As spring arrives, many people feel the urge to tidy and organize their homes. Your iPhone can be a powerful tool in this process, helping you streamline everything from planning to execution.
This toolkit explores the approaches, apps and accessories you need to make your spring clean go off without a hitch.
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Organize tasks: Use an app to list what needs doing and break jobs down into manageable chunks. Reminders is ideal – but even Notes will do. Use tags if you need to link/group arbitrary tasks.
Delegate jobs: If you live with others, share the load by assigning tasks. When you all have Apple devices, shared checklists make it easy for everyone to see the current state of play and suggested deadlines.
Use timers and streaks: Don’t overwhelm yourself – or others. Short, focused bursts of spring cleaning can be effective. Use a streaks app and a timer. You’ll be surprised how much you can accomplish in even 15 minutes.
Get rid of paper: Unless there’s a legal reason to keep paper documents, shred and/or recycle them. If you need a record of the more important ones, scan them with your iPhone first.
Document progress: It can be hard to see progress when you’re in the thick of spring cleaning. Take photos of rooms or spaces before you start, at regular intervals, and then when you’re done, in order to keep yourself motivated.
Spring clean your iPhone: Your digital life can also accumulate clutter. Use this period of spring cleaning to remove unused apps and quieten annoying notifications.
Download these apps
Streaks ($5.99/£5.99): Form good habits regarding spring cleaning by creating timers and routines to keep you (and others) on track with your schedule.
Widget Wizard (free + IAP): Build to-do lists as all-day tasks in Reminders and use this widget’s Agenda block to put your list right on your Home Screen.
Adobe Scan (free): Quickly and efficiently scan multiple paper documents, which can be saved as PDFs with searchable and selectable text.
eBay (free): Sell items you no longer want but that still have value. But avoid then using eBay to buy more things you don’t really need!
Facebook (free): Find local ‘freebay’ groups where you can give away unwanted items you don’t want to sell – to people who will really appreciate them.
Google Maps (free): Scour your neighborhood for charity shops and recycling centers for items you can’t sell and yet that aren’t ready for the trash.
Memories (free + $1.99/£1.99): Browse your photo library to rediscover photos from this day in previous years. A few minutes of pruning each day and you’ll have a clutter-free library by this time next year.
Attach this hardware
JBL Flip 6 ($129.95/£129.99): When you need some tunes to focus on your spring cleaning, this rugged, waterproof Bluetooth speaker will provide up to 12 hours of playback on a single charge.
Otterbox Defender (around $64.95/£42.99): While immersed in sorting out boxes in the attic or basement, you won’t want your iPhone to get damaged when it inevitably tumbles to the floor. And it won’t if it’s inside one of these protective cases.
Moft Snap-on Phone Stand and Wallet ($29.99/£25): The wallet isn’t the interesting part here – it’s that this snap-on stand can prop up your iPhone in a variety of ways when you’re in the middle of a clean and want to keep an eye on your to-do list.
Brother HL-something or other printer ($109/£99): When you need to print off a bunch of storage or shipping labels, inkjets are expensive. So grab a cheap wireless laser printer instead. Brother ones are fine. Whichever one is around 100 bucks will do.