It's always a good idea to stay organized throughout the year, but things don't always go according to plan. During springtime, it's popular to use the opportunity to whip your house into shape.

It can be a tough job since there may be things you've been putting off all year long. But in the end, it'll be worth it because you'll have a great sense of accomplishment and your house will be looking its best.

Try some of the following ways to get your home into shape during spring cleaning:

1. Do the deep cleaning. Deep cleaning is clearly not something you can make a part of your everyday cleaning routine. During spring cleaning, however, you can take the opportunity to get down and dirty.
   

• Rent a steam cleaner and clean all of your carpets and upholstery.
• Note the condition of your bathrooms to see if deep cleaning is required there as well.

2. During spring cleaning, take that extra step to vacuum everything. During regular cleaning, you likely do a quick job in a matter of minutes. However, with spring cleaning, it's good to take time for the details, crevasses, and under the couch.

3. Time to use the ladder. Spring cleaning is also an opportunity to get to all those hard to reach places. Include ceiling fans, the tops of doors, and light fixtures. Do this dusting first so you can vacuum up the fallen dust later with the regular vacuuming.

4. Wash all surfaces. Take the time to wash every surface you can. There may be certain things that you don't think need cleaning, but you really never know where dust has settled throughout the year. Grab a cloth and clean your walls, cabinets, and more.

5. Pay special attention to organization. If you've already been using an organization plan, you'll only need to reorganize things that may have fallen out of place. If you don't have organizational methods in place, perhaps it's time to adopt some.

• This is a great opportunity to go through the "junk drawer" and other places where things may have piled up.

6. Sift through the clutter. Find the cluttered spots in your house and deal with those items. If you need them in the house, then find them a permanent home that's out of the way.

• If you need to keep small items, but aren't using them every day, find a place to pack them away for the future. If you feel that you can do without it, consider dropping it off for donation.

7. Get your family involved. So much more can be accomplished when it's a group effort. Have children take responsibility for their rooms. Then, divide up the other cleaning projects among every member of the family.

• Remember to reward yourselves at the end of the day for a job well done! Perhaps you can throw a pizza party for the family.

Remember that getting your house into shape doesn't need to be too difficult on you; just take everything one step at a time, do what you can, and it'll all get done.