What the tech? Eight useful apps to help you spring clean your home

The countdown to the end of winter has truly begun and we all know what’s around the corner; spring cleaning season.

Spring cleaning can be a daunting task. There’s that closet full of clothes you haven’t worn in years, that drawer brimming with old receipts and used batteries, and let’s not forget about that filing cabinet that’s about to explode.

So, take a deep breath because there’s no better time than spring to turn over a new leaf. If you’re feeling run off your feet at home, then maybe you can get by with a little help from your friends. Well, in this case – your apps.

Consider downloading these mighty handy apps to help you spring clean your living space.

1. BrightNest

This app is handy for those home repairs you’ve been putting off because you didn’t know how to do them. BrightNest can help you fix things on your own with a variety of home maintenance guides to assist you. It also has cleaning and home organisational tips that are super useful.

2. Think Dirty

Spring cleaning isn’t just about cleaning out the house, it’s also about cleaning out your life in general. Does your lipstick contain any toxic chemicals? How about your shampoo? If you don’t know, Think Dirty can find out for you. It has more than 200,000 items on its database. All you have to do is scan your products in the app and read the dirty meter. If any of your products get a max rating of 10, they gotta go. The app also allows you to buy Think Dirty-approved products directly from Amazon.

3. FileThis

Clean out your filing cabinet and make everything digital. Keep all your paperwork in FileThis to make managing your statements, preparing for tax returns and archiving old documents a whole lot easier. You will finally be able to Ctrl+F all your paperwork and locate what you need – fast.

4. PaperKarma

​Spam emails suck, but what’s even worse is spam paper mail. This app is about to make all those random mailers go away. Pull up the app, take a picture of the unwanted pieces, and PaperKarma will find a way to unsubscribe you. Who knew spring cleaning would be this satisfying!

5. iRecycle

​Put in your current location and this app will bring up all the recycle centres around your area. This isn’t only for your glass, plastics and paper. It’s for electronics, batteries, paint, hazardous materials and other recyclables. iRecycle also pulls up your local recycle centre’s phone number and a list of acceptable materials.

6. Gumtree  

It’s time to play the keep, give and sell game! Anything that you’re not either keeping or giving away you can consider selling on Gumtree. Also, if there’s a particular house chore you just can’t do on your own – like finally putting together that IKEA shelf or reattaching a closet door –  you can seek for help on Gumtree to find someone who can do this for you.

7. The Fridge

You know those moments when you’re at the grocery store and you wonder if you’ve got enough bread, milk, veggies and so on, so you buy them anyway just in case, only to find out that you’re stocking up more than you need. Avoid this dilemma with The Fridge. It lets you record what you have in your fridge and pantry, and it’ll let you know when certain foods are about to go bad. The app will even recommend recipes to try using up the ingredients you have listed in the app.

8. Tody

Last but not least, the most crucial part of spring cleaning your home is making sure that things stay in order once you’re done. Get a grip on that broom handle with Tody, an in-depth and practical way to put frequent chores and tasks on a recurring schedule. To start, designate which areas of your home you’d like to monitor – your living room, kitchen, or office, for example –  then either select from a wheel menu of common tasks (mop floor, clean sink) or select “other” to enter in a custom task.