Spring cleaning has a reputation for being a chore, but it does not have to swallow an entire weekend. With a little planning you can refresh your home in stages without losing your sanity. Here is our practical list for getting it done.

Five jobs worth doing first

• Clear the windowsills: a five minute tidy instantly makes a room feel brighter.
• Wash the windows: nothing lets in spring light quite like clean glass.
• Sort one drawer: pick the worst offender and empty it completely before deciding what stays.
• Launder soft furnishings: cushion covers and throws gather more dust than you might think.
• Donate, do not hoard: fill one bag for the charity shop and drop it off the same day.

Work in short bursts

The secret to cleaning without dread is to avoid marathon sessions. Twenty focused minutes a day across a week will achieve far more than one exhausting Saturday. Set a timer, tackle a single area, and stop when it rings.

Done little and often, the whole house feels lighter by the end of the month, and you will not have sacrificed a single sunny afternoon to do it.