Want your spring-clean home to look brighter? Wash the windows! Dull, dingy windows can actually block the bright light from coming in. Now that's all well and good if you're a bat, but as a rule, most humans like to bask in the spring sunlight.
Washing windows, although time consuming isn't really that hard. If you have a multi-story house, consider picking up some of the Windex that hooks to your hose to "power wash" the outside of your upper-story windows. For inside windows and ground-level outside windows, mix yourself up some simple window solution (fill a bucket with a couple of gallons of warm water and a teaspoon of dishwashing liquid - Dawn works best) grab your squeegee (invest in a good quality one to get the best results), plastic scrubbing pad (the kind that is safe for any surface) and some old newspaper.
Be sure to pick a day that is pleasantly warm, but not too hot or your cleaning solution will dry too quickly. Also make sure the windows you are cleaning are not in direct sunlight or you'll end up with the same problem.
Begin on the inside windows. Using your scrubber, wash the inside of the windows (protect window sills from drips with an old towel). Use your squeegee and remove the water all in one direction (either up & down or side to side).
Clean any remaining water around the edges with wadded up newspaper (again going in the same direction as you squeegeed)be sure not to get newsprint ink on your woodwork. Continue with your inside windows using the same technique (and squeegee/cloth direction) for all inside windows.
Once you're sparkling inside, move on to the ground-level outside. Use the same technique as the inside to wash those windows - but this time use the opposite water removal pattern (ie - if you did the insides side to side, do the outside up and down). This way when you're all done if you see some streaking that needs to be fixed you'll know right away if it's on the inside or outside.
Once your windows are sparkling, the light will pour into your house. You'll really feel that spring is here!