (in the casinos, DJ, lots of country music and line dancing)
  • Louis Basque Corner (a restaurant during the day, upstairs bar at night)
  • West Second St. Bar (indoor bar with karaoke)
  • The Depot (brewery, but get there early because they close by 10pm)
  • Reno Axe & Bar (throw some axes and get a beer all in the same place!)

Midtown

  • Z Bar (indoor and outdoor seating)
  • Pubic House (indoor and outdoor seating)
  • The Emerson (new to Reno, more of a fancier bar .. they even have a drink served in a mini bathtub!)
  • Chapel Tavern (indoor and outdoor seating)
  • The Loving Cup (indoor and outdoor seating, DJ)
  • Rum Sugar Lime (indoor bar, slightly fancier than other bars)
  • The Brasserie (indoor and outdoor, serve food late, slightly fancier than other bars)
  • The Saint (indoor bar, DJ and some dancing)
The bathtub drink at the Emerson in Midtown.

Other Bars and Night Life

  • Lex (nightclub located in the GSR Hotel and Casino)
  • Zeppelin (bar located in South Reno, more fancy than other bars)
  • Great Basin Brewery (located in Sparks on Victorian Square near a lot of other small indoor/outdoor bars)
  • EDGE Nightclub (located in the Peppermill Hotel and Casino)

As you can tell, Reno really is the biggest little city! There are so many activities and events to participate in around this time of the year. Don’t let this nice weather fool you, it could be snowing tomorrow … so pack your snowboard just to be on the safe side!

Now that you have a few ideas to fill your Spring Break in The Biggest Little City, start planning your trip or stay-cation! If you have any further questions about anything going on in the Reno area, leave me a comment!

Talk to you later!

Samantha