Spring into a cleaner, less cluttered home

In case you missed it we are currently in the middle of the Great British Spring Clean, a campaign organised by Keep Britain Tidy.

The campaign has a simple aim: to bring people across the country together to clear up the litter that blights our towns, villages, countryside and beaches.


The team at Allison Homes is doing its bit, by backing the Corby Clean and Proud campaign – a new initiative being led by the Great Oakley Group and the de Capell Brooke family. Allison Homes has worked closely with the Great Oakley Group and Alexander de Capell Brooke on the delivery of Oakley Rise, part of the larger Oakley Vale development in Corby.

The Corby Clean and Proud campaign is urging Corby businesses to pledge to keep the town’s streets clean and tidy.  Businesses are encouraged to take the CLEAN pledge and participate in the Great British Spring Clean. CLEAN calls for businesses to;

• Commit to reducing the litter local to the Corby community.
• Learn more about the impact of litter in our communities.
• Engage with fellow businesses for a collective effort to keep our area clean.
• Act as an ambassador in promoting waste reduction.
• Notify the council if you spot any excessive littering.

You will have heard the adage that charity begins at home. So should cleaning campaigns. The Great British Spring Clean is also an excellent time to tidy and declutter your own home, as well as your neighbourhood.

Here are some things you can do for effective spring cleaning:

• Declutter – go through your stuff, decide what you really need and what you can live without and get rid.
• Dust – break out the duster and the Mr Sheen and give your whole house a good dusting.
• Deep clean carpets and upholstery – if you have a deep cleaner use that. If not, consider getting a professional cleaner to really cleanse your home.
• Get rid of pet hairs.
• Give the oven a clean with bicarbonate of soda.
• Clean the fridge.
• Use the dishwasher to clean the kids’ plastic toys.
• Steam clean the microwave.
• Go through your wardrobe – if you haven’t worn something for some time the chances are you won’t for a while. Pare your wardrobe down to the essentials and discard the rest.
• Wipe over bathroom surfaces with white vinegar for a deep clean – soak tiles and shower heads in white vinegar over night before rinsing to remove lime scale and other stubborn stains.
• Make your home smell lovely with fresh fragrances and keep the place well-aired with cool wafts of air through open windows.
• Outside the home, keep the garden leaf-free.
• Why not 'go to town' on the car as well? Keep it as clean as your house and feel great every time you go for a drive.
• Don’t forget to give the windows a clean and clear away any cobwebs that may be hiding in the corners of the window frames.

When you have decluttered why not make a bit of extra cash by putting anything saleable on eBay or consider going to a local car boot sale. Or if you’re feeling benevolent take your old belongings to your favourite charity shop.