The Spring Clean of All Spring Cleans

Go through boxes and make sure decorations are put away exactly the way you want to pull them out each season. "Sometimes, in the rush of our days, we just take down decorations and throw them into a container, leaving a mess to deal with next fall," says green-cleaning expert Leslie Reichert. "Instead, take a few extra minutes and organize things as you put them away (or, in this case, re-organize). Think of the time and frustration you'll avoid come the next holiday!"

Make sure to wash and put away winter (and spring … and summer … and fall) clothes in an organized fashion. "Nothing is more frustrating than opening your summer clothes and realizing they are a dirty, wrinkled mess," Reichert says. "Run everything through the wash, fold it all carefully and store in an airtight container. Label and place them so you can easily get to them on the first day of a season."

Get your kids' closets in order now, and you'll be set for months. "Spring is the perfect time to go through your kids' closets and purge," says organization expert Jennifer Ford Berry, author of the Organize Now! books. "Not only is this consignment sale season, when you can trade your clutter for cash, but it will save you time throughout the season if you match up outfits now."

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You know how you have to constantly move that end table to vacuum near the sofa? "Organize your furniture so you can get your vacuum completely around everything without moving furniture," says Reichert. "Vacuuming is a snap if you have the room organized correctly."

Pick a super-nice day in early spring when it's the perfect temperature: not too hot and not too cold. "Clean those windows inside and out," says Ford Berry. "This is a great time to get this task done, since the weather is perfect."

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Every family has that space where they start their day from. "Organize your family launch pad, the area where you enter and exit your home, for the spring and summer season," says Ford Berry. "Remove items left from the winter season. Add the beach bag, beach towels, flip flops, spring jacket, sunglasses and all of the things you will constantly be needing as you run out of the house for the coming season."

Stations: It's the word of your organizing life, and will save time day after day. "For example, make a backpack station," says Reichert. "If the kids have a place they know their backpacks belong, they'll always put them there, and you'll never hear the question, 'Mom, have you seen my backpack?'" And this trick isn't just for kids: "Try to calculate the amount of time spent looking for keys every day. Put up a special key hook and get in the habit of always putting your keys there. Think of all the hours you'll save over the coming year!"

You buy a lot of the same items every time you hit the grocery store. Make one master list for an easy way to keep track of what you really need. "Who wants to waste more time on groceries when you really just want to enjoy the nice weather?" says Ford Berry. "Take some time to type up a list that you can use over and over. Make copies, and from now on just put a checkmark next to the items you need.

You know the spring cleaning jobs you actually hate? It's time to make a list. "Schedule the absolute one first," says Reichert. "Put it on the calendar and make a date to get it done. Once you get it out of the way, it's all downhill from there."

Also, create a list of small jobs that you can tackle in 15 minutes or less. "When you have an extra 15 minutes, go to the list and then get busy," Reichert says. "You'll have everything you need to get cleaning."

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Start cataloging run-of-the-mill household chores on a calendar. Every time you clean, wash or organize something, write it on the calendar. "Make up a calendar plan off of those notes," Reichert says. "You can see patterns, like the bathroom needs to be done weekly, but the dusting only needs to be done every three weeks."

Bills. Let's all give a collective sigh for the time spent on those—and then eliminate the pain. "Automate," says Ford Berry. "Go through and set up the 'auto pay' option on all your bills."

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Tax Day is looming. Put the previous year behind you so that you can look ahead. "While you are getting your taxes together, get your files really organized by pulling out all the paper left from 2012," says Ford Berry. "Tax time is a great time to start with fresh folders for bills, receipts, statements and anything else that is old news."