We invited a good friend of ours, Penny Golightly to write a blog post about her top tops for spring cleaning. Penny, take it away…

A good spring clean can make room for better things, whether that’s this season’s clothes, a new workbench or a hobby. Plus you’re likely to find a few things to sell, and you can then use the funds to indulge your passion for fashion, some home improvement, a short course or whatever else you like.

So far this month I’ve managed to spring clean the cupboard under the stairs, the over-stuffed bottom drawer of a chest of drawers, and my wardrobe. It didn’t take that long at all, and now I have a couple of boxes of household goods, ornaments and clothes to sell on Gumtree.

It’s amazing how much unwanted stuff we all have in our homes, getting in the way, gathering dust. I can’t wait to get it all out of the house, and make a profit out of it at the same time – it’s like getting paid to tidy up.

Here’s a few of my top tips:

Set a timer

This helps you keep a fast pace so you don’t get sidetracked by some of the things that you find

The feeling of job satisfaction

Pick one small room or one part of a room that can be all sorted out on the same day, so it feels like you’ve properly finished the job

Sell, recycle, bin

Put some boxes and bins down next to wherever you’re working, so that you can put things straight into the recycling, the bin, or into a pile of things to keep, give to charity or sell

Putting out the trash

To really tackle that clutter, it’s also best to take out the bin or the recycling the same day, so it’s out of the house, and it helps to put items up for sale during the same week while you’re still feeling motivated

One person’s trash really can be another person’s treasure

If something is broken or beyond repair, it might still be okay to sell it, so long as you are honest about any defects

Are you still in need of help? Here’s a video on how to post your ad quickly and efficiently: